35 mm² converts to 2 AWG, and this is the one page on this site where the answer is simple.
2 AWG is 33.6 mm² — only 4% smaller than 35 mm². More importantly, it is one of two gauges in the entire range that actually meets the metric resistance limit for the size it pairs with.
Table of Contents
Why this size is different
At every other size, the closest AWG gauge and the safe substitute are different answers, because the nearest gauge is too small and fails the resistance test.
Here they are almost the same answer:
| Gauge | Cross-section | Against 35 mm² | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Closest by area | 2 AWG | 33.6 mm² | 4% less |
| Conservative choice | 1 AWG | 42.4 mm² | 21% more |
And the resistance test, which usually rules the closest gauge out, does not:
| Gauge | Actual resistance | 35 mm² limit | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 AWG | 0.51 Ω/km | 0.524 | passes |
| 1 AWG | 0.41 Ω/km | 0.524 | passes |
2 AWG passes. A 2 AWG conductor genuinely satisfies the requirement for 35 mm².
Compare that to 4 mm², where 12 AWG misses by 13%, or 2.5 mm², where 14 AWG misses by 12%. Those sizes force you up a gauge. This one does not.
The other three
Only four points in the whole range behave this way, and they share the same cause — the step between the AWG area and the metric size is 4 to 5%, small enough that the conductor stays inside the limit:
| Metric size | Gauge | Gap |
|---|---|---|
| 35 mm² | 2 AWG | 4% |
| 70 mm² | 2/0 AWG | 4% |
| 185 mm² | 350 kcmil | 4% |
| 400 mm² | 750 kcmil | 5% |
If you are converting a design between systems and you have any freedom over the conductor size, these four are worth steering toward. They are the only sizes where the substitution is genuinely clean rather than a round-up. The mechanism is explained in why AWG doesn’t match metric sizes.
Conductor diameter
A solid conductor of 35 mm² works out to 6.676 mm across, but nothing at this size is solid in practice — solid copper above 25 mm² is intended for particular cable types such as mineral insulated, not general use.
The maximums that matter:
| Construction | Max diameter | Min strands | Max strand dia. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Class 1, solid | 6.7 mm | 1 | — |
| Class 2, stranded | 7.9 mm | 7 | — |
| Class 5, flexible | 9.2 mm | — | 0.41 mm |
| Class 6, very flexible | 9.2 mm | — | 0.21 mm |
Solid 2 AWG is 6.54 mm for reference, but you will receive stranded cable measuring up to 7.9 mm, or 9.2 mm if it is flexible.
That is a 41% spread from the solid figure to class 5. At feeder sizes this is the mistake that actually costs money — compression lugs and cable glands are selected off a diameter, and getting it wrong means re-ordering hardware after the cable is on site. See conductor classes 1, 2, 5 and 6.
Where 35 mm² is used
Sub-main and distribution feeders, larger motor circuits, generator and transformer tails, and main earthing conductors. It sits in the range where cable is stranded, terminated with compression lugs, and pulled rather than hand-formed.
At this size ampacity and voltage drop both drive the selection, and both depend on installation method, ambient temperature, insulation rating and grouping. The conversion tells you which cable matches; it does not tell you whether that cable suits the circuit.
FAQ
What is 35 mm² in AWG? 2 AWG. At 33.6 mm² it is 4% smaller than 35 mm², which is the closest match between the two systems anywhere in the common range.
Is 35 mm² the same as 2 AWG? Closer than any other pairing. 35 mm² has 4% more copper, but a 2 AWG conductor does meet the 35 mm² resistance limit — which is not true for almost any other gauge. For most practical purposes they are interchangeable. Check the product standard for the specific cable type before committing.
Do I need 1 AWG instead? Usually not. 1 AWG gives 21% more copper than 35 mm² and is the conservative option if the specification is strict or the run is long. For a straight substitution, 2 AWG is defensible on the number that gets tested.
What is 35 mm² in mm diameter? A solid conductor would be 6.676 mm across. Real 35 mm² cable is stranded and measures up to 7.9 mm, or 9.2 mm for flexible constructions.
What is 35 sqmm in AWG? Same question — sqmm and mm² are the same unit. 2 AWG.
Why do 35 mm² and 2 AWG line up when other sizes do not? Coincidence. AWG steps by a fixed geometric ratio and the metric series was chosen as round numbers. The two progressions cross close together at four points, and 35 mm² is one of them. See how the AWG system works.
Reference
| Property | 35 mm² |
|---|---|
| Closest AWG by area | 2 AWG (33.6 mm², −4%) |
| Conservative choice | 1 AWG (42.4 mm², +21%) |
| Equivalent solid diameter | 6.676 mm |
| Max resistance, class 1 and 2 | 0.524 Ω/km |
| Max resistance, class 5 and 6 | 0.554 Ω/km |
| Max conductor diameter | 6.7 / 7.9 / 9.2 mm by class |
| Minimum strands, class 2 | 7 |
| 2 AWG meets the limit | Yes |