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The electrical circuits in your home power all of your appliances and to ensure everything works as it should each socket, light and switch has to be wired up using the right type and size of cable.To learn about all the different sized electrical cables that are used in your home and how they should be used, read on below.Why are There Different Sized
Electrical Cables?The electrical cables used to power the lights and appliances in your home come in several different cable sizes, primarily to accommodate the amount of current required to run the items that are drawing power from it.All cables are rated to carry a specific amperage meaning that the load imposed on them should be no more than
they are able to safely carry. If this is ignored there’s a chance the cable could get hot and catch fire!This can be further complicated by the location in which they will be installed and how effectively a given cable will be able to disperse heat e.g. a cable installed in an empty stud wall will dissipate heat much easier than a cable in a loft that buried
under 200mm of insulation, so this needs to be considered also.With this in mind, ultimately it is the appliances or items that will draw power from the circuit they are powered from and the location in which cables will run that decides on the size of cable required.What Size Cables for Lighting Circuits?The Cable sizes for domestic lighting circuits is
usually 1mm or 1.5mm twin and earth cable (aka two core and earth). In most cases 1mm should be fine but depends on how many lights are on the circuit and how long the cable run is.

If quite a few are required or the cable run is over a long distance, then 1.5mm cable should be used to cope with supply demand and voltage drop.Lighting is usually fed by a 1mm or 1.5mm cableWhat Size Cables for Sockets?In most domestic situations the cable size used for sockets on a ring main or radial main is 2.5mm twin and earth cable.The
size of cable used for sockets needs to be larger than that used for lighting circuits because it will have to cope with more load due to the number of different appliances with different power supply needs that could potentially be plugged in to the circuit.Standard double socket as seen in many homes across the country. This one features an in-built
USB portWhat About Other Cable Sizes?Aside from the 3 most commonly used cable sizes of 1, 1.5 and 2.5mm twin and earth there are in fact numerous other larger sizes of cable that include 4mm, 6mm, 10mm and 16mm. These are mostly used for appliances and objects that require much more electrical power to operate or special use situations.
Even larger sizes of cable include 25, 35, 50, 70,95, 120, 150 all the way up to 1000 square mm, over 20 different sizes in total, but anything above 16mm is generally just for industrial use.The situations in which you would use a larger cable size really depends. As mentioned, appliances such as electric power showers, large cookers, electric car
chargers etc.

will all draw larger amounts of current so will generally require a larger size cable to supply the required current and prevent too much current being drawn which can cause overheating and the potential for the cable to catch fire!A larger size cable may also be used in situations where an electric supply needs to be run over a long distance. Using
the incorrect size cable in this case may cause a large amperage drop resulting in not enough electrical power actually making it to the end of the cable to actually power the item.What About the Size of the Earth Wire?The cross sectional area of the earth wire in a 1.5mm cable is 1mm and in a 2.5mm cable it is 1.5mm.This should be sufficient for
most domestic socket and lighting circuits.What Does 1.5mm or 2.5mm Cable Mean?1.5mm and 2.5mm is the cross sectional area of the individual live or neutral wires in the 1.5mm or 2.5mm cable. This is not the combined cross sectional area. Each one of the live and neutral wires has a cross sectional area of 1.5mm or 2.5mm.1.5mm cable means a
cross sectional area of 1.5mm of the live or neutral wireIf you snip one of the wires and look at it face down you will see it’s cross section. Obviously this is a circle. The area, or cross sectional area of this circle is 1.5 mm square or 2.5 mm square.2.5mm cable means a cross sectional area of 2.5mm of the live or neutral wireThis cross sectional area,
or in more simple terms the area of the exposed face of the wire, does not include the insulation around it. It is purely the area of the copper wire.How do I Calculate the Diameter of the Wire and Determine Cable Sizes?As we have established above, how you identify electrical cable size is through the size of wire it houses e.g. 1.5mm cable houses
1.5mm wire.In most instances, the size of cable should be printed on the sheath, but if not you will need to calculate the diameter of the wire to determine its size, which means working out the area of a circle e.g. the circular piece of wire.To calculate the area of a circle multiply the radius (half the circle diameter) by itself to get the radius squared.
