Electrical Wire Gauge Chart
Proper wire size is important to ensure that the required amperage passes freely through the wire to the various components on our vehicles. Knowing the maximum amperage a wire size can carry and the maximum length to maintain that amperage not only ensures proper functioning electric components, but it is also a safety issue.
Improperly sized wiring (too small) can overheat and cause a fire.
The chart below provides a basic reference guide to Amperage, Wire Gauge, and Wire Length, for the American Wire Gauge (AWG) specification. Below this chart, we have included a conversion to Square MM.
| Length of Wire | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Amps at 13.8 volts | 0-4' (0-1.219m) | 4-7' (1.219-2.137m) | 7-10' (2.137-3.048m) | 10-13' (3.048-3.962m) | 13-16' (3.962-4.877m) | 16-19' (4.877-5.791m) | 19-22' (5.791-6.706m) |
| 0-10 | 16 gauge | 16 gauge | 14 gauge | 14 gauge | 12 gauge | 10 gauge | 10 gauge |
| 10-15 | 14 gauge | 14 gauge | 14 gauge | 12 gauge | 10 gauge | 8 gauge | 8 gauge |
| 15-20 | 12 gauge | 12 gauge | 12 gauge | 12 gauge | 10 gauge | 8 gauge | 8 gauge |
| 20-35 | 12 gauge | 10 gauge | 10 gauge | 10 gauge | 10 gauge | 8 gauge | 8 gauge |
| 35-50 | 10 gauge | 10 gauge | 10 gauge | 8 gauge | 8 gauge | 8 gauge | 6/4 gauge |
| 50-65 | 10 gauge | 10 gauge | 8 gauge | 8 gauge | 6/4 gauge | 6/4 gauge | 4 gauge |
| 65-85 | 10 gauge | 8 gauge | 8 gauge | 6/4 gauge | 6/4 gauge | 4 gauge | 4 gauge |
| 85-105 | 8 gauge | 8 gauge | 6/4 gauge | 4 gauge | 4 gauge | 4 gauge | 4 gauge |
| 105-125 | 8 gauge | 8 gauge | 6/4 gauge | 4 gauge | 4 gauge | 4 gauge | 2 gauge |
| 125-150 | 8 gauge | 6/4 gauge | 4 gauge | 2 gauge | 2 gauge | 2 gauge | 2 gauge |
| 150-200 | 6/4 gauge | 4 gauge | 4 gauge | 2 gauge | 2 gauge | 1/0 gauge | 1/0 gauge |
| 200-250 | 4 gauge | 4 gauge | 2 gauge | 2 gauge | 1/0 gauge | 1/0 gauge | 1/0 gauge |
| 250-300 | 4 gauge | 2 gauge | 2 gauge | 1/0 gauge | 1/0 gauge | 1/0 gauge | 2/0 gauge |
Square Millimeter (MM) Conversion
| American Wire Gauge AWG | Square MM (mm2) |
| 0000 (4/0) | 107.00 |
| 000 (3/0) | 85.00 |
| 00 (2/0) | 67.40 |
| 0 (1/0) | 53.50 |
| 1 | 42.40 |
| 2 | 33.60 |
| 3 | 26.70 |
| 4 | 21.10 |
| 5 | 16.80 |
| 6 | 13.30 |
| 7 | 10.60 |
| 8 | 8.36 |
| 9 | 6.63 |
| 10 | 5.26 |
| 11 | 4.17 |
| 12 | 3.31 |
| 13 | 2.63 |
| 14 | 2.08 |
| 15 | 1.65 |
| 16 | 1.31 |
| 17 | 1.04 |
| 18 | 0.82 |
| 19 | 0.65 |
| 20 | 0.52 |
| 21 | 0.41 |
| 22 | 0.33 |
| 23 | 0.26 |
| 24 | 0.20 |
| 25 | 0.16 |
| 26 | 0.13 |
Have questions regarding this information?
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