kcmil or MCM are considered bigger wires (bigger than AWG wires). We generally use these thick wires when we need more than 200 amp service. Which kcmil wire exactly we need for carrying high currents is determined by the kcmil wire size chart (check the chart further on).
What is the difference between MCM and kcmil?
MCM is the old way of denoting the size, and kcmil is the newer way of stating the same thing. So, here is an example of how this works: Lets say you are pulling a run of 500 MCM or 500 KCMIL. That means you are pulling a conductor that has a cross section of 500,000 circular mils.
What does 50 MCM equal in AWG?
MCM means 1000's (M) of (C)ircular (M)ils kcmil means 1000's (K) of (C)ircular (M)ils. Mil means 1/1000 inch. Circular Mil means the area of a circle 1/1000 inch in diameter. AWG = -4.3125 LN (mm2) + 17.16 (approx interpolated) AWG = -4.3125 LN (inch2) - 10.74 (approx interpolated)
What is difference between MCM and KCM in cables?
1 circular mil is approximately equal to:
- 0.7854 square mils (1 square mil is about 1.273 circular mils)
- 7.854 × 10 −7 square inches (1 square inch is about 1.273 million circular mils)
- 5.067 × 10 −10 square metres
- 5.067 × 10 −4 square millimetres
- 506.7 μm 2
What are the most common uses for AWG?
The most common sizes and their amperage (amp) ratings are:
- 14-gauge (15-amp circuits)
- 12-gauge (20-amp circuits)
- 10-gauge (30-amp circuits)
- 8-gauge (40-amp circuits)
- 6-gauge (55-amp circuits)
Is AWG the same as kcmil?
Kcmil sizes are used instead of AWG for sizes larger than 4/0 AWG. The smallest standard size is 250 kcmil, the largest 2000 kcmil.
How do you convert AWG to kcmil?
The n gauge wire diameter dn in millimeters (mm) is equal to 0.127mm times 92 raised to the power of 36 minus gauge number n, divided by 39. The n gauge wire's cross sectional area An in kilo-circular mils (kcmil) is equal to 1000 times the square wire diameter d in inches (in).
What does kcmil stand for in wire size?
thousands of circular milsGlossary Term: kcmil MCM is an abbreviation for thousands of circular mils, an old measurement of wire gauge. 1 MCM = 1 kcmil = 0.5067 square milimeters. A mil is 1/1000 inch.
What size wire is 1000 kcmil?
Standard sizesAreaNEC copper wire ampacity with 60/75/90 °C insulation (A)(kcmil, MCM)(mm2)900456.04351000506.74551250633.449512 more rows
What does AWG stand for?
American Wire GaugeAmerican Wire Gauge (AWG) is the standard way to denote wire size in North America. In AWG, the larger the number, the smaller the wire diameter and thickness.
What AWG is 70mm2?
Metric AWG to MM2 Conversion ChartAWGMM22/0703/0954/0120300 MCM15026 more rows
Which is bigger 2 AWG or 4 AWG?
The bigger the AWG number, the smaller the physical size of the wire.
What size is 250 kcmil wire?
-4.72 AWGThe smallest kcmil wire is a 250 kcmil wire. It has a 126.7 mm2 cross-section and a median ampacity of 255 amps (copper wire at 75°C, according to NEC ampacity charts). 250 kcmil wire converts to -4.72 AWG wire, for example.
What size wire is bigger 1 0 or 2 0?
1/0 battery cable is 0 AWG, whereas 2/0 battery cable is 00 AWG. The more the number of zeros indicating a cable's American Wire Gauge measurement, the bigger the cable. So, it is accurate to conclude that a 2/0 is bigger than a 1/0.
What is the diameter of 600 kcmil wire?
1.026WIRE SIZE / STRANDINGApprox. Insulation Outside DiameterAWG / kcmilStrandsDia Inches600611.026750611.1281000611.27721 more rows
What size wire do you need for a 400 amp service?
In their meter requirements, the power company says "Lugs must accept 350 MCM aluminum wire." They say this is the largest wire they carry.
What size wire is 500 MCM?
kcmil Wire Size Chart (Copper Wire)kcmil or MCM Wire:mm2 (Diameter):Ampacity At 60°C (140°F):500 kcmil (500 MCM)253.4 mm2320 Amps600 kcmil (600 MCM)304.0 mm2355 Amps700 kcmil (700 MCM)354.7 mm2385 Amps750 kcmil (750 MCM)380.0 mm2400 Amps11 more rows
What is AWG wire?
AWG is colloquially referred to as gauge and the zeros in large wire sizes are referred to as aught / ˈɔːt /. Wire sized 1 AWG is referred to as "one gauge" or "No. 1" wire; similarly, smaller diameters are pronounced " x gauge" or "No. x " wire, where x is the positive-integer AWG number.
How much resistance does aluminum wire have?
For the same cross section, aluminum wire has a conductivity of approximately 61% of copper, so an aluminum wire has nearly the same resistance as a copper wire smaller by 2 AWG sizes, which has 62.9% of the area. A solid round 18 AWG wire is about 1 mm in diameter.
Why is stranded wire bigger than solid wire?
Because there are also small gaps between the strands, a stranded wire will always have a slightly larger overall diameter than a solid wire with the same AWG. AWG is also commonly used to specify body piercing jewelry sizes (especially smaller sizes), even when the material is not metallic.
What is ASTM B258-14?
^ "ASTM B258-14 Standard Specification for Standard Nominal Diameters and Cross-sectional Areas of AWG Sizes of Solid Round Wires Used as Electrical Conductors". West Conshohocken: ASTM International. Archived from the original on 22 July 2014. Retrieved 22 March 2015.
Table 310.15 (B) (16)
Allowable ampacities of insulated copper conductors rated up to and including 2000 Volts, 60°C through 90°C (140°F through 194°F), Not more than three current-carrying conductors in raceway, cable, or earth (directly buried), based on ambient temperature of 30°C (86°F).
Table 310.15 (B) (17)
Allowable ampacities of single insulated copper conductors rated up to and including 2000 Volts in free air, based on ambient temperature of 30°C (86°F).
Table 310.15 (B) (3) (a)
Adjustment factors for more than three current-carrying conductors in a raceway or cable.
Table 310.15 (B) (2) (a)
For ambient temperatures other than 30°C (86°F), multiply the allowable ampacities shown above by the appropriate factor shown per the table below.