This is then multiplied by Pi (Π) which is approximately 3.142. This calculation is written as shown in the image below.Pi times the radius squared is the area of a circleTo calculate the diameter of the wire when knowing only the area, the equation has to be done backwards.The area is divided by 3.142 (Π) and the square root (√) of the answer is the
radius (r). Multiply the radius by 2 and you have the diameter.Why are Different Cables and Flexes Used for Different Things?Different cables and flexes are used for different jobs because they are thicker and can carry more current and have more, or less resistance.Resistance can be thought of as electrical friction and the wires in the cable or flex
will absorb some of the energy in the current, allowing a little less to reach the target than was sent.High energy users such as electric showers, cookers and immersion heaters are supplied by thicker wires than (for example) a radio as the current that the appliance needs is considerably greater.Cables supplying circuits should be sized as per the
following cable ratings table below.The methods mentioned in the table below are methods for how the cable runs through the home to carry the power from the consumer unit to the outlet.Cookers require high amperage as they use lots of powerPlease note again that installation of cables depends on the location they are to be installed in.Also taken
into consideration is the temperature of the area or void, the length of the cable run, the grouping of the points they serve and the type of device (Fuse, RCD etc.) by which they are protected.It is vital to remember that values for cables and flexes can change in domestic situations. A cable in an insulated loft space will get hotter, much more quickly,
than a cable looped through garage rafters. The suggested load it can carry is then less. Loading a cable with too many amps makes it hot, and hot cables are dangerous.The Institute of Engineering and Technology (IET), formerly the Institute of Electrical Engineers (IEE) have decreed that cables can carry loads (measured in amps) according to not
just their size, but according to the methods they are fixed (or otherwise) to any given surface.

These methods are described below.As with most formulas in the building trade there are regulations defining specific boundaries for the use of all materials. Factors such as resistance and voltage drop may need to be assessed and taken into consideration when working out cable runs.The cable current rating for different fixing methods table below
shows the methods by which cables are employed in a domestic dwelling and the permissible voltage drop via that cable and that particular method.IET – Institute of Engineering and TechnologyCable Ratings and Locations From On Site Guide to BS7671:2018Note: The following information and regulations are specific to England and Wales.We have
abstracted a couple of the most popular tables for current rating of cables below. The rest, and the full table follows.The first table below is for cables which are installed by Method 103 “Surrounded by thermal insulation including in a stud wall with thermal insulation with cable not touching the wall”.The second table is for cables installed by
Method C, "clipped direct". As you can see there is quite a difference in rating so be absolutely sure you are doing the right thing.Also remember that while it is not an offence to make electrical installations yourself, it is an offence to use them without them having been checked by a qualified electrician.Even a simple socket addition now has to have
a minor works certificate!The IET produce the On Site Guide and its updates, the current on being BS7671:2018 (updates are published between major releases) and cable sizes are noted, together with where they can go and which current they can carry.The mixture of these two things is called a Method and there are 7 methods, they are as
follows:Method A – Enclosed in conduit in an insulated wallMethod B – Enclosed in conduit or trunking on a wallMethod C – Clipped directMethod 100 – Above a plasterboard ceiling covered by thermal insulation not exceeding 100mmMethod 101 – Above a plasterboard ceiling covered by thermal insulation exceeding 100mm in thicknessMethod 102
– In a stud wall with thermal insulation with cable touching inner walls surfaceMethod 103 – In a stud wall with thermal insulation with cable not touching the inner wall surfaceIET On Site Guide to wiring regulations 18th Edition – 18th Edition Regulations available to purchase hereYour house insurance may not be valid if you do not comply with the
regulations as you have a duty of care to protect anyone who enters your home.Cable Size Ratings Tables in AmpsTable 1 – Method 103: Surrounded by thermal insulation including in a stud wall with thermal insulation with cable not touching the wall.Cable sizeRating in Amps1mm81.5mm102.5mm13.54.00mm17.56.00mm23.510.00mm32Table 2 –
Method C: Clipped DirectCable sizeRating in Amps1mm161.5mm202.5mm274mm376mm4710mm64Once again please check and double check that you are sure about what you are doing. It is an offence to install unchecked wiring and your house insurance may not be valid if you do.Full Cable Ratings and MethodsHere follows the cable rating in
amps and cable size for each fixing method as defined in the onsite guide mentioned above.The information below has been taken from Table F6 – table 4D5 from BS 7671:2018 On Site Guide Appendix FInstallation reference methods and cable ratings for 70°C thermoplastic (PVC) insulated and sheathed flat cable with protective conductor.(Scroll
table right for full info) Conductor Size (cable size)Installer Description and Reference Method1.0mm2 (CS)1.5mm2 (CS)2.5mm2 (CS)4.0mm2 (CS)6.0mm2 (CS)10.0mm2 (CS)16.0mm2 (CS)Method A11.5 A14.5 A20 A26 A32 A44 A57 AMethod B*13 A16.5 A23 A30 A38 A52 A69 AMethod C16 A20 A27 A37 A47 A64 A85 AMethod 10013 A16 A21 A27
A34 A45 A57 AMethod 10110.5 A13 A17 A22 A27 A36 A46 AMethod 10213 A16 A21 A27 A35 A47 A63 AMethod 1038 A10 A13.5 A17.5 A23.5 A32 A42.5 AVoltage Drop (mV/A/m) (per ampere per metre)442918117.34.42.8Cable ratings taken from Table 4D5 of BS 7671 : 2018B* = Taken from Table 4D2A of BS 7671 : 2018 (App. F)A = Cable rating in
amps(CS) = Conductor (cable) cross-sectional area in mm2Once again please check and double check that you are sure about what you are doing.
