bootlace ferrule size chart: AWG, mm², color.
a bootlace ferrule is sized by the wire's cross-section in mm², so an AWG wire takes the metric size nearest its copper area. pick the size first, then check the collar color, because three color codes are in use and they give the same color to different sizes.
the short version: 24 AWG takes 0.25 mm², 22 AWG 0.34, 20 AWG 0.5 and 18 AWG 0.75[1].
updated 2026-09-14 · every figure is cited: 6 sources · priced builds
The chart
AWG, mm², and the three color codes.
| wire | copper area[2] | ferrule[1] | DIN 46228-4 | French (NF C 63-023) | special code |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 24 AWG | 0.205 mm² | 0.25 mm² | yellow* | — | light blue |
| 22 AWG | 0.324 mm² | 0.34 mm² | turquoise* | green | turquoise |
| 20 AWG | 0.519 mm² | 0.5 mm² | white | white | orange |
| 18 AWG | 0.823 mm² | 0.75 mm² | gray | blue | white |
| — | — | 1 mm² | red | red | yellow |
| 16 AWG | 1.31 mm² | 1.5 mm² | black | black | red |
| 14 AWG | 2.08 mm² | 2.5 mm² | blue | gray | blue |
copper area is a solid conductor's; stranded wire of the same gauge is close but not identical. ferrule sizes and colors are Phoenix Contact's chart, which pairs no AWG with the 1.0 mm² size. * Phoenix marks these colors as not present in the DIN standard. — means no color in that code.
Colors
the same color, a different size.
the collar color is meant to tell you the size at a glance, but only inside one code[1]. white is 0.5 mm² in DIN 46228-4 and the French code, but 0.75 mm² in the special code. gray is 0.75 mm² in DIN 46228-4, 2.5 mm² in the French code.
DIN 46228-4 is the German standard for insulated ferrules; the French code is NF C 63-023; the third is the color series Phoenix Contact labels a special color code. below 0.5 mm² DIN 46228-4 sets no color at all, so the colors for the fine sizes vary by maker[1]. if a drawing or a panel calls for a color, it should name the code too.
Ours
the ferrules we crimp.
| wire | part | collar | McMaster rates it for | same color in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 18 AWG | 7950K71 | red[3] | 18 AWG, 0.24 in pin | none of the three at 0.75 mm² |
| 20 AWG | 7950K161 | orange[4] | 20–24 AWG, 0.24 in pin | the special code at 0.5 mm² |
| 22 AWG | 7950K14 | gray[5] | 20–22 AWG, 0.24 in pin | none of the three at 0.34 mm² |
| 24 AWG | 7950K45 | aqua[6] | 24–26 AWG, 0.24 in pin | none of the three at 0.25 mm² |
our ferrules are McMaster-Carr parts, and their colors don't follow any one code, so on our leads the collar color tells you our gauge (18 AWG red, 20 AWG orange, 22 AWG gray, 24 AWG aqua), not a standard size. the ferrule is picked from the wire gauge in the configurator; there's nothing to choose.
priced leads with a ferrule on one end or both are on ferrule wire leads, and every connector family we build comes with ferruled flying leads too.
Build one
ferrules crimped on, priced.
a wire lead with a ferrule on each end at each gauge in the table above, then a connector to ferruled leads in each family. each row opens the configurator with that build loaded.
