Metric Sizes · mm & mm² to AWG
Every IEC metric cable cross-section covered so far, with the nearest AWG equivalent, DC resistance per km at 20 °C, maximum outer diameter per conductor class (1/2/5/6), and ampacity for PVC and XLPE installations.
IEC 60228 sizes → AWG equivalent
IEC 60228 nominal cross-sections (0.5 mm² → 70 mm²) mapped to the AWG gauges they are most often converted to — with a note when the "closest gauge" actually fails the conductor resistance test, and which one to use instead.
0.5 mm2 to AWG: 20 AWG, and Where the Series Stops
0.5 mm2 to AWG is 20 AWG, and the two match within 4 percent. This is also the smallest size the metric conductor standard covers, with nothing below it.
0.75 mm2 to AWG: 18 AWG, and Why It Actually Fits
0.75 mm2 to AWG is 18 AWG, larger than the metric size and inside its resistance limit. It is one of the few conversions with no judgment call attached.
1 mm2 to AWG: 17 AWG, and Why You Cannot Buy It
1 mm2 to AWG is 17 AWG, a gauge nobody stocks. The real choice is 18 AWG at 18 percent under or 16 AWG at 31 percent over, and only one meets the limit.
1.5 mm² to AWG: Why 16 AWG Is the Wrong Answer
1.5 mm² to AWG returns 16 AWG from most converters, but 16 AWG does not meet the 1.5 mm² conductor resistance limit. Here is the gauge to order instead.
2.5 mm² to AWG: Closest Gauge and Safe Substitute
2.5 mm² to AWG is 14 AWG by area, but 12 AWG is the gauge to order. Conductor diameter, resistance limits, and why the closest gauge is actually a downgrade.
4 mm² to AWG: Closest Gauge and the 32% Overshoot
4 mm² to AWG is 12 AWG by area, but 12 AWG misses the resistance limit and the next gauge up overshoots by 32%. Here is how to choose between the two.
6 mm² to AWG: 10 AWG Is Closer Than You Think
6 mm² to AWG is 9 AWG by area, but the real choice is 10 AWG or 8 AWG. 10 AWG misses the resistance limit by only 6%, the closest near-miss in the range.
10 mm² to AWG: 7 AWG, 8 AWG or 6 AWG?
10 mm² to AWG is 7 AWG by area, but 7 AWG is not stocked and is missing from the ampacity tables. Here is how to choose between 8 AWG and 6 AWG instead.
16 mm² to AWG: Choosing Between 6 AWG and 4 AWG
16 mm² to AWG is 5 AWG by area, a gauge nobody stocks. The real decision is 6 AWG or 4 AWG, and there is a 31% ampacity gap between those two options.
25 mm² to AWG: 3 AWG, and Why It Is Hard to Buy
25 mm² to AWG is 3 AWG, one of the few conversions that lands cleanly. Here is the resistance check, and which gauge to use when 3 AWG is not available.
35 mm² to AWG: The One Size That Converts Cleanly
35 mm² to AWG is 2 AWG, and unlike almost every other size the two actually match. 2 AWG meets the 35 mm² resistance limit, which no other gauge manages.
50 mm2 to AWG: 1/0, and the One Odd Row in the Standard
50 mm2 to AWG is 1/0, and it clears the resistance limit. It is also the one size where flexible conductors are held to a tighter limit than solid ones.
70 mm2 to AWG: The Only Size Where Smaller Still Passes
70 mm2 to AWG is 2/0, which is smaller than 70 mm2 and still meets its resistance limit. It is one of only two sizes anywhere where that actually happens.