It is an offence to install unchecked wiring and your house insurance may not be valid if you do.Electrical Safety and Electrical Regulations – What you Need to be Aware of!As we have stated but will do again to emphasise the importance, please remember when attempting any electrical installations at home that you are obliged to get the completed
job tested by a fully qualified electrician and obtain a minor works certificate. Failure to do this may render your house insurance invalid and you may have difficulty selling your home!As regular reader Louis who is an electrician from West Wickham says:It is worth engaging with a qualified electrician early so that you and they can agree how they
will approve and then certify the work. After all it is their name on the certificate so if they are not 100% happy that they know that everything is perfect, they will not sign it off, simple as that!Due to the dangers posed, there are only a very limited number of jobs that you are allowed to do in your home that don’t require signing off and these are
changing existing socket and light switch faceplates. As we have stated, anything else should be done, tested and signed off by a qualified Part P registered electrician.It is also worth stating that years ago, the cable colours used in the UK were changed so that they harmonised with those used in Europe.
To learn more about this, see our wire and cable colours project here.For more help and advice on how to stay safe when working around electrics – see our electrical safety project here.We have compiled a quick PDF Guide for you to download with all the necessary information about cable sizes and amp ratings, however, as always all electrical
work must be tested by a fully qualified electrician. Download our handy cable and amp sizes guideElectrical Deaths and Accident StatisticsTo show just how dangerous electricity can be, Electrical Safety First, a charitable organisation that campaigns, on behalf of consumers, for the upholding of and improvements on, all safety legislation in the UK,
detail many areas of the home that could pose an electrical danger.They have suggested, through surveys, that almost half of all severe electrical injury caused in the home is due to DIY work. The most common causes being drilling through wires in the wall, cutting through cables and not turning electrical circuits off before working on them!They
have also estimated that around half of accidental fires caused in UK homes are due to electricity, the majority due to cooking appliances and white goods.In order to help reduce these figures, they have produced a handy list of points to be aware of and also how to remain safe when using electrical appliances, see these on the Electrical Safety First
website here.Can I do my Own Electrical Work Indoors?As we have mentioned above, you are allowed to do some electrical work in your home, but under Part P of the Building Regulations this is limited.Although you are able to do some work, it is suggested very, very strongly that, to undertake any electrical work you should be a “competent”
person.For the benefit of reason, it is as well to explain that competent does not simply mean you can walk, talk, read and write.In electrical terms it means that you must have the ability to test an electrical circuit for faults both before and after you have worked on it and then be able to record and communicate the reasons for any difference in the
readings.In it’s simplest form it should mean you have a full understanding of how to use and read a multi-meter.Correct use of a multimeter is essential for safe electrical work at homeWhat is an Electrical CableAlthough we have delved quite deeply into cable sizes, amp ratings and many other aspects of the electric in your home we haven’t as yet
really looked at what a cable is. The term cable, amongst other things, means…An encased group of insulated wiresA cable is a fairly inflexible (although of course they can be bent) set of wires used to supply the electricity to certain points in your home.Your meter box is supplied through a cable, sockets are supplied by cables and your ceiling and
wall lights are fed through cables.A cable can carry many wires depending on the job it needs to do. Most domestic cables carry a blue wire which is usually for the neutral current, a brown wire for a live current and a bare wire to take residual current to earth. This cable is called 2 core and earth, or twin and earth.The previous colours for live and
neutral wires were red and black respectively.It is OK, when working on a building with the old colours, to joint the new to the old as long as the joint itself is done correctly.For details of these changes please see the link to the Institute of Electrical Engineers. In essence, for domestic use, the cable wire colours will change to those of standard
