5/2/2024 0 Comments 100 amp service wire sizeCopper WireĬopper wires are extensively used in modern houses and infrastructures due to the wire’s great conductibility and stability. This may help you decide what to choose for your sub-panel installation and also provide additional information that you may use for future electrical servicing. Sacrificing a little bit of efficiency for the purpose of economical gain may be a tough call but a worthy shot.įor the purpose of comparison, here are the characteristics of copper and aluminum wires. copper wire vs aluminum wireĭue to abundance, the use of aluminum wire, although less conductive, is widely accepted because it offers a cheaper cost, unlike copper wire. Bigger infrastructures, including electrical posts, use aluminum wires instead of copper.Īside from fire safety, infrastructure owners also take into consideration the economical aspect when choosing the right type of materials for their wiring system. Most houses use copper wires for wiring installations, including sub-panels and other electrical components. Most manufacturers put labels on wire coatings or insulation indicating the material’s type and gauge. Choosing the Right Wireĭepending on your preference, you may choose wires that you think will suit your project with respect to safety and fire hazard. Read more: Ideal Wire Size for a 60 Amp Sub Panel. Knowing this aspect or property of wire can save you or your appliances from electrical damage, especially short circuits or even fire. The smaller the number, the thicker the wire will be and vice versa.īy that, we can say that the thicker the wire, the more amperage a wire can support and deliver. Gauge simply describes the thickness of the wire through numbers. Many newbies or students without experience or advanced knowledge may miss these easily and cause serious damage to appliances and or components.Īmerican Wire Gauge (AWG) is the standard when measuring wire sizes. The size of the wire you will use will also differ depending on what particular electrical installation or servicing you will be doing.īefore reading wire sizes, it is important to know the basic technicalities of electrical installations. For example, you may use a 10 AWG or American Wire Gauge for a 30 amp appliance, and a size 8 AWG for a 45 amp device. So pay a consulting fee or buy a case of beer or a jug of hooch for a licensed local electrician to line out your project for you.Wiring size requirements differ per amp rating of the circuit. You want to pass your inspection first time around but without spending more money and time than you have to. You need good advice before making electrical mods. My friends here in PM wish you well and would never knowingly mislead you but few of us (including me) are electrical professionals. While this is presented in tables, an informed judgement is still required. OTH a 100 Amp service is defined by the breaker and the conductors it feeds have to meet code requirements for Ampacity, conduit fill, insulation, placement in construction, max ambient air temp, and other factors. In electrical practice the overcurret protection is intened to protect the conductors it feeds not the power consuming equipment. #4 may be technically adequate for your immediate application for a 100 Amp service for equipment that's seldom run to capacity but when feeding a pump or a heater for example #4 may not be suitable. Look up accaptable ampacity in the NEC and your local code for your application. They're satisfactory in most situatations but not always suited to every application. Remember NEC and local code represents minimum standards. Then consider conductor size and conduit size. Some jurisdictions require upgrading of the branch circuit or sometimes even the whole system if any parts is sub-code. Maybe not in Wisconsin but certaily in warm climates. Some jurisdictions have more stringent requirements for conductor ampacity and other electrical minutia.
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