16 AWG wire size
1.291 mm · 1.309 mm²
0.0508 in diameter · 13.173 Ω/km in copper
What 16 AWG is used for
Extension cords, light fixtures and low-current appliance cords.
The numbers
| Diameter | 1.291 mm · 0.0508 in |
| Cross-sectional area | 1.3087 mm² |
| Resistance, copper | 13.173 Ω/km · 4.015 Ω per 1,000 ft |
| Resistance, aluminium | 21.548 Ω/km |
| NEC 60 °C copper ampacity | — outside the common building-wire range |
How 16 compares
The gauge scale is geometric, so the useful comparisons are ratios rather than differences. 10 AWG is twice the diameter, which is four times the area.
| Gauge | Diameter | Area | Ω/km copper | vs 16 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 | 2.588 mm | 5.261 mm² | 3.28 | 4.02× the area |
| 12 | 2.053 mm | 3.309 mm² | 5.21 | 2.53× the area |
| 14 | 1.628 mm | 2.081 mm² | 8.28 | 1.59× the area |
| 18 | 1.024 mm | 0.823 mm² | 20.95 | 0.63× the area |
| 20 | 0.812 mm | 0.518 mm² | 33.31 | 0.4× the area |
| 22 | 0.644 mm | 0.326 mm² | 52.96 | 0.25× the area |
Frequently asked questions
What is 16 AWG in mm?
1.291 mm in diameter (0.0508 inches), with a cross-sectional area of 1.309 mm².
Is 16 AWG used for power wiring?
Not for building circuits. It is a signal and low-current gauge — thinner than anything a domestic branch circuit uses.
What is the resistance of 16 AWG copper?
13.173 Ω per kilometre, or 4.015 Ω per 1,000 feet, for annealed copper at 20 °C. The same gauge in aluminium is about 21.55 Ω/km — 1.64 times higher, which is why aluminium wiring is sized larger for the same load.
Why do smaller AWG numbers mean thicker wire?
The number counts drawing operations. Wire is pulled through progressively smaller dies, and the gauge records how many passes it took — so more passes means a higher number and a thinner wire.