electrical flex colours.Lighting circuits are usually fed by 1.5mm twin and earth cableThe bare wire, when the cable is used, should be marked with a green and yellow earth sleeve. This should be cut to length and slipped over the wire before it’s connected up.Another cable used a lot in domestic lighting is called 3 core and earth. The extra core
(wire) is in an insulating sheath and is used as an extra conductor to carry power between 2 or more switches operating lights.The brown wire in a 3-core and earth cable should always be used as permanent live. The other two are interchangeable as long as they are sheathed in order to make it obvious which cable is neutral (blue sheathing) and
which is the other live (brown sheathing).Special lighting switch cable can be bought. This is called "Twin red core" and is used as switch cable for your lights.Often this is replaced by electricians, who use an ordinary 2 core and earth cable as a switch cable and place a little red tape around the black wire in the cable. See our project on lights and
switches.Cable with 2 lives a neutral and an earthAppliance Flex and why it is UsedFlex is short for flexible and the reality is that a flex is simply a flexible cable.Flexible cables are used for appliances because appliances usually get moved around a lot and the inflexibility of a fixed cable, either 1.5mm or 2.5mm would soon crack the cable causing
faults and potentially the risk of shock and injury.Appliance flex with live, neutral and earthElectricians Tools, VDE and a Word of WarningBecause of the danger of working with high voltages and high currents, electricians tools need to be completely and fully insulated. This insulation is usually safe up to 1000 volts.The standards for electrical safety
in electricians tools are set by a committee in Germany called the VDE or Verband der Elektrotechnik and they are very stringent as one would expect.These rules make electricians tools quite expensive as a lot of work goes into them and a VDE approved screwdriver can cost as much as four times that of a normal screwdriver.Please, if you are doing
and electrical work, make sure you have the right VDE approved tools for the job and do not be tempted to save money by buying cheap imitations which will not be anywhere near as well insulated.VDE electricians screwdrivers – Available from our online tool store hereBooks Making Electrical Wiring and Electric Lighting EasierThese books provides
a great guide to wiring and lighting round the home. It should still be read with the knowledge that electricity is dangerous and you should check to ensure that you are actually allowed to do the work you would like.How to do home wiring and lighting easily – Available to purchase here from AmazonUnderstand lighting and wiring in the home –
Available to purchase here from Amazon InspectAPedia tolerates no conflicts of interest.

We have no relationship with advertisers, products, or services discussed at this website. Electrical wire sizes & gauges: These Tables of Electrical Service Entry Cable Sizes, Electrical Circuit Wire Diameters, Circuit Ampacity, Allowable Voltage Drop, & Wire Size Increase based on Run Length assist in determining the electrical service size or other
required electrical wire sizes at buildings. We include tables of aluminum or copper wire sizes for long runs of service entry cables. This article series gives photos and tables of electrical service entry cable sizes, electrical branch circuit wire sizes, bell wire, telephone wire, thermostat wire, and ampacity or fuse/circuit breaker ratings. We also
provide an ARTICLE INDEX for this topic, or you can try the page top or bottom SEARCH BOX as a quick way to find information you need. Service Entry & Electrical Cable or Wire Sizes vs Amps vs Run Length Here we discuss and present a table of electrical wire sizes, ampacity, and fuse or circuit breaker sizes for common residential electrical
wiring circuits. What is the diameter of service entry electrical cabling? What are the common diameters of household copper or aluminum electrical wiring? What is the diameter of thermostat wire, telephone wire, bell wire? How to determine the size, capacity, or ampacity of electrical service at a building. Illustration of common electrical wire sizes
for both service entry cables and in-building electrical circuits: wire size versus circuit ampacity and fusing requirement. [Click to enlarge any image] "How do I determine the service amperage?" Start by taking a look at the service entry cables outside and at their entry into the electrical panel. A quick look can tell us if the property is served by
240V or only a 120V service, even before measuring the gauge or wire thicknesses that we discuss below. In the photo above we see a three wire mast-head: 3 wires means that there are two 120V lines + a power company neutral. Two 120V lines usually give us a 240V service.
