ASTM F1883-03

Standard Practice for Selection of Wire and Cable Size in AWG or Metric Units

SIGNIFICANCE AND USE
The selection criteria is to be applied for uses of (1) new cable and (2) replacement cable.
For the selection of new cable or the selection of replacement cable, this practice defines the choice criteria for conductor selection for cables in AWG (ASTM) or metric (IEC) sizes.
SCOPE
1.1 This practice is intended as a guide to shipbuilders, shipowners, and design agents for use in the selection of conductor size for single conductor or multiple conductor cable sizes either in American Wire Gauge (AWG) or metric designations for commercial ship design and construction.  
1.2 The comparison chart of electrical conductor sizes shown in Table 1 presents a combined listing of international standard sizes of annealed copper conductors in accordance with AWG (Specification B 8) English units or IEC (IEC 228) metric units.  
1.3 As a precautionary caveat, some conductor sizes listed in Table 1 may exceed minimal size requirements of the U.S. Coast Guard, the American Bureau of Shipping, and IEEE STD 45 for specific applications  
1.4 The values stated for ampacity and dc resistance are presented as typical values and are provided for information only.

General Information

• Status: Historical
• Publication Date: 09-May-2003
• ICS: 29.060.01 - Electrical wires and cables in general
• Technical Committee: F25 - Ships and Marine Technology
• Drafting Committee: F25.10 - Electrical

Relations

• Replaced By: ASTM F1883-03(2008) - Standard Practice for Selection of Wire and Cable Size in AWG or Metric Units
• Effective Date: 01-May-2008

Standards Content (Sample)

An American National Standard
Designation: F 1883 – 03
Standard Practice for
1
Selection of Wire and Cable Size in AWG or Metric Units
This standard is issued under the fixed designation F 1883; 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 (e) indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.
TABLE 1 Conversion Table—AWG/Metric Preferred Sizes of
1. Scope
Conductors
1.1 This practice is intended as a guide to shipbuilders,
B
shipowners, and design agents for use in the selection of
dc Resistances at 20°C
Size Area in
Size
A
conductor size for single conductor or multiple conductor cable
Metric, Circ Mils Ampacity
Ohms Ohms
AWG/MCM
2
mm (Nominal)
sizes either in American Wire Gauge (AWG) or metric desig- per 1000 ft per km
C
nations for commercial ship design and construction.
2000* 2 000 000 1155 0.0053 0.0177
1000* 1 970 000 1145 0.0054 0.0176
1.2 The comparison chart of electrical conductor sizes
1750* 1 750 000 1070 0.0063 0.0199
shown in Table 1 presents a combined listing of international
800* 1 580 000 1009 0.0067 0.0224
standard sizes of Class 2 stranded copper conductors in
1500* 1 500 000 980 0.0071 0.0232
1250* 1 250 000 890 0.0085 0.0278
accordance with AWG (Specification B 8) English units or IEC
630* 1 240 000 886 0.0096 0.0286
(IEC 60228) metric units.
1000* 1 000 000 780 0.0106 0.0347
1.3 As a precautionary caveat, some conductor sizes listed
500* 987 000 772 0.0105 0.0369
400* 789 000 675 0.0133 0.0475
in Table 1 may exceed minimal size requirements of the U.S.
750* 750 000 655 0.0141 0.0463
Coast Guard, the American Bureau of Shipping, and IEEE STD
600* 600 000 575 0.0176 0.0578
45 for specific applications.
300* 592 000 570 0.0211 0.0607
500* 500 000 515 0.0211 0.0694
1.4 The values stated for ampacity and dc resistance are
240* 474 000 499 0.0219 0.0762
presented as maximum values and are provided for information
400* 400 000 455 0.0264 0.0867
only.
185* 365 000 431 0.0286 0.1000
350* 350 000 420 0.0302 0.0990
300* 300 000 375 0.0353 0.1157
2. Referenced Documents
150* 296 000 372 0.0353 0.1260
2.1 ASTM Standards:
250* 250 000 340 0.0423 0.1388
120* 237 000 327 0.0436 0.1540
B 8 Specification for Concentric-Lay-Stranded Copper
4/0* 211 600 300 0.0500 0.1639
2
Conductors, Hard, Medium-Hard, or Soft
95* 187 000 265 0.0551 0.1950
B 193 Test Method for Resistivity of Electrical Conductor
3/0* 167 000 260 0.0631 0.2065
2
70* 138 000 230 0.0752 0.2700
Materials
3 2/0* 133 100 225 0.0794 0.2605
2.2 IEC Standards:
1/0* 105 600 195 0.1002 0.3288
IEC 60092-350 Electrical Installations in Ships—Part 350:
50* 98 700 185 0.1044 0.3910
1 83 690 165 0.1261 0.4139
Shipboard Power: Cables—General Construction and Test
35* 69 100 144 0.1495 0.5290
Requirements
2* 66 360 140 0.1588 0.5211
IEC 60228 Conductors of Insulated Cables
3 52 620 120 0.2005 0.6577
4
25* 49 300 115 0.2057 0.7340
2.3 IEEE Standard:
4* 41 740 105 0.2528 0.8295
IEEE STD 45 Recommended Practice for Electric Installa-
16* 31 600 89 0.3259 1.160
tions on Shipboard
6* 26 240 80 0.4023 1.320
10* 19 700 63 0.5167 1.840
8* 16 510 55 0.6380 2.093
6.0* 11 800 43 0.8543 3.110
10* 10 380 40 1.017 3.335
1
This specification is under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee F25 on Ships
4.0* 7 890 30 1.304 4.700
and Marine Technology and is the direct responsibility of Subcommittee F25.10 on
12* 6 530 25 1.620 5.315
Electrical. 2.5* 4 930 22 2.067 7.560
Current edition approved May 10, 2003. Published June 2003. Originally 14* 4 110 20 2.573 8.442
1.5* 2 960 . . . 3.417 12.20
approved in 1998. Last previous edition approved in 1998 as F 1883 – 98.
2
16* 2 580 . . . 4.020 13.19
Annual Book of ASTM Standards, Vol 02.03.
3
1.0* 1 970 . . . 5.213 18.20
Available from International Electrochemical Commission, 1 rue de Varembe,
0.90 1 773 . . . 6.45 21.10
Geneva, Switzerland.
4
18* 1 620 . . . 6.82 20.95
Available from Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, IEEE Service
0.80 1 576 . . . 6.52 21.40
Center, 445 Hoes Lane, Piscataway, NJ 08554.
0.75* 1 480 . . . 6.82 24.80
Copyright © ASTM International, 100 Barr Harbor Drive, PO Box C700, West Conshohocken, PA 19428-2959, United States.
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F1883–03
4. Selection Criteria
TABLE 1 Continued
B
dc Resistances at 20°C
4.1 When selecting cable for any application, AWG or
Size Area in
Size
A
Metric, Circ Mils Ampacity
metric sizing should be selected according to preferred sizes.
Ohms Ohms
AWG/MCM
2
mm (Nominal)
per 1000 ft per km
The sizes of conductors that have been marked with an asterisk
0.60* 1 182 . . . 9.5 31.16
in Table 1 designate preferred sizes per Specification B 8 and
20* 1 020 . . . 10.5 34.45
IEC 60228. Those sizes not marked are given for reference,
0.50* 987 . . . 11.4 36.70
and it is recommended that their use be discouraged.
22* 640 . . .
...