Wire Weight Calculator

Wire weight calculator formula

A wire weight calculator multiplies the weight of the wire per thousand feet by the length of the run. Weight (lb) = pounds per 1,000 ft × length in feet ÷ 1,000. The tool has a table for gauges from 14 AWG to 2 AWG, and the result is in pounds.

The formula in plain words

Look up how many pounds a thousand feet of the wire weighs. Divide your length by 1,000 to see what fraction of a thousand feet you have. Multiply the two. The answer is the weight in pounds.

Worked examples

These match the calculator exactly.

1. A branch circuit run: 250 ft of 12 AWG

• Weight per 1,000 ft: 19.8 lb
• Weight: 19.8 × 250 ÷ 1,000 = 4.95 lb

2. A feeder to an outbuilding: 500 ft of 6 AWG

• Weight per 1,000 ft: 79.5 lb
• Weight: 79.5 × 500 ÷ 1,000 = 39.75 lb

3. A short 10 AWG run: 150 ft of 10 AWG

• Weight per 1,000 ft: 31.4 lb
• Weight: 31.4 × 150 ÷ 1,000 = 4.71 lb

Weight per 1,000 feet by gauge

AWG	Pounds per 1,000 ft
14	12.4
12	19.8
10	31.4
8	50.0
6	79.5
4	126.0
2	200.0

These are close to bare solid copper. Each step of two gauges adds about 60 percent to the weight, because the wire gets thicker.

Bare, insulated and stranded wire

The table covers the metal. Real building wire has plastic insulation, and many sizes are stranded, which weighs a little differently. A reel of cable also includes the spool. When you need an accurate number for shipping or lifting, use the weight printed on the data sheet or the reel tag. The tool is better for planning and comparing than for billing.

Aluminum wire is much lighter than copper for the same size, but the table here is for copper. Do not use it for aluminum.

When weight matters

Weight matters when you carry reels up a ladder or across a site, when you hang cable from a hoist, and when you load a truck. It also matters when you want to check a delivery against the order. A 500 ft reel of 6 AWG at 39.75 lb for the wire alone is a two-hand lift. A 1,000 ft reel of 2 AWG at 200 lb is not.

How to measure the length

Measure the route the wire will follow, not the straight line. Add the extra for going up and down walls, around corners and into boxes. Add a few feet at each end for connections. Make sure you account for runs with more than one conductor. A circuit with a hot, a neutral and a ground has three lengths of wire, so triple the length when you want the weight of all conductors.

A quick check

If you want to confirm the table, see how weight scales. A foot of 12 AWG weighs 19.8 ÷ 1,000 = 0.0198 lb, or about a third of an ounce. A 250 ft coil is 250 times that, which is the 4.95 lb in example 1. Small numbers add up fast in long runs, and a few hundred feet of larger gauge can weigh as much as a bag of cement.

Planning a reel

Wire sold on a reel often comes in lengths like 500 or 1,000 ft. Look up the gauge in the table to find the wire weight. A 500 ft reel of 12 AWG is 9.9 lb of copper. Then add the spool, which can weigh a few pounds. That total is what you lift, so plan for it when you use a ladder or a cart.

Common mistakes

• Using the weight of one conductor for a multi-conductor cable.
• Using a gauge that the tool does not list.
• Forgetting the weight of the spool.
• Treating bare-metal weight as the shipping weight.
• Mixing up gauge numbers, where a smaller number is a thicker wire.

For wiring that carries current, use the correct size for the load and follow electrical code. A licensed electrician can confirm.

Related pages

To choose the size, see the wire size calculator. For voltage loss over a run, see the voltage drop calculator. For steel bars, see the rebar weight calculator.