How to Convert American Wire Gauge to Metric Size
While the American Wire Gauge measurement system may seem arcane at first glance, there is a method to the madness. Like decibel levels and pH, the AWG system is logarithmic, meaning that single-digit changes translate into changes in magnitude. For example, the diameter of a wire doubles with every 6-gauge decrease in AWG units, regardless of scale. Converting AWG units to metric measurements requires a few simple calculations and a calculator with the ability to compute exponents.
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Instructions
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1
Subtract the AWG number from 36. Note: if the AWG is "2/0" (a.k.a. "00"), add 1 to 36. If the AWG is "3/0" (a.k.a. "000"), add 2 to 36. If the AWG is "4/0" (a.k.a. "0000"), add 3 to 36. If the AWG is "5/0" (a.k.a. "00000"), add 4 to 36. If the AWG is "6/0" (a.k.a. "000000"), add 5 to 36.
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2
Divide the result from Step 1 by 39. For example, if the answer from the Step 1 was "29", you would divide 29 by 39 to get an answer of "0.744."
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3
Use an exponential calculator to determine the value of 92 taken to the power of Step 2's result. You can use the free online exponential calculator at http://freeonlinecalculator.net/calculators/algebra/exponent.php. (See Resources.) Using our example, we would enter "92^0.744" in the online calculator, giving us "28.9."
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4
Multiply this new value by 0.005. In this case, we would multiply 28.9 by 0.005 to get "0.145 inches" for the actual diameter of the wire.
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5
Multiply the diameter by 25.4 to convert its units from inches to millimeters. For example, 0.145 inches times a conversion rate of 25.4 millimeters per inch gives us a final metric measurement of "3.68 mm."
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