Which Compression Lug for Which Wire Gauge: 10 AWG to 1000 kcmil Buying Table
Sep 29, 2026
Purchasing calls with the conductor size. The estimator needs the lug part number. This is the working table between the two: for each common gauge, the lug family, barrel and stud choices, the die index and color, and where that size usually shows up. Copper Class B building wire (THHN, XHHW-2, USE-2) unless noted. For DLO, welding and battery cable, see the flex lug guide.
Gauge by gauge
| Conductor | Typical circuit | Lug to order | Studs stocked | Die index / color | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 AWG | Branch, equipment grounds, control power | 1-hole standard barrel | #10, 1/4" | I-21 red (shared with 8) | 25-packs. Long barrel where the panel builder specs it. |
| 8 AWG | Branch, EGC, PV homeruns | 1-hole standard or long barrel; 2-hole for ground bars | #10, 1/4", 5/16", 3/8" | I-21 red | Highest volume small lug. Tin plated for PV wire. |
| 6 AWG | Feeders to 65 A, grounding electrode conductor, solar | 1-hole and 2-hole, standard or long | #10, 1/4", 5/16", 3/8", 1/2" | I-24 blue | 2-hole on 3/4" spacing for ground bars. |
| 4 AWG | Feeders to 85 A, EGC for 200 A services | 1-hole and 2-hole, standard or long | #10, 1/4", 5/16", 3/8", 1/2" | I-29 gray | Long barrel on vibration and generator work. |
| 3 AWG | 100 A feeders | 1-hole standard or long | 1/4", 5/16", 3/8", 1/2" | I-33 brown | Less common; keep in the kit for service upgrades. |
| 2 AWG | 115 to 130 A feeders, 200 A service grounds | 1-hole and 2-hole, standard or long | #10, 1/4", 5/16", 3/8", 1/2" | I-33 brown | Long barrel two-hole on switchgear. |
| 1 AWG | 130 A feeders | 1-hole and 2-hole, standard or long | 1/4", 5/16", 3/8", 1/2" | I-37 green | Two-hole on 7/8" or 1" spacing; check the pad. |
| 1/0 AWG | 150 A feeders, 200 A residential service | 1-hole and 2-hole, standard or long | 1/4", 5/16", 3/8", 1/2" | I-42 pink | Most common feeder size on small commercial. |
| 2/0 AWG | 175 A feeders, generator leads | 1-hole and 2-hole, long barrel preferred | 1/4", 5/16", 3/8", 1/2", 5/8" | I-45 black | DLO 2/0 needs a flex lug, not this. |
| 3/0 AWG | 200 A feeders and services | 1-hole and 2-hole, long barrel preferred | 1/4", 5/16", 3/8", 1/2" | I-50 orange | Two-hole NEMA spacing on switchgear. |
| 4/0 AWG | 230 A feeders, 200 A aluminum service equivalents in copper | 1-hole and 2-hole, long barrel | 1/4", 3/8", 1/2" | I-54 purple | Long barrel from here up: two crimps, QA pull tests. |
| 250 kcmil | 255 A feeders, parallel runs | 1-hole and 2-hole, long barrel | 1/4", 3/8", 1/2", 5/8" | I-62 yellow | First size with 5/8" studs on gear pads. |
| 300 kcmil | 285 A feeders | 1-hole and 2-hole, long barrel | 3/8", 1/2", 5/8" | I-66 white | Common on 400 A services. |
| 350 kcmil | 310 A feeders, 400 A service parallels | 1-hole and 2-hole, long barrel | 3/8", 1/2", 5/8" | I-71 red | Stock two-hole 1/2" for switchgear. |
| 400 kcmil | 335 A feeders | 1-hole and 2-hole, long barrel | 1/2", 5/8" | I-76 blue | Less common; confirm before stocking deep. |
| 500 kcmil | 380 A, the standard parallel feeder conductor | 2-hole long barrel first, 1-hole second | 3/8", 1/2", 5/8" | I-87 brown | Data centers and switchgear pull this by the thousand. |
| 600 kcmil | 420 A | 2-hole long barrel | 3/8", 1/2", 5/8" | I-94 green | Confirm lug pad clearance in gear. |
| 750 kcmil | 475 A, utility and data center feeders | 2-hole long barrel | 1/2", 5/8" | I-99 black | Largest common size; 12 ton tool required. |
| 1000 kcmil | 545 A, generation and utility | 1-hole and 2-hole long barrel | 1/2", 5/8" | I-115 | Special order pads; check dimensions. |
Ampacities are 75°C column NEC 310.16 copper for orientation only; the engineer's schedule governs. Die indexes follow the industry color code used by Burndy, Greenlee, T&B and the Conversions Tech CTTY series; confirm the index printed on the lug.
How to pick within a size
- Holes. One hole for equipment terminals and most panels. Two hole for bus bars, switchgear pads, ground bars and anywhere the spec says NEMA drilling.
- Stud. Read the terminal or pad. Do not oversize the hole; a 1/2" hole on a 3/8" bolt loses contact area.
- Barrel. Standard barrel where space is tight and the conductor is 2/0 or smaller. Long barrel on 4/0 and up, on generators and rotating equipment, and on any job with pull testing. See long barrel vs standard barrel.
- Plating. Tin plated for everything outdoors, on tinned conductor, in damp rooms and in battery or DC work. All Conversions Tech copper lugs are tin plated.
- Die. One die per size, matched to the lug index. Buy the die with the first box of a new size.
Stocking list for a service truck or panel shop
Standard barrel 1-hole in 8, 6, 4, 2, 1/0, 2/0, 3/0 and 4/0 with 1/4", 5/16" and 3/8" studs; long barrel 2-hole in 1/0, 2/0, 4/0, 250, 350 and 500 with 3/8" and 1/2"; the die set from I-21 through I-87. That covers most service, feeder and switchgear work without a second trip.
Every lug page shows the conductor range, die index, dimensions and the Burndy, ILSCO and Panduit cross. Send a conductor schedule to CS@ConversionsTech.com for a takeoff; same-day shipping on in-stock items and case pricing for trade accounts.
Related: Cable type to lug cross reference · One hole vs two hole · Lug applications guide