But we did not like the position of that weather-head, and we considered that water may be entering the SEC. This article series explains how to estimate the electrical service size (or "electrical power" or "service amps") at a building by visual examination of the service entry cables, electric meter and meter base, electrical service panel, main
switch, and other details.
Tables of Wire Sizes vs. Circuit Amps vs. Wire Run Length The tables above are for electrical circuits up to 50 Amps. For larger wire sizes (higher Amps) (above 50A) see SE CABLE & WIRE SIZES FOR LONG RUNS Introduction to Choosing Electrical Wire Size The amperage that can be supported by any electrical wire is a function of its materials
and diameter and the run length. Often the actual cable type and size is printed right on the cable insulation. Otherwise some rough measurements of cable diameter are in order. Carson Dunlop Associates' sketch shows common electrical wire sizes for both service entry conductors and in-building branch circuit wiring. [Click to enlarge any image]
We use to use a plastic vernier caliper or other non metallic instrument to measure external (insulated) width of the whole cable as a reasonable guess at wire ampacity. Some inspection tool companies sell, and others give-away a plastic "wire gauge" with notches labeled to tell electrical inspectors the cable size for aluminum and copper SECs. Or
you can make your own. For a simplified table matching service entry cable size to ampacity see SERVICE ENTRY WIRING & AMPACITY - a separate article. Branch circuit electrical wire sizes such as the #14 copper electrical wire shown just below are included in the tables on this page where we give wire sizes for circuits from 15A to 50A. Above is
a close-up photo of a #14 copper wire against a millimeter scale. The divisions on the scale of my metal ruler each represent 1 mm. You'll see that this wire looks as if it's about 1.5 mm in diameter. [Thanks to reader Max for careful reading 2018/06/14] The actual wire diameter of #14 copper wire can vary among manufacturers and wire types. The
wire size table below gives the typical diameter of #14 copper wire as 0.073- .064 / 1.84-1.63 inches / mm. [Thanks to Anonymous for careful editing] The tables and notes below expand and provide detail about the ampacity and temperature ratings of various wire sizes and gives a brief history of U.S. NEC wire sizing table changes. For copper wiring
the following wire sizes and ampacity ratings or fuse/circuit breaker sizes are common on 120V residential electrical circuits. Electrical Conductor Wire Size or Gauge - AWG or kcmil AMPACITY Rating COPPER Wire Conductors Recommend Max Fuse Rating AMPACITY Rating ALUMINUM Wire Conductors Also for Copper-Clad Aluminum Wire
Recommend Max Fuse Rating Electrical Wire Overall Diameter (approximate) inches / mm Comments Conductor Rating Temperature of 60 / 75 / 90 °C Conductor Rating Temperature of 60 / 75 / 90 °C "Bell wire" / 0.5mm Typical solid conductor telephone or bell wire size, thermostat wire, or 12-24V wire for controls 20 0.036 / 0.91
Also used for thermostat wiring [1] 18 - / - / 14 0.046-0.040 / 1.16-1.02 Usually used for thermostat and HVAC control wiring 16 - / - / 18 0.058-0.051 / 1.46-1.29 OK for thermostat and HVAC control wiring 14 15 / 20 / 25 Not Used 0.073- .064 / 1.84-1.63 Smallest size normally used for household 120V wiring (copper 15A) 12 20 / 25 / 30 20 / 20 / 25
15A in common house wiring applications ca 1970's 0.092-0.081 / 2.32-2.05 Smallest size normally used for household 120V wiring (aluminum 15A) 10 30 / 35 / 50 25 / 30 / 35 .116-.102 / 2.93-2.59 8 40 / 50 / 55 30 / 40 / 45 .146-.128 / 3.7-3.26 6 55 / 65 / 75 40 / 50 / 60 .184-.162 / 4.66-4.11 4 70 / 80 / 95 55 / 65 / 75 .232 / 5.88 2 95 / 115 / 150 75 /
