26 AWG (American Wire Gauge) wire specifications: 0.4049 mm diameter, 0.1288 mm² area. Resistance, weight, and common uses.
| Diameter | 0.4049 mm · 0.015941" · 15.94 mils |
| Cross-sectional area | 0.1288 mm² · 254 circular mils |
| Resistance (copper, 20°C) | 133.8965 Ω/km · 40.8117 Ω/1000ft |
| Resistance (aluminum, 20°C) | 219.5 Ω/km · 66.9045 Ω/1000ft |
| Ampacity — copper 60°C | — A |
| Ampacity — copper 75°C | — A |
| Ampacity — copper 90°C | — A |
| Ampacity — aluminum 75°C | — A |
| Weight (copper) | 1.154 kg/km · 0.775 lbs/1000ft |
| Weight (aluminum) | 0.348 kg/km · 0.234 lbs/1000ft |
| Closest IEC 60228 size | 0.1288 mm² actual — smaller than 0.5 mm², the smallest IEC 60228 size |
| Skin depth at 60 Hz | 8.531 mm |
| Type | Temperature | Description |
|---|---|---|
| PVC | 60-105°C | General purpose insulation |
| Teflon (PTFE) | 200°C | High temperature applications |
| Silicone | 200°C | Flexible, high temperature |
| Enamel | 155-220°C | Magnet wire coating |
26 AWG wire (0.4049 mm diameter, 0.1288 mm²) is widely used in ribbon cables, IDC connectors, and flat flexible cables inside electronics. It is a common size for telephone patch cords, small signal wiring in audio equipment, and thin hookup wire on circuit boards. Some Cat 3 telephone cables also use 26 AWG conductors.
26 AWG wire has a diameter of 0.4049 mm (0.015941 inches, or 15.94 mils). Its cross-sectional area is 0.1288 mm². This diameter is calculated from the AWG formula: d = 0.127 × 92^((36−n)/39), where n is the gauge number. For comparison, 26 AWG is about 5.8× the thickness of a human hair (approximately 0.07 mm).