ASTM B3-12

Standard Specification for Soft or Annealed Copper Wire

ABSTRACT
This specification covers drawn and annealed or soft round bare copper wire for electrical purposes. The matterial shall be copper of such quality and purity that the finished product shall have the properties and characteristics prescribed. Tensile strength, elongation, and resistivity of the wires shall be determined. A micrometer caliper equipped with a vernier shall be used to measure the material dimensions. The wires shall be subjected to surface finish and shall conform to the particularized requirements.
SCOPE
1.1 This specification covers drawn and annealed or soft round bare copper wire for electrical purposes (see Explanatory Note 1).  
1.2 The values stated in inch-pound units are to be regarded as standard. The values given in parentheses are mathematical conversions to SI units that are provided for information only and are not considered standard.  
1.2.1 Exception—For density, resistivity and temperature, the values stated in SI units are to be regarded as standard.

General Information

• Status: Historical
• Publication Date: 14-Nov-2012
• ICS: 77.150.30 - Copper products
• Technical Committee: B01 - Electrical Conductors
• Drafting Committee: B01.04 - Conductors of Copper and Copper Alloys

Relations

• Replaces: ASTM B3-01(2007) - Standard Specification for Soft or Annealed Copper Wire
• Effective Date: 15-Nov-2012
• Replaced By: ASTM B3-13 - Standard Specification for Soft or Annealed Copper Wire
• Effective Date: 01-Oct-2013
• Referred By: ASTM B193-20 - Standard Test Method for Resistivity of Electrical Conductor Materials
• Effective Date: 15-Nov-2012
• Referred By: ASTM B77-07(2018) - Standard Test Method for Thermoelectric Power of Electrical-Resistance Alloys
• Effective Date: 15-Nov-2012
• Referred By: ASTM B784-01(2017)e1 - Standard Specification for Modified Concentric-Lay-Stranded Copper Conductors for Use in Insulated Electrical Cables
• Effective Date: 15-Nov-2012
• Referred By: ASTM B258-18 - Standard Specification for Standard Nominal Diameters and Cross-Sectional Areas of AWG Sizes of Solid Round Wires Used as Electrical Conductors
• Effective Date: 15-Nov-2012
• Referred By: ASTM B174-17 - Standard Specification for Bunch-Stranded Copper Conductors for Electrical Conductors
• Effective Date: 15-Nov-2012
• Referred By: ASTM B8-11(2017) - Standard Specification for Concentric-Lay-Stranded Copper Conductors, Hard, Medium-Hard, or Soft
• Effective Date: 15-Nov-2012
• Referred By: ASTM B787/B787M-04(2020) - Standard Specification for 19 Wire Combination Unilay-Stranded Copper Conductors for Subsequent Insulation
• Effective Date: 15-Nov-2012
• Referred By: ASTM B973-10(2020)e1 - Standard Specification for Tin-Coated Braid and Ribbon Flat Copper Wire intended for use in Electronic Application
• Effective Date: 15-Nov-2012
• Referred By: ASTM B173-17 - Standard Specification for Rope-Lay-Stranded Copper Conductors Having Concentric-Stranded Members, for Electrical Conductors
• Effective Date: 15-Nov-2012
• Referred By: ASTM B902/B902M-13(2018) - Standard Specification for Compressed Round Stranded Copper Conductors, Hard, Medium-Hard, or Soft Using Single Input Wire Construction
• Effective Date: 15-Nov-2012
• Referred By: ASTM B496-16(2021) - Standard Specification for Compact Round Concentric-Lay-Stranded Copper Conductors
• Effective Date: 15-Nov-2012
• Referred By: ASTM B470-02(2017) - Standard Specification for Bonded Copper Conductors for Use in Hookup Wires for Electronic Equipment
• Effective Date: 15-Nov-2012
• Referred By: ASTM B835-14(2020) - Standard Specification for Compact Round Stranded Copper Conductors Using Single Input Wire Construction
• Effective Date: 15-Nov-2012

Standards Content (Sample)

