Workshop calculator
Wire size converter: AWG to mm² and back
Wiring diagrams from American and Asian manufacturers often give wire sizes in AWG, European ones in mm². A smaller AWG number means a thicker wire.
0 for 1/0, −1 for 2/0.
mm²
- 16 AWG
- 1.31 mm²
- Conductor diameter
- 1.29 mm
- Nearest metric size (not smaller)
- 1.5 mm²
How to use it in a diagnosis
- Enter an AWG number to see the cross-section and diameter.
- Or enter mm² to see the nearest AWG.
- Use the result with the voltage drop calculator to check a repair.
Questions mechanics ask
What is 16 AWG in mm²?
16 AWG is about 1.31 mm²; the nearest common metric size is 1.5 mm².
Why does a lower AWG number mean a thicker wire?
The gauge number comes from the number of drawing steps used to make the wire: more steps make a thinner wire, so higher numbers are thinner.