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AmpSize

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Minimum cable size for a lighting circuit

Minimum conductor size lookup

Worked to AS/NZS 3000:2018. Tables checked 26 Sept 2026.

Minimum conductor size

1mm²

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This result is a design aid. Verify it against the current standard.

A drawn result card from the Minimum Conductor Size tool: minimum conductor size 1 mm².

The minimum copper conductor for a lighting circuit is 1 mm². AS/NZS 3000:2018 Table 3.3 gives that size for every circuit other than socket‑outlets, and a lighting circuit is one of them.

A floor, not a design

The minimum size does not account for the load or the run. A lighting circuit over a long run reaches the voltage drop limit first, and the cable size calculator then selects a larger size.

A socket‑outlet on the same circuit changes the row. Table 3.3 then sets the socket‑outlet minimum instead.

See also: What size cable for a lighting circuit in NZ? and Minimum cable size for power points.

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Conductor material
Copper
Use of the circuit
Other circuits
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AmpSize is a design aid. Verify results against the current standard.

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