NOTICE: This standard has either been superseded and replaced by a new version or withdrawn.
Contact ASTM International (www.astm.org) for the latest information
Designation:B3 −12
StandardSpecification for
1
Soft or Annealed Copper Wire
This standard is issued under the fixed designation B3; the number immediately following the designation indicates the year of original
adoption or, in the case of revision, the year of last revision.Anumber in parentheses indicates the year of last reapproval.Asuperscript
epsilon (´) indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.
This standard has been approved for use by agencies of the Department of Defense.
1. Scope 3.1.2 Wire size: diameter in inches (see 5.4 and Table 1),
3.1.3 Type of copper, if special (Section 4),
1.1 This specification covers drawn and annealed or soft
3.1.4 Package size (see 10.1),
roundbarecopperwireforelectricalpurposes(seeExplanatory
3.1.5 Special package marking, if required, and
Note 1).
3.1.6 Place of inspection (see 9.1).
1.2 The values stated in inch-pound units are to be regarded
as standard. The values given in parentheses are mathematical 4. Materials and Manufacture
conversions to SI units that are provided for information only
4.1 The material shall be copper of such quality and purity
and are not considered standard.
that the finished product shall have the properties and charac-
1.2.1 Exception—For density, resistivity and temperature,
teristics prescribed in this specification.
the values stated in SI units are to be regarded as standard.
NOTE 1—The following standards define the materials suitable for use:
Specification B49.
2. Referenced Documents
4.2 Copper bars of special qualities, forms, or types, as may
2.1 The following documents of the issue in effect at the
be agreed upon between the manufacturer and the purchaser,
time of reference form a part of this specification to the extent
and which will conform to the requirements prescribed in this
referenced herein:
specification may also be used.
2
2.2 ASTM Standards:
B49 Specification for Copper Rod Drawing Stock for Elec- 5. General Requirements (see Section 7)
trical Purposes
5.1 Tensile Strength and Elongation—The wire shall con-
B193 Test Method for Resistivity of Electrical Conductor
form to the requirements for elongation prescribed in Table 1
Materials
(see Explanatory Note 2). No requirements for tensile strength
B258 Specification for Nominal Diameters and Cross-
are specified. For wire whose nominal diameter is more than
SectionalAreasofAWGSizesofSolidRoundWiresUsed
0.001 in. (0.025 mm) greater than a size listed in Table 1, but
as Electrical Conductors
less than that of the next larger size, the requirements of the
2.3 National Institute of Standards and Technology:
next larger size shall apply.
3
NBS Handbook 100—Copper Wire Tables
5.2 Joints—Necessary joints in the completed wire and in
the wire and rods prior to final drawing shall be made in
3. Ordering Information
accordance with the best commercial practice.
3.1 Orders for material under this specification shall include
5.3 Resistivity—The electrical resistivity at 20°C shall not
the following information:
2 2
exceed 875.20Ω·lb/mile (0.15328Ω·g/m ).
3.1.1 Quantity of each size,
5.4 DimensionsandPermissibleVariations—The wire sizes
shall be expressed as the diameter of the wire in decimal
1
This specification is under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee B01 on
fractionsofaninchtothenearest0.0001in.(or0.001mm)(see
Electrical Conductorsand is the direct responsibility of Subcommittee B01.04 on
Explanatory Note 3). For diameters under 0.0100 in. (0.254
Conductors of Copper and Copper Alloys.
mm), the wire shall not vary from the specified diameter by
Current edition approved Nov. 15, 2012. Published November 2012. Originally
approved in 1912. Last previous edition approved in 2007 as B3 – 01 (2007). DOI:
more than plus and minus 0.0001 in. (0.0025 mm), and for
10.1520/B0003-12.
diameters of 0.0100 in. (0.254 mm) and over the wire shall not
2
For referenced ASTM standards, visit the ASTM website, www.astm.org, or
vary from the specified diameter by more than plus and minus
contact ASTM Customer Service at [e-mail]. For Annual Book of ASTM
Standards volume information, refer to the standard’s Document Summary page on 1 %, expressed to the nearest 0.0001 in. (or 0.001 mm).
the ASTM website.
3
5.5 Finish—The wire shall be free of all imperfections not
Available from the National Technical Information Service, 5285 Port Royal
Rd, Springfield, VA 22161. consistent with the best commercial practice.
Copyright © ASTM International, 100 Barr Harbor Drive, PO Box C700, West Conshohocken, PA 19428-2959. United States
1

---------------------- Page: 1 ----------------------
B3−12
TABLE 1 Tensile Requirements
Diameter Area at 20°C Elongation in
2 2
in. mm cmils in. mm 10 in.
(254 mm),
%min
0.4600 11.684 211 600 0.1662 107.0 35
0.4096 10.404 167 800 0.1318 85.0 35
0.3648 9.266 133 100 0.1045 67.4 35
0.3249 8.252
...

