What is the cable cross-section?

The cable cross-section or conductor cross-section of cables is determined by the cross-sectional area of the metallic conductors. As a rule of thumb, the larger the cross-sectional area of the conductors in a cable, the greater the current carrying capacity. The cable cross-section is given in mm² and thus provides information about the area of the round cable section. Important: The cable cross-section is not the same as the diameter of the cable, as this is a length measurement.

Cross-sectional area of the conductor: A distinction is made between the geometrically defined nominal cross-section and the conductive cross-section, which is derived from the electrical resistance. The nominal cross-section is specified in square millimeters. However, it is not defined as a geometric cross-section, but as the electrically effective cross-section of the conductor at 20°C. Compliance with the nominal cross-section must be verified during the final inspection of the product and is also one of the focal points of the self-checks in the ongoing production inspections.

A certain maximum resistance is assigned to the nominal cross-section, within which the conductor structure is also specified. As a rule, the cross-section is specified in mm². However, for certain types of wires and cables, which are always made up of solid conductors (telecommunications cables), the conductor diameter is used for identification or description purposes. Here you will find all the diameters of the individual cable cross-sections clearly presented in a table: