| Property |
Value |
| Gauge 3 Diameter (in) |
0.2294 in |
| Gauge 3 Diameter (mm) |
5.827 mm |
| Gauge 3 Turns of Wire (per inch) |
4.36 turns/in |
| Gauge 3 Turns of Wire (per cm) |
1.72 turns/cm |
| Gauge 3 Cross-Sectional Area (kcmil) |
52.6 kcmil |
| Gauge 3 Cross-Sectional Area (mm²) |
26.7 mm² |
| Copper Resistance (Ω/km or mΩ/m) |
0.6465 mΩ/m |
| Copper Resistance (Ω/kft or mΩ/ft) |
0.197 mΩ/ft |
| NEC Copper Wire Ampacity (60°C) |
85 A |
| NEC Copper Wire Ampacity (75°C) |
100 A |
| NEC Copper Wire Ampacity (90°C) |
110 A |
| Fusing Current (10 s) |
1100.0 A |
| Fusing Current (1 s) |
8100.0 A |
| Fusing Current (32 ms) |
45000.0 A |
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About 3 AWG Wire
What does AWG stand for?
AWG stands for American Wire Gauge, a standardized system for measuring wire sizes. The smaller the AWG number, the larger the wire diameter.
How does 3 AWG compare to 2 AWG?
3 AWG wire is smaller than 2 AWG, with a diameter of 5.827 mm compared to 6.544 mm for 2 AWG. It has a lower ampacity (e.g., 110 A at 90°C vs. 130 A for 2 AWG) and higher resistance.
What applications are suitable for 3 AWG wire?
3 AWG wire is often used for medium to high-current applications, such as service entrance cables, large appliances, or subpanels, with an ampacity of up to 110 A at 90°C.
What happens if the fusing current is exceeded?
If the fusing current is exceeded (e.g., 1100 A for 10 seconds in 3 AWG), the wire will overheat and melt, potentially causing a fire hazard or circuit failure.
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