| build | ships in | qty 1, each | qty 10, each | qty 50, each | configure |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 18 AWG, 1 wire, 12 in (305 mm), ferrules both ends | 5 days | $40.00order minimum | $4.29 | $4.07 | configure |
| 20 AWG, 1 wire, 12 in (305 mm), ferrules both ends | 5 days | $40.00order minimum | $4.01 | $3.80 | configure |
| 22 AWG, 1 wire, 12 in (305 mm), ferrules both ends | 5 days | $40.00order minimum | $4.00order minimum | $3.73 | configure |
| 24 AWG, 1 wire, 12 in (305 mm), ferrules both ends | 5 days | $40.00order minimum | $4.03 | $3.82 | configure |
| 20 AWG, 1 wire, 24 in (610 mm), ferrules both ends | 5 days | $40.00order minimum | $4.92 | $4.66 | configure |
| molex mini-fit jr. 4-pin to ferrules, 12 in (305 mm) leads | 8 days | $40.00order minimum | $13.41 | $12.71 | configure |
| molex micro-fit 3.0 4-pin to ferrules, 12 in (305 mm) leads | 8 days | $40.00order minimum | $13.72 | $13.00 | configure |
| deutsch DTM 4-pin to ferrules, 12 in (305 mm) leads | 12 days | $40.00order minimum | $18.89 | $17.89 | configure |
| molex SL 4-pin to ferrules, 12 in (305 mm) leads | 8 days | $40.00order minimum | $12.94 | $12.26 | configure |
| D-sub DB9 to ferrules, 12 in (305 mm) leads | 10 days | $40.00order minimum | $32.37 | $30.66 | configure |
each · free UPS 2-day shipping · $40 order minimum (a smaller order is charged $40) · lead times are business days. these are example builds, priced the way checkout prices them: change anything in the configurator and it reprices the result the same way.
Questions
short answers.
- what size ferrule for 18 AWG wire?
- 0.75 mm². 18 AWG is 0.823 mm² of copper (solid), and ferrule charts pair it with the 0.75 mm² ferrule. its color depends on the code: gray in DIN 46228-4, blue in the French code, white in the special code.
- what size ferrule for 20 AWG wire?
- 0.5 mm². 20 AWG is 0.519 mm² of copper (solid), and ferrule charts pair it with the 0.5 mm² ferrule. its color depends on the code: white in DIN 46228-4, white in the French code, orange in the special code.
- what size ferrule for 22 AWG wire?
- 0.34 mm². 22 AWG is 0.324 mm² of copper (solid), and ferrule charts pair it with the 0.34 mm² ferrule. its color depends on the code: turquoise in DIN 46228-4 (a color the standard itself doesn't set), green in the French code, turquoise in the special code.
- what size ferrule for 24 AWG wire?
- 0.25 mm². 24 AWG is 0.205 mm² of copper (solid), and ferrule charts pair it with the 0.25 mm² ferrule. its color depends on the code: yellow in DIN 46228-4 (a color the standard itself doesn't set), light blue in the special code.
- what color is a 0.5 mm² ferrule?
- white in DIN 46228-4 and in the French code (NF C 63-023), but orange in the special code Phoenix Contact prints beside them. check the size, not just the color.
- what color are your ferrules?
- 18 AWG is red, 20 AWG is orange, 22 AWG is gray, 24 AWG is aqua: McMaster-Carr's parts, whose colors don't follow one code. the ferrule is picked from the wire gauge automatically; there's nothing to choose.
Sources
where every figure comes from.
ratings are the manufacturer's, under the conditions each document states; check the current revision before you design to a number. what we build (gauges, sizes, lead times, prices) comes from our own catalog.
- What you should know about ferrules (MNR 1540293, 2023-04-01): coloring table and ferrule dimensions · Phoenix Contact
- Conductor chart: circular mils and square millimetres by AWG (solid conductor rows) · Alpha Wire (Belden)
- 7950K71 insulated wire ferrule, for one 18 gauge wire, 0.24″ pin length, red (specifications met: DIN 46228-4) · McMaster-Carr
- 7950K161 insulated wire ferrule, for one 24 to 20 gauge wire, 0.24″ pin length, orange · McMaster-Carr
- 7950K14 insulated wire ferrule, for one 22 to 20 gauge wire, 0.24″ pin length, gray (specifications met: DIN 46228-4) · McMaster-Carr
- 7950K45 insulated wire ferrule, for one 26 to 24 gauge wire, 0.24″ pin length, aqua · McMaster-Carr
Related
a connector on one end, ferrules on the other
wire leads