About

Miscalculating copper wire weight leads to structural sag in overhead spans, underestimated shipping costs, and incorrect material procurement. This calculator applies the standard volumetric mass formula W = ρ × A × L using the density of electrolytic copper at 8,960 kg/m³ (per ASTM B258 and IEC 60228). Wire diameter is derived from the AWG formula d = 0.127 × 92^{36 − n39} or entered directly in millimeters. Stranded conductors use a packing factor of approximately 0.90 to account for air gaps between individual strands. The tool approximates weight assuming uniform cross-section and room-temperature density. It does not account for insulation mass, tin plating, or temperature-induced expansion.

Formulas

The wire weight is computed from the volumetric mass relationship. Total mass equals the material density multiplied by conductor cross-sectional area, total length, and number of conductors:

W = ρ × A × L × n

Where W = total weight, ρ = density of copper (8,960 kg/m³ for pure Cu, per ASTM B258), A = cross-sectional area in m², L = length in m, and n = number of conductors.

Cross-sectional area from diameter:

A = π4 × d²

AWG gauge number to diameter conversion (ASTM B258 geometric progression):

d = 0.127 × 92^{36 − AWG39} mm

Where AWG is the American Wire Gauge number. For gauges 0, 00, 000, and 0000, substitute AWG = −1, −2, −3, −4 respectively.

For stranded conductors, multiply the calculated solid area by a packing factor k (typically 0.90 for concentric lay):

A_stranded = A_solid × k

Reference Data

AWG Gauge	Diameter mm	Area mm²	Weight kg/km	Resistance Ω/km (20°C)	Max Current A (open air)
0000 (4/0)	11.684	107.22	960.7	0.1608	302
000 (3/0)	10.405	85.03	761.8	0.2028	239
00 (2/0)	9.266	67.43	604.2	0.2557	190
0 (1/0)	8.251	53.48	479.2	0.3224	150
1	7.348	42.41	380.0	0.4066	119
2	6.544	33.63	301.4	0.5127	94
4	5.189	21.15	189.5	0.8152	59
6	4.115	13.30	119.2	1.296	37
8	3.264	8.366	74.96	2.061	24
10	2.588	5.261	47.14	3.277	15
12	2.053	3.309	29.64	5.211	9.3
14	1.628	2.081	18.64	8.286	5.9
16	1.291	1.309	11.73	13.17	3.7
18	1.024	0.823	7.37	20.95	2.3
20	0.812	0.518	4.64	33.31	1.5
22	0.644	0.326	2.92	52.96	0.92
24	0.511	0.205	1.84	84.22	0.577
26	0.405	0.129	1.16	133.9	0.361
28	0.321	0.0810	0.726	212.9	0.226
30	0.255	0.0510	0.457	338.6	0.142
32	0.202	0.0320	0.287	538.3	0.091
34	0.160	0.0201	0.180	856.0	0.057
36	0.127	0.0127	0.114	1361	0.036
38	0.101	0.00797	0.0714	2164	0.023
40	0.0799	0.00501	0.0449	3441	0.014

Frequently Asked Questions

Stranded wire bundles individual conductors with air gaps between them. A concentric-lay stranded conductor fills approximately 90% of its nominal cross-sectional area with copper. The remaining 10% is void space. Therefore, a stranded wire with the same outer diameter as a solid wire contains less copper mass. This calculator applies a packing factor of 0.90 when "Stranded" is selected to account for this reduction.

Copper density decreases with temperature due to thermal expansion. The standard density of 8,960 kg/m³ applies at 20°C. At 200°C, density drops to approximately 8,860 kg/m³ - roughly a 1.1% reduction. For procurement and shipping calculations at ambient temperatures, the effect is negligible. For high-temperature industrial applications (furnace wiring, kiln elements), apply a correction factor.

No. This tool calculates bare copper conductor weight only. PVC insulation typically adds 15% to 30% to the total cable weight depending on insulation thickness and material. XLPE and silicone insulations have different density profiles. For total cable weight, multiply the copper weight result by a factor between 1.15 and 1.50 depending on insulation type and jacket construction.

C101/C110 Electrolytic Tough Pitch (ETP) copper has a density of 8,940 to 8,960 kg/m³ and is the standard for electrical wire. C122 Deoxidized High Phosphorus (DHP) copper, used in plumbing and heat exchangers, has a density of approximately 8,940 kg/m³. Beryllium copper alloys (C172) reach 8,250 kg/m³. This calculator defaults to ETP copper at 8,960 kg/m³ and provides an alloy selection option.

Apply the ASTM B258 formula: diameter d = 0.127 × 92^{(36 − AWG) / 39} in millimeters, then compute area A = π × d² / 4. For example, AWG 12 yields d = 2.053 mm and A = 3.31 mm². The reference table above provides pre-calculated values for all standard gauges.

Not directly. CCA wire has a composite density that depends on the copper-to-aluminum ratio. Pure aluminum density is 2,700 kg/m³ versus copper at 8,960 kg/m³. A typical CCA conductor with a 10% copper cladding by volume would have an effective density near 3,326 kg/m³. Use the custom density input option and enter your composite value.