AREA OF CONDUCTOR TYPES
APPROXIMATE DIMENSIONS OF CONDUCTORS
Type of Conductor Size of Conductor Diameter (in.) Area (in.2)
(AWG or kcmil)
RFH-2, FFH-2 18 0.136 0.0145
16 0.148 0.0172
14 0.193 0.0293
12 0.212 0.0353
10 0.236 0.0437
8 0.326 0.0835
6 0.364 0.1041
4 0.412 0.1333
3 0.440 0.1521
2 0.472 0.1750
1 0.582 0.2660
1/0 0.622 0.3039
2/0 0.668 0.3505
3/0 0.720 0.4072
4/0 0.778 0.4754
RHH, RHW, RHW-2 250 0.895 0.6291
300 0.950 0.7088
350 1.001 0.7870
400 1.048 0.8626
500 1.133 1.0082
600 1.243 1.2135
700 1.314 1.3561
750 1.348 1.4272
800 1.380 1.4957
900 1.444 1.6377
1000 1.502 1.7719
1250 1.729 2.3479
1500 1.852 2.6938
1750 1.966 3.0357
2000 2.072 3.3719
18 0.121 0.0115
SF-2, SFF-2 16 0.133 0.0139
14 0.148 0.0172
SF-1, SFF-1 18 0.091 0.0065
RFH-1, XF, XFF 18 0.106 0.0080
TF, TFF, XF, XFF 16 0.118 0.0109
TW, XF, XFF, THHW, THW,
THW-2 14 0.133 0.0139
AREA OF CONDUCTOR TYPES AREA OF CONDUCTOR TYPES
AREA OF CONDUCTOR TYPES
APPROXIMATE DIMENSIONS OF CONDUCTORS
Type of Conductor Size of Conductor Diameter (in.) Area (in.2)
(AWG or kcmil)
12 0.152 0.0181
TW, THHW, THW, THW-2 10 0.176 0.0243
8 0.236 0.0437
RHH, RHW, RHW-2 14 0.163 0.0209
RHH, RHW, RHW-2, XF, XFF 12 0.182 0.0260
RHH, RHW, RHW-2, XF, XFF 10 0.206 0.0333
RHH, RHW, RHW-2 8 0.266 0.0556
6 0.304 0.0726
4 0.352 0.0973
3 0.380 0.1134
2 0.412 0.1333
1 0.492 0.1901
1/0 0.532 0.2223
2/0 0.578 0.2624
3/0 0.630 0.3117
4/0 0.688 0.3718
250 0.765 0.4596
300 0.820 0.5281
TW, THW, THHW, THW-2, 350 0.871 0.5958
RHH, RHW, RHW-2 400 0.918 0.6619
500 1.003 0.7901
600 1.113 0.9729
700 1.184 1.1010
750 1.218 1.1652
800 1.250 1.2272
900 1.314 1.3561
1000 1.372 1.4784
1250 1.539 1.8602
1500 1.662 2.1695
1750 1.776 2.4773
2000 1.882 2.7818
TFN, TFFN 18 0.084 0.0055
16 0.096 0.0072
TFE, PFAH 1 0.422 0.1399
1/0 0.462 0.1676
TFE, PFA, PFAH, Z 2/0 0.508 0.2027
3/0 0.560 0.2463
4/0 0.618 0.3000
Note: Type RHH, RHW, and RHW-2 conductors referenced on this page are without outer an covering.
AREA OF CONDUCTOR TYPES
APPROXIMATE DIMENSIONS OF CONDUCTORS
Type of Conductor Size of Conductor Diameter (in.) Area (in.2)
(AWG or kcmil)
14 0.111 0.0097
12 0.130 0.0133
10 0.164 0.0211
8 0.236 0.0366
6 0.254 0.0507
4 0.324 0.0824
3 0.352 0.0973
2 0.384 0.1158
THHN, THWN, THWN-2 1 0.446 0.1562
1/0 0.486 0.1855
2/0 0.532 0.2223
3/0 0.584 0.2679
4/0 0.642 0.3237
250 0.711 0.3970
300 0.766 0.4608
350 0.817 0.5242
400 0.864 0.5863
500 0.949 0.7073
600 1.051 0.8676
THHN, THWN, THWN-2 700 1.122 0.9887
750 1.156 1.0496
800 1.188 1.1085
900 1.252 1.2311
1000 1.310 1.3478
PF, PGFF, PGF, PFF, PTF, PAF, 18 0.086 0.0058
PTFF, PAFF 16 0.098 0.0075
PF, PGFF, PGF, PFF, PTF, PAF,
PTFF, PAFF, TFE, FEP, PFA, 14 0.113 0.0100
FEPB, PFAH
12 0.132 0.0137
10 0.156 0.0191
8 0.206 0.0333
TFE, FEP, PFA, FEPB, PFAH 6 0.244 0.0468
4 0.292 0.0670
3 0.320 0.0804
2 0.352 0.0973
ZF, ZFF 18 0.076 0.0045
16 0.088 0.0061
AREA OF CONDUCTOR TYPES AREA OF CONDUCTOR TYPES
AREA OF CONDUCTOR TYPES
APPROXIMATE DIMENSIONS OF CONDUCTORS
Type of Conductor Size of Conductor (AWG or kcmil) Diameter (in.) Area (in.2)
Z, ZF, ZFF 14 0.103 0.0083
12 0.122 0.0117
10 0.156 0.0191
8 0.196 0.0302
6 0.234 0.0430
Z 4 0.282 0.0625
3 0.330 0.0855
2 0.362 0.1029
1 0.402 0.1269
14 0.133 0.0139
12 0.152 0.0181
10 0.176 0.0243
8 0.236 0.0437
XHHW, ZW, XHHW-2, XHH 6 0.274 0.0590
4 0.322 0.0814
3 0.350 0.0962
2 0.382 0.1146
1 0.442 0.1534
1/0 0.482 0.1825