This document is not an ASTM standard and is intended only to provide the user of an ASTM standard an indication of what changes have been made to the previous version. Because
it may not be technically possible to adequately depict all changes accurately, ASTM recommends that users consult prior editions as appropriate. In all cases only the current version
of the standard as published by ASTM is to be considered the official document.
Designation: B3 − 01 (Reapproved 2007) B3 − 12
Standard Specification for
1
Soft or Annealed Copper Wire
This standard is issued under the fixed designation B3; the number immediately following the designation indicates the year of original
adoption or, in the case of revision, the year of last revision. A number in parentheses indicates the year of last reapproval. A superscript
epsilon (´) indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.
This standard has been approved for use by agencies of the Department of Defense.
1. Scope
1.1 This specification covers drawn and annealed or soft round bare copper wire for electrical purposes (see Explanatory Note
1).
1.2 The values stated in inch-pound or SI units are to be regarded separately as standard. Each system shall be used
independently of the other. Combining values from the two systems may result in non-conformance with the specification. For
conductor sizes designated by AWG or kcmil sizes, the requirements in SI units are numerically converted from the corresponding
requirements in inch-pound units. For conductor sizes designation by AWG or kcmil, the requirements in SI units have been
numerically converted from corresponding values stated or derived in inch-pound units. For conductor sizes designated by SI units
only, the requirements are stated or derived in SI units.as standard. The values given in parentheses are mathematical conversions
to SI units that are provided for information only and are not considered standard.
1.2.1 Exception—For density, resistivity and temperature, the values stated in SI units are to be regarded as standard.
2. Referenced Documents
2.1 The following documents of the issue in effect at the time of reference form a part of this specification to the extent
referenced herein:
2
2.2 ASTM Standards:
B49 Specification for Copper Rod Drawing Stock for Electrical Purposes
B193 Test Method for Resistivity of Electrical Conductor Materials
B258 Specification for Nominal Diameters and Cross-Sectional Areas of AWG Sizes of Solid Round Wires Used as Electrical
Conductors
2.3 National Institute of Standards and Technology:
3
NBS Handbook 100— Copper Wire Tables
3. Ordering Information
3.1 Orders for material under this specification shall include the following information:
3.1.1 Quantity of each size,
3.1.2 Wire size: diameter in inches (see 5.4 and Table 1),
3.1.3 Type of copper, if special (Section 4),
3.1.4 Package size (see 10.1),
3.1.5 Special package marking, if required, and
3.1.6 Place of inspection (see 9.1).
4. Materials and Manufacture
4.1 The material shall be copper of such quality and purity that the finished product shall have the properties and characteristics
prescribed in this specification.
1
This specification is under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee B01 on Electrical Conductorsand is the direct responsibility of Subcommittee B01.04 on Conductors
of Copper and Copper Alloys.
Current edition approved March 15, 2007Nov. 15, 2012. Published April 2007November 2012. Originally approved in 1912. Last previous edition approved in 20012007
as B3 – 01.B3 – 01 (2007). DOI: 10.1520/B0003-01R07.10.1520/B0003-12.
2
For referenced ASTM standards, visit the ASTM website, www.astm.org, or contact ASTM Customer Service at [e-mail]. For Annual Book of ASTM Standards
volume information, refer to the standard’s Document Summary page on the ASTM website.
3
Available from the National Technical Information Service, 5285 Port Royal Rd, Springfield, VA 22161.
Copyright © ASTM International, 100 Barr Harbor Drive, PO Box C700, West Conshohocken, PA 19428-2959. United States
1

---------------------- Page: 1 ----------------------
B3 − 12
TABLE 1 Tensile Requirements
Diameter Area at 20°C Elongation in
2 2
10 in.
in. mm cmils in. mm
(254 mm),
% min
0.4600 11.684 211 600 0.1662 107.0 35
0.4096 10.404 167 800 0.1318 85.0 35
0.3648 9.266 133 100 0.1045 67.4 35
0.3249 8.252 105 600 0.08291 53.5 35
0.2893 7.348 83 690 0.06573 42.4 30
0.2576 6.543 66 360 0.05212 33.6 30
0.2294 5.827 52 620 0.04133 26.7 30
0.2043 5.189 41 740 0.03278 21.2 30
0.1819 4.620 33 090 0.02599 16.8 30
0.1620 4.115 26 240 0.02061 13.3 30
0.1443 3.665 20 820 0.01635 10.5 30
0.1285 3.264 16 510 0.01297 8.37 30
0.1144 2.906 13 090 0.01028 6.63 30
0.1019 2.588 10 380 0.008155 5.26 25
0.0907 2.304 8 230 0.00646 4.17 25
0.0808 2.052 6 530 0.00513 3.31 25
0.0720 1.829 5 180 0.00407 2.63 25
0.0641 1.628 4 110 0.00323 2.08 25
0.0571 1.450 3 260 0.00256 1.65 25
0.0508 1.290 2 580 0.00203 1.31 25
0.0453 1.151 2 050 0.00161 1.04 2
...