6 AWG wire size
4.115 mm · 13.302 mm²
0.162 in diameter · 1.296 Ω/km in copper · 55 A (NEC 60 °C copper)
What 6 AWG is used for
Electric ovens, hot tubs, 55-amp circuits and welder outlets.
The numbers
| Diameter | 4.115 mm · 0.162 in |
| Cross-sectional area | 13.3018 mm² |
| Resistance, copper | 1.296 Ω/km · 0.395 Ω per 1,000 ft |
| Resistance, aluminium | 2.12 Ω/km |
| NEC 60 °C copper ampacity | 55 A |
How 6 compares
The gauge scale is geometric, so the useful comparisons are ratios rather than differences. 3 AWG has twice the copper of 6 — 26.67 mm² against 13.302 — and therefore half the resistance per metre. 1/0 AWG is twice the diameter, which is four times the area.
| Gauge | Diameter | Area | Ω/km copper | vs 6 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1/0 | 8.251 mm | 53.475 mm² | 0.32 | 4.02× the area |
| 1 | 7.348 mm | 42.408 mm² | 0.41 | 3.19× the area |
| 2 | 6.544 mm | 33.631 mm² | 0.51 | 2.53× the area |
| 3 | 5.827 mm | 26.67 mm² | 0.65 | 2.01× the area |
| 4 | 5.189 mm | 21.151 mm² | 0.82 | 1.59× the area |
| 8 | 3.264 mm | 8.366 mm² | 2.06 | 0.63× the area |
| 10 | 2.588 mm | 5.261 mm² | 3.28 | 0.4× the area |
| 12 | 2.053 mm | 3.309 mm² | 5.21 | 0.25× the area |
Frequently asked questions
What is 6 AWG in mm?
4.115 mm in diameter (0.162 inches), with a cross-sectional area of 13.302 mm².
How many amps can 6 AWG copper carry?
55 A under the NEC 60 °C copper column, which is the figure that sets the breaker on an ordinary branch circuit. This is a starting point and not a permission: the real limit depends on insulation rating, ambient temperature, how many conductors share the run, and your local code.
What is the resistance of 6 AWG copper?
1.296 Ω per kilometre, or 0.395 Ω per 1,000 feet, for annealed copper at 20 °C. The same gauge in aluminium is about 2.12 Ω/km — 1.64 times higher, which is why aluminium wiring is sized larger for the same load.
How much thicker is 3 AWG than 6?
Three gauges lower is twice the cross-sectional area — 26.67 mm² against 13.302, a ratio of 2.005. That is not a coincidence: the AWG formula raises 92 to the power of (36−n)/39, and 92^(6/39) is 2.005.