ASTM B3-01

Standard Specification for Soft or Annealed Copper Wire

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.
1.2.1 For density, resistivity and temperature, the values stated in SI units are to be regarded as standard.

General Information

• Status: Historical
• Publication Date: 09-Mar-2001
• ICS: 77.150.30 - Copper products
• Technical Committee: B01 - Electrical Conductors
• Drafting Committee: B01.04 - Conductors of Copper and Copper Alloys

Relations

• Replaces: ASTM B3-95 - Standard Specification for Soft or Annealed Copper Wire
• Effective Date: 10-Mar-2001
• Replaced By: ASTM B3-01(2007) - Standard Specification for Soft or Annealed Copper Wire
• Effective Date: 15-Mar-2007
• Referred By: ASTM B173-17 - Standard Specification for Rope-Lay-Stranded Copper Conductors Having Concentric-Stranded Members, for Electrical Conductors
• Effective Date: 10-Mar-2001
• Referred By: ASTM F68-16 - Standard Specification for Oxygen-Free Copper in Wrought Forms for Electron Devices
• Effective Date: 10-Mar-2001
• Referred By: ASTM D1676-17 - Standard Test Methods for Film-Insulated Magnet Wire
• Effective Date: 10-Mar-2001
• Referred By: ASTM B971-10(2020)e1 - Standard Specification for Silver-Coated Braid and Ribbon Flat Copper Wire intended for use in Electronic Application
• Effective Date: 10-Mar-2001
• Referred By: ASTM B193-20 - Standard Test Method for Resistivity of Electrical Conductor Materials
• Effective Date: 10-Mar-2001
• Referred By: ASTM B784-01(2017)e1 - Standard Specification for Modified Concentric-Lay-Stranded Copper Conductors for Use in Insulated Electrical Cables
• Effective Date: 10-Mar-2001
• Referred By: ASTM B174-17 - Standard Specification for Bunch-Stranded Copper Conductors for Electrical Conductors
• Effective Date: 10-Mar-2001
• 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: 10-Mar-2001
• Referred By: ASTM B496-16(2021) - Standard Specification for Compact Round Concentric-Lay-Stranded Copper Conductors
• Effective Date: 10-Mar-2001
• Referred By: ASTM B77-07(2018) - Standard Test Method for Thermoelectric Power of Electrical-Resistance Alloys
• Effective Date: 10-Mar-2001
• Referred By: ASTM B470-02(2017) - Standard Specification for Bonded Copper Conductors for Use in Hookup Wires for Electronic Equipment
• Effective Date: 10-Mar-2001
• 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: 10-Mar-2001
• Referred By: ASTM B8-11(2017) - Standard Specification for Concentric-Lay-Stranded Copper Conductors, Hard, Medium-Hard, or Soft
• Effective Date: 10-Mar-2001

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: B 3 – 01
Standard Specification for
1
Soft or Annealed Copper Wire
This standard is issued under the fixed designation B 3; 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 (e) indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.
4
1. Scope NBS Handbook 100— Copper Wire Tables
1.1 This specification covers drawn and annealed or soft
3. Ordering Information
roundbarecopperwireforelectricalpurposes(seeExplanatory
3.1 Orders for material under this specification shall include
Note 1).
the following information:
1.2 The values stated in inch-pound or SI units are to be
3.1.1 Quantity of each size,
regarded separately as standard. Each system shall be used
3.1.2 Wire size: diameter in inches (see 5.4 and Table 1),
independently of the other. Combining values from the two
3.1.3 Type of copper, if special (Section 4),
systems may result in non-conformance with the specification.
3.1.4 Package size (see 10.1),
For conductor sizes designated by AWG or kcmil sizes, the
3.1.5 Special package marking, if required, and
requirements in SI units are numerically converted from the
3.1.6 Place of inspection (see 9.1).
correspondingrequirementsininch-poundunits.Forconductor
sizes designation by AWG or kcmil, the requirements in SI
4. Materials and Manufacture
units have been numerically converted from corresponding
4.1 The material shall be copper of such quality and purity
values stated or derived in inch-pound units. For conductor
that the finished product shall have the properties and charac-
sizes designated by SI units only, the requirements are stated or
teristics prescribed in this specification.
derived in SI units.
1.2.1 For density, resistivity and temperature, the values
NOTE 1—The following standards define the materials suitable for use:
stated in SI units are to be regarded as standard. SpecificationB49.
4.2 Copper bars of special qualities, forms, or types, as may
2. Referenced Documents
be agreed upon between the manufacturer and the purchaser,
2.1 The following documents of the issue in effect at the
and which will conform to the requirements prescribed in this
time of reference form a part of this specification to the extent
specification may also be used.
referenced herein:
2.2 ASTM Standards: 5. General Requirements (see Section 7) )
B49 Specification for Copper Redraw Rod for Electrical
5.1 Tensile Strength and Elongation—The wire shall con-
2
Purposes
form to the requirements for elongation prescribed in Table 1
B 193 Test Method for Resistivity of Electrical Conductor
(see Explanatory Note 2). No requirements for tensile strength
3
Materials
are specified. For wire whose nominal diameter is more than
B 258 Specification for Standard Nominal Diameters and
0.001 in. (0.025 mm) greater than a size listed in Table 1, but
Cross-SectionalAreasofAWGSizesofSolidRoundWires
less than that of the next larger size, the requirements of the
3
Used as Electrical Conductors
next larger size shall apply.
2.3 National Institute of Standards and Technology:
5.2 Joints—Necessary joints in the completed wire and in
the wire and rods prior to final drawing shall be made in
accordance with the best commercial practice.
1
This specification is under the jurisdiction ofASTM Committee B01 on Wires
5.3 Resistivity—The electrical resistivity 20°C shall not
for Electrical Conductors and is the direct responsibility of Subcommittee B01.04
2 2
on Conductors of Copper and Copper Alloys. exceed 875.20 V·lb/mile (0.15328 V·g/m ).
Current edition approved Mar. 10, 2001. Published May 2001. Originally
published as B 3 – 12. Last previous editionB3–95.
2 4
Annual Book of ASTM Standards, Vol 02.01. Available from the National Technical Information Service, 5285 Port Royal
3
Annual Book of ASTM Standards, Vol 02.03. Rd, Springfield, VA 22161.
Copyright © ASTM International, 100 Barr Harbor Drive, PO Box C700, West Conshohocken, PA 19428-2959, United States.
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B3 –01
TABLE 1 Tensile Requirements
Diameter Area at 20°C Elongation in
10 in.
2 2
(254 mm),
in. mm cmils in. 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 3.3
...