2/0 0.528 0.2190
3/0 0.580 0.2642
4/0 0.638 0.3197
250 0.705 0.3904
300 0.760 0.4536
350 0.811 0.5166
400 0.858 0.5782
500 0.943 0.6984
XHHW, XHHW-2, XHH
600 1.053 0.8709
700 1.124 0.9923
750 1.158 1.0532
800 1.190 1.1122
900 1.254 1.2351
1000 1.312 1.3519
1250 1.479 1.7180
1500 1.602 2.0157
1750 1.716 2.3127
2000 1.822 2.6073
18 0.063 0.0031
16 0.075 0.0044
KF-2, KFF-2 14 0.090 0.0064
12 0.109 0.0093
10 0.133 0.0139
18 0.057 0.0026
16 0.069 0.0037
KF-1, KFF-1 14 0.084 0.0055
12 0.103 0.0083
10 0.127 0.0127
CONDUIT FILL EXAMPLES
Conduit fill is generally based on 40% of the cross-sectional area of the conduit.
Sections of conduit 24” or less in length may be filled to 60%.
APPROXIMATE DIMENSIONS OF COMPACT CONDUCTORS
Size of BARE THHW AND THW
Conductor CONDUCTOR CONDUCTORS THHN CONDUCTORS XHHW CONDUCTORS
(AWG or App. Diameter App. Diameter App. Diameter
kcmil) Diameter (in.) (in.) Area (in.2) (in.) Area (in.2) (in.) Area (in.2)
8 0.134 0.255 0.0510 — — 0.224 0.0394
6 0.169 0.290 0.0660 0.240 0.0452 0.260 0.0530
4 0.213 0.335 0.0881 0.305 0.0730 0.305 0.0730
2 0.268 0.390 0.1194 0.360 0.1017 0.360 0.1017
1 0.299 0.465 0.1698 0.415 0.1352 0.415 0.1352
1/0 0.336 0.500 0.1963 0.450 0.1590 0.450 0.1590
2/0 0.376 0.545 0.2332 0.495 0.1924 0.490 0.1885
3/0 0.423 0.590 0.2733 0.540 0.2290 0.540 0.2290
4/0 0.475 0.645 0.3267 0.595 0.2780 0.590 0.2733
250 0.520 0.725 0.4128 0.670 0.3525 0.660 0.3421
300 0.570 0.775 0.4717 0.720 0.4071 0.715 0.4015
350 0.616 0.820 0.5281 0.770 0.4656 0.760 0.4536
400 0.659 0.865 0.5876 0.815 0.5216 0.800 0.5026
500 0.736 0.940 0.6939 0.885 0.6151 0.880 0.6082
600 0.813 1.050 0.8659 0.985 0.7620 0.980 0.7542
700 0.877 1.110 0.9676 1.050 0.8659 1.050 0.8659
750 0.908 1.150 1.0386 1.075 0.9076 1.090 0.9331
To find the number of conductors allowed in a conduit:
1 Find the available area in square inches of the raceway.
2 Divide the available area of the conduit by the area of the conductors.
Chapter 9, Table 1 of the NEC provides us with the maximum percentage of fill allowed for raceways.
Chapter 9, Table 4 provides us with the area of raceways, and Chapter 9, Table 5 of the NEC
gives us the area of conductors.
ex. A section of 1 in. EMT, 18” long would be allowed to contain how many 8 AWG XHHW conductors?
1 .519 (60% area of 1 in. EMT)
= 11.8 = 12, 8 AWG, XHHW conductors are allowed in this raceway
2 .0437 (area of 8 AWG XHHW)
Round up only where the fraction is .8 or larger and all of the conductors are the same size.
ex. A 1-1/4 in. rigid metal conduit 30 ft. long contains 12, 10 AWG, THWN conductors; how many 12 AWG, THHN
conductors may be added?
1 .610 (40% area of 1-1/4 in. RMC) − (.0211 × 12) (area of 10 AWG, THWN) = .3568 (remaining area)
.3568 (remaining area) = 26.8 = 26, 12 AWG, THHN conductors are allowed in this raceway
2 .0133 (area of 12 AWG, THHN)
Note: The provision that allows the next higher number of conductors to be installed in the raceway where the calculation
results in a decimal of .8 or larger may only be used where all of the conductors in the raceway are the same size.
Tables found in Annex C of the NEC can only be used where there are more than three conductors in the raceway,
all of the conductors are the same size and type, and the raceway is longer than 24”. (The following tables are
based on 40% conduit fill.)
CONDUIT FILL EXAMPLES 40% CONDUIT FILL (EMT)
