Wire Comparisons
Copper vs Aluminum by Gauge
14 AWG Cu vs Al20A vs 0A12 AWG Cu vs Al25A vs 20A10 AWG Cu vs Al35A vs 30A8 AWG Cu vs Al50A vs 40A6 AWG Cu vs Al65A vs 50A4 AWG Cu vs Al85A vs 65A3 AWG Cu vs Al100A vs 75A2 AWG Cu vs Al115A vs 90A1 AWG Cu vs Al130A vs 100A1/0 AWG Cu vs Al150A vs 120A2/0 AWG Cu vs Al175A vs 135A3/0 AWG Cu vs Al200A vs 155A4/0 AWG Cu vs Al230A vs 180A
Gauge vs Gauge (Adjacent Sizes)
14 vs 12 AWG20A vs 25A12 vs 10 AWG25A vs 35A10 vs 8 AWG35A vs 50A8 vs 6 AWG50A vs 65A6 vs 4 AWG65A vs 85A4 vs 3 AWG85A vs 100A3 vs 2 AWG100A vs 115A2 vs 1 AWG115A vs 130A1 vs 1/0 AWG130A vs 150A1/0 vs 2/0 AWG150A vs 175A2/0 vs 3/0 AWG175A vs 200A3/0 vs 4/0 AWG200A vs 230A
Gauge vs Gauge (Skip Sizes)
Non-adjacent gauge comparisons for common upgrade decisions.
14 vs 10 AWG20A vs 35A12 vs 8 AWG25A vs 50A10 vs 6 AWG35A vs 65A8 vs 4 AWG50A vs 85A6 vs 2 AWG65A vs 115A4 vs 2 AWG85A vs 115A2 vs 1/0 AWG115A vs 150A1/0 vs 4/0 AWG150A vs 230A12 vs 6 AWG25A vs 65A10 vs 4 AWG35A vs 85A8 vs 2 AWG50A vs 115A
Kcmil Copper vs Aluminum
250 kcmil Cu vs Al300 kcmil Cu vs Al350 kcmil Cu vs Al400 kcmil Cu vs Al500 kcmil Cu vs Al600 kcmil Cu vs Al700 kcmil Cu vs Al750 kcmil Cu vs Al
Kcmil Adjacent Size Comparisons
250 vs 300 kcmil300 vs 350 kcmil350 vs 400 kcmil400 vs 500 kcmil500 vs 600 kcmil600 vs 700 kcmil700 vs 750 kcmil
Wiring Method & Equipment Comparisons
Side-by-side guides for common electrical decisions beyond wire gauge.
NM-B Cable (Romex) vs Conduit (EMT/PVC)Romex vs Conduit: When to Use EachTHHN/THWN-2 vs XHHW/XHHW-2THHN vs XHHW: Temperature, Wet Rating & When to UsEMT (Electrical Metallic Tubing) vs PVC (Schedule 40/80)EMT vs PVC Conduit: Comparison GuideMC Cable (Metal-Clad) vs NM-B (Romex)MC Cable vs NM-B (Romex): Comparison100A Service vs 200A Service100A vs 200A Electrical Service: Which Do You NeedGFCI (Ground Fault) vs AFCI (Arc Fault)GFCI vs AFCI: What Each Protects AgainstSingle-Pole Breaker vs Double-Pole BreakerSingle-Pole vs Double-Pole Breaker: DifferencesCopper Service vs Aluminum ServiceCopper vs Aluminum for Service EntranceNEMA 14-30 (Dryer) vs NEMA 14-50 (Range)NEMA 14-30 vs 14-50: Dryer and Range OutletsGround Rod vs UFER (Concrete-Encased)Ground Rod vs UFER Ground: Electrode Comparison
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Important: For reference only. Not a substitute for a licensed electrician. Electrical work can cause serious injury, death, fire, or property damage if performed incorrectly. Always hire a licensed electrician for electrical work, especially for service upgrades, panel work, and 240V circuits. Values are derived from NFPA 70 (NEC) for educational purposes. Always verify against your locally adopted NEC edition and amendments - local jurisdictions may enforce stricter requirements. WireRef provides reference information only and is not responsible for work performed based on this content. NEC® is a registered trademark of the National Fire Protection Association. Free NEC access via NFPA · OSHA Electrical Safety · Terms of use.
NEC 2023 references verified April 2026