IEC 60228

IEC 60228 is the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC)'s international standard on conductors of insulated cables. As of 2023 the current version is Third Edition 2004-11[1] Among other things, it defines a set of standard wire cross-sectional areas:

  • 0.5 mm2
  • 0.75 mm2
  • 1 mm2
  • 1.5 mm2
  • 2.5 mm2
  • 4 mm2
  • 6 mm2
  • 10 mm2
  • 16 mm2
  • 25 mm2
  • 35 mm2
  • 50 mm2
  • 70 mm2
  • 95 mm2
  • 120 mm2
  • 150 mm2
  • 185 mm2
  • 240 mm2
  • 300 mm2
  • 400 mm2
  • 500 mm2
  • 630 mm2
  • 800 mm2
  • 1000 mm2
  • 1200 mm2
  • 1400 mm2[note 1]
  • 1600 mm2
  • 1800 mm2[note 1]
  • 2000 mm2
  • 2500 mm2
Comparison of SWG (red), AWG (blue) and IEC 60228 (black) wire gauge sizes from 0.03 to 200 mm² to scale on a 1 mm grid – in the SVG file, hover over a size to highlight it

In engineering applications, it is often most convenient to describe a wire in terms of its cross-section area, rather than its diameter, because the cross section is directly proportional to its strength and weight, and inversely proportional to its resistance. The cross-sectional area is also related to the maximum current that a metallic wire can carry safely.

This document is one considered fundamental in that it does not contain reference to any other standard.

  1. ^ "IEC 60228:2004 - Conductors of insulated cables". 2004. Retrieved 2020-05-15.


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