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February 7, 2023

Wire Fusing Currrent Estimates for Copper, Iron, Aluminum, and Tin
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Wire fusing currents

These currents are estimates for how much current it takes to melt a wire in free air. Of course anything that helps dissipate heat, such as a heat sink, or concentrate the heat, such as insulation, will change the wire fusing current, so these are only estimates.

AWG Diameter Inches Diameter in mm Fusing Current for Copper Wire (Amps) Fusing current for Aluminum Wire (Amps) Fusing Current for Iron Wire (Amps) Fusing Current for Tin Wire (Amps)
OOOO 0.46 11.684 3196 2366 982 512
OOO 0.4096 10.40384 2685 1988 825 430
OO 0.3648 9.26592 2257 1671 693 362
0 0.3249 8.25246 1897 1404 582 304
1 0.2893 7.34822 1594 1180 489 255
2 0.2576 6.54304 1339 992 411 215
3 0.2294 5.82676 1125 833 345 180
4 0.2043 5.18922 945 700 290 152
5 0.1819 4.62026 794 588 244 127
6 0.162 4.1148 668 495 205 107
7 0.1443 3.66522 562 416 172 90.0
8 0.1285 3.2639 473 349 145 75.6
9 0.1144 2.90576 396 293 121 63.5
10 0.1019 2.58826 333 247 102 53.4
11 0.0907 2.30378 280 207 86 44.8
12 0.0808 2.05232 235 174 72.3 37.7
13 0.072 1.8288 198 147 60.8 31.7
14 0.0641 1.62814 166 123 51.0 26.7
15 0.0571 1.45034 140 103 42.9 22.4
16 0.0508 1.29032 117 86.7 36.0 18.8
17 0.0453 1.15062 99 73 30.3 15.8
18 0.0403 1.02362 82 61 25.4 13.3
19 0.0359 0.91186 69.6 52 21.4 11.2
20 0.032 0.8128 58.6 43.4 18.0 9.40
21 0.0285 0.7239 49.3 36.5 15.1 7.90
22 0.0254 0.64516 41.5 30.7 12.7 6.65
23 0.0226 0.57404 34.8 25.80 10.7 5.58
24 0.0201 0.51054 29.2 21.6 8.97 4.68
25 0.0179 0.45466 24.5 18.1 7.54 3.93
26 0.0159 0.40386 20.5 15.2 6.31 3.29
27 0.0142 0.36068 17.3 12.8 5.33 2.78
28 0.0126 0.32004 14.5 10.7 4.45 2.32
29 0.0113 0.28702 12.3 9.11 3.78 1.97
30 0.01 0.254 10.2 7.59 3.15 1.64
31 0.0089 0.22606 8.6 6.37 2.64 1.38
32 0.008 0.2032 7.3 5.43 7.31 1.17
Metric 2.0 0.00787 0.2 7.1 5.30 2.20 1.15
33 0.0071 0.18034 6.1 4.54 5.45 0.98
Metric 1.8 0.00709 0.18 6.1 4.53 1.88 0.98
34 0.0063 0.16002 5.1 3.79 1.57 0.82
Metric 1.6 0.0063 0.16002 5.1 3.79 1.57 0.82
35 0.0056 0.14224 4.29 3.18 8.31 0.69
Metric 1.4 0.00551 0.14 4.19 3.10 1.29 0.67
36 0.005 0.127 3.62 2.68 6.45 0.58
Metric 1.25 0.00492 0.125 3.54 2.62 1.09 0.57
37 0.0045 0.1143 3.09 2.29 0.95 0.50
Metric 1.12 0.00441 0.112 3.00 2.22 0.92 0.48
38 0.004 0.1016 2.59 1.92 9.31 0.42
Metric 1 0.00394 0.1 2.53 1.88 0.78 0.41
39 0.0035 0.0889 2.12 1.57 7.45 0.34
40 0.0031 0.07874 1.77 1.31 0.54 0.28

This chart of Fusing Currents for American Wire Gauge (AWG) wire sizes is data intended for the pleasure of our readers only. Typographical errors, etc. are probable, since the typist is not a professional (our CEO). Please point out errors. The data listed are incomplete and should be used as a guideline only. Please contact manufacturers for the latest data.

We hope that this information is helpful. Now go out and design something that needs a charger, power supply, or battery pack!
Wire melting currents, wire melting amps


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