90 / 100[5] .292 / 7.42 Smallest copper size for a 100A panel 1 110 / 130 / 145 85 / 100 / 115[5] .332 / 9.43 Smallest aluminum size for a 100A panel 1/0 or 0 125 / 150 / 170 100 / 120 / 135[5] .373 / 9.46 2/0 or 00 145 / 175 / 195 115 / 135 / 150[5] .419 / 10.6 3/0 or 000 165 / 200 / 225 130 / 155 / 175[5] .471-.470 / 12.0-11.9 4/0 or 0000 195 / 230 /
260 150 / 180 / 205[5] .528 / 13.4 About the largest wire size likely to be found at residential electrical SECs Notes to the Table Above 1. See Article 100 (maximum amperage a conductor can carry under conditions of use without exceeding its temperature rating) and Article 310 of the U.S. National Electrical Code (NEC). The U.S. NEC can be
purchased from electrical suppliers and online from nfpa.org. Since some readers request historical data on electrical code provisions, we note that the data in this article has been excerpted / adapted from the U.S. National Electrical Code. The locations of wiring size vs ampacity ratings changed in the 2011 NEC and again in the 2014 NEC. Prior to
the 2011 NEC wire size vs ampacity table data was provided in NEC Table 310.16. Many sources continue to quote this table. Beginning in 2011, the pertinent wire sizing tables were found in NEC Table 310.15(B)(2)(a) (Ambient Temperature of 30°C) and NEC Table 310.15(B)(2)(b) (Ambient Temperature of 40°C). Ampacities of not more than three
current-carrying conductors in raceway, cable, or earth, were typically based on an ambient temperature of 86°F / 30°C. This excerpt from the 2014 NEC explains: 310.15(B)(7) For one-family dwellings and the individual dwelling units of two-family and multifamily dwellings, service and feeder conductors supplied by a single-phase, 120/240-volt
system shall be permitted be sized in accordance with 310.15(B)(7)(a) through (d). (a) For a service rated 100 through 400 amperes, the service conductors supplying the entire load associated with a one-family dwelling or the service conductors supplying the entire load associated with an individual dwelling unit in a two-family or multifamily
dwelling shall be permitted to have an ampacity not less than 83% of the service rating. (b) For a feeder rated 100 through 400 amperes, the feeder conductors supplying the entire load associated with a one-family dwelling or the feeder conductors supplying the entire load associated with an individual dwelling unit in a two-family or multifamily
dwelling shall be permitted to have an ampacity not less than 83% of the feeder rating. (c) In no case shall a feeder for an individual dwelling unit be required to have an ampacity greater than that of its 310.15(B)(7)(a) or (b) conductors. (d) Grounded conductors shall be permitted to be sized smaller than the ungrounded conductors provided the
requirements of 220.61 and 230.42 for service conductors or the requirements of 215.2 and 220.61 for feeder conductors are met. Informational Note No. 1: It is possible that the conductor ampacity will require other correction or adjustment factors applicable to the conductor installation. Informational Note No. 2: See example in Annex D. 2.
Assuming the electrical current in these wires is AC or DC at 60Hz or less. 3. The U.S. National Electrical Code NEC 240-3 requires that the electrical branch circuit, feeder wire, and electrical service conductors shall be protected against overcurrent in accordance with their ampacity ratings as specified in NEC Table 310-16. 4. Additional NEC rules
that pertain are in NEC Sections 210-20 (a), 215-3, and 384-16(d).
Also NEC Section 240-6(a) gives a list of standard wire sizes and overcurrent protection (fuse or circuit breaker) required. 5. For dwelling units, conductors, as listed below, shall be permitted as 120/240 volt, 3 wire, single phase service-entrance conductors, service lateral conductors and feeder conductors that serve as the main power feeder to a
dwelling unit and are installed in raceway or cable with or without an equipment grounding conductor. For application of this section, the main power feeder shall be the feeder(s) between the main disconnect and the lighting and appliance branch-circuit panel board(s) and the feeder conductors to a dwelling unit shall not be required to be larger
than their service entrance conductors. The grounded conductor shall be permitted to be smaller than the ungrounded conductors provided the requirements of Sections 215.2, 220.22 and 230.42 are met. 6. For information about copper clad aluminum wiring see COPPER-CLAD ALUMINUM WIRE Branch Circuit Wire Size vs Run Length: 120V
Circuits, <=5% Voltage Drop Wire Material AMPS** 120VAC Circuit Wire Size AWG 25 ft. 50 ft. 100 ft. 150 ft. 200 ft. Copper 15A1 #14 #12 #10 #8 #6 Copper 20A #12 #12 #8 #6 #4 Aluminum 2 20A #8 #8 #8 #6 #6 Copper 30A #10 #10 #6 #4 #4 Aluminum 2 30A #8 #8 #6 #4 #4 Copper 40A #8 #8 #8 #6 #4 Aluminum 40A #8 #8 #6 #4 #3
Copper 50A #8 #8 #6 #4 #4 Aluminum 50A #6 #6 #4 #3 #2 Branch circuit wire sizes for long runs: The long-run wire sizes given in the table above are for typical residential branch circuits up to 50A. Service entry cable wire sizes for long runs: Detailed tables of copper or aluminum Service Entry Wire SEC cable sizes for long runs at higher
ampacities entering the building's main electrical panel, and where we give sizes for both single phase and three phase power are at SE CABLE & WIRE SIZES FOR LONG RUNS - separate page Sources include Cerrowire, "240 Volt, Conductor Size (AWG or kcmil) Single Phase, Max 3% Voltage Drop" retrieved 2021/12/03 original source: Cerrowire,
Notes included by Cerrowire: *The tables assume steel conduit, a power factor of 0.9, an ambient temperature of 86°F, and no more than 3 current-carrying conductors. We have taken reasonable care to establish the accuracy of these values; however, this tool is intended only as a guide, consult a professional engineer to determine suitability for
your application. **Based on 60°C per NEC 110.14(c)(1)(a). ***Based on 75°C per NEC 110.14(c)(1)(b). VOLTAGE DROP TABLE, [PDF], retrieved 2017/09/26, Cerrowire LLC, 1099 Thompson Road SE, Hartselle AL 35640, USA, Tel: 256-773-2522, original source: 300 ft and 400 ft cable length data: Cable size recommended based on voltage drop
calculations. Calculated by Online voltage drop calculator: 2019/07/23, Southwire, Tel: 1-800-444-1700 Website: www.southwire.com Email: CableTechSupport@southwire.com Web page: Watch out: the engineering work and derivation of the table above is derived from the sources listed below including manufacturer's tables and online voltage drop
calculators but may not be correct for your specific installation. Check with your engineer or electrician. These circuits are 120VAC (single phase) single conductor. Three phase power typically reduces the wire size to the next smaller. Watch out: These aluminum solid conductor wires should NOT be used in new residential branch circuit wiring such
as for lighting or electrical receptacles but may be found in older homes built in the 1970s. However multi-strand aluminum wiring is used in special or single purpose circuits in new work such as for high-amperage devices like an air conditioner compressor. Proper wiring and connection details are required for such circuits to perform reliably and
safely. See ALUMINUM WIRING HAZARDS & REPAIRS - home Unlike the service entry cables, branch circuits may permit up to a 5% voltage drop but Watch out: a limit of 3% voltage drop is the most-common recommended limitation on wire size vs run length for residential properties Cable size recommended based on voltage drop calculations.
Calculated by Online voltage drop calculator: 2019/07/23, Southwire, Tel: 1-800-444-1700 Website: www.southwire.com Email: CableTechSupport@southwire.com Web page: Watch out: these are example wire or cable sizes vs. run or length for the specific parameters named here and entered in the wire size and length calculator. Your installation
may differ. For safety and for code compliant electrical wiring, be sure to check with your local electrical code inspector and electrical code provisions.
For electrical wire runs longer than 400ft.
you will probably need to use a voltage drop calculator like those we describe at WIRE SIZE INCREASE using VOLTAGE DROP CALCULATORS Also see the Table Maximum Wire Length Permitted vs. wire size and amps given just below. Wire Material AMPS** 240VAC Circuit Wire Size AWG 25 ft. 50 ft. 100 ft.
150 ft. 200 ft. Copper 15A1 #14 #14 #12 #10 #10 Copper 20A #12 #12 #12 #10 #8 Copper 30A #10 #10 #10 #8 #6 Aluminum 30A #8 #8 #6 #4 #4 Copper 40A #8 #8 #8 #6 #4 Aluminum 40A #6 #6 #6 #4 #3 Copper 50A #6 #6 #6 #6 #4 Aluminum 50A #4 #4 #4 #4 #2 This table respects the requirement to limit voltage drop to <= 3