Size wire

What size wire will I need for a 60 amp circuit breaker?

Reply to
Rick Novarxxxxxa
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4 ga Romex

or 6ga THHN in conduit if all the terminations are rated 75c.

#4 is always the safe bet

Reply to
Greg

#6 THHN 75 deg C rise is rated 65 Amps, for What size wire will I need for a 60 amp circuit breaker?

Reply to
dummy

Thanks for the info. I am only running it about 10" to a box right next to the mail box.

Reply to
Rick Novarxxxxxa

There are number of variables that you seem to have left out. Here is a partial list: Load - discharge lighting, motors, heaters, etc.? Insulation, NM-B, individual conductors? Copper or Aluminum conductors? Ambient temperature? Type of installation - cable, raceway, number of conductors in cable or raceway, open conductors, overhead, out of doors, etc. What is the voltage and phases? How long is the circuit and what is the voltage drop? What is the IC (interrupting current) rating?

Reply to
Gerald Newton
60 A.Wow!!!You have large currents in USA with 110 volt.Here, a typical house has a main fuse of 35 A (220 V).AND we have electrical hot water heaters.That is a wire of 10mm2 (for 35 A of course-I have no idea of the US gauges).We normally have a pair of 10A circuit breakers-1,5 mm2 for lighting,a 16A-2,5 mm2 for washing machine,a 20A-4 mm2 for water heater and a 25A-6 mm2 for kitchen hood.The wire from the meter to distribution panel is 3x10mm2.Both water heater and cooker are switched on-and off by a double pole, single throw circuit breaker (thus to disconnect the neutral also).Most houses that have young children have a RCCB (another term for a GFCI circuit breaker).If you have electrical heating, then it?s three-phase, 3x25 or most usually 3x35 A.My licence is valid up to 75 kW now, lighting or motors.

-- Dimitris Tzortzakakis,Greece

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Reply to
Tzortzakakis Dimitrios

60a would be at 240v in the US. The only place you will see 120v at over 20a is on a motor home supply. They have 120v@ 30a Anything that pulls more than 1920w will be 240v here and that number may actually be more like 1440w in most cases because 120v 20a plugs are not the normal household thing. Cord and plug equipment is limited to 80% of the circuit capacity

From the note I imagine he is feeding a sub panel.

Reply to
Greg

Why not #6 copper romex (NM cable)? This is rated at 55A, and you are permitted to round up to the next size breaker in most circumstances. This is the cheapest solution in most cases, but I believe you must make sure your ampacity requirements do not exceed 55A even though you have a 60A breaker.

Gerald asked many of the important detail questions that should all be answered to correctly answer your question.

-- Mark Kent, WA

Reply to
Mark or Sue

As I said #4 is the safe bet. (copper) That would also cover virtually any circumstance you can conceive of in a residential setting. I assume someone designing duct banks in the boiler room of a nuclear plant would not be asking questions like that here.

Reply to
Greg

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