Wire Gauge (AWG) Converter
Convert AWG to mm and mm²
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What 14 AWG measures
A 14 AWG conductor is 1.628 mm in diameter and 2.08 mm² in cross-section. That is the size behind most 15 A household branch circuits in North America.
The gauge number runs backwards from what you would expect: as AWG rises by six, the wire diameter roughly halves. Going the other way, AWG 14 is 0.0641 inches — the figure printed on the spool in the US.
The conversion formula
AWG is defined by a geometric series, not a table lookup: d (mm) = 0.127 × 92(36 − n)/39, where n is the gauge number.
For n = 14 the exponent is (36 − 14)/39 = 0.5641. 920.5641 = 12.82, and 0.127 × 12.82 = 1.628 mm. The cross-section follows from the circle area: π × (1.628/2)² = 2.08 mm².
Worked example, step by step
d = 0.127 × 92(36−14)/39
d = 0.127 × 920.5641 = 0.127 × 12.82 = 1.628 mm
Area = πd²/4 = π × 2.651 / 4 = 2.08 mm²
In inches: 1.628 ÷ 25.4 = 0.0641 in
The sizes people actually ask about
- AWG 18 — 1.024 mm, 0.823 mm². Lamp cord, low-current electronics.
- AWG 16 — 1.291 mm, 1.31 mm². Extension leads, automotive runs.
- AWG 14 — 1.628 mm, 2.08 mm². 15 A lighting and receptacle circuits.
- AWG 12 — 2.053 mm, 3.31 mm². 20 A kitchen and workshop circuits.
- AWG 10 — 2.588 mm, 5.26 mm². 30 A dryers and heavy feeders.
Where the number stops being a current rating
Diameter and area are geometry; ampacity is not. The current a wire can carry depends on insulation temperature rating, how many conductors share a conduit, ambient temperature and installation method. 14 AWG copper on a 60 °C insulation is good for 15 A, but the same wire bundled with others in a hot ceiling is derated. Use the gauge figure to buy and measure, and the local code table to size.
Mistakes worth avoiding
- Reading the exponent backwards. It is (36 − n), not (n − 36); a negative exponent gives a wire thinner than a hair for 14 AWG.
- Confusing mm² with mm. Cross-section is area; diameter is a length. A 4 mm² cable is not 4 mm across.
- Assuming the metric equivalent is exact. “2.5 mm²” installation cable is sold to its own standard, not as an AWG conversion.
- Using the wire diameter to check a stranded cable. AWG describes the conductor; stranding changes the overall outer diameter.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is 14 AWG 1.628 mm and not a round number?
Because the standard is a geometric series, not a set of preferred numbers. Each gauge step multiplies diameter by 92^(1/39), about 1.1229, so the millimetre values never land on whole figures.
What is 14 AWG in mm² for cable shopping?
2.08 mm². Metric cable is sold in nominal sizes such as 1.5, 2.5 and 4 mm², so 14 AWG sits between the 1.5 and 2.5 sizes rather than matching either.
How many amps can 14 AWG carry?
Commonly 15 A for copper building wire at 60 °C, and up to 25 A for some high-temperature insulations in free air. Bundling, ambient heat and conduit fill reduce those figures, so the code table, not this conversion, decides.
Does a higher AWG number mean thicker wire?
No — the opposite. Larger gauge numbers are thinner: 18 AWG is 1.024 mm, 14 AWG is 1.628 mm and 10 AWG is 2.588 mm. Only 0 AWG and the 00/000/0000 sizes break the pattern by being thicker than AWG 1.
What is the formula in inches?
d (in) = 0.005 × 92^((36 − n)/39). For 14 AWG that is 0.005 × 12.82 = 0.0641 in, the same wire expressed in the units used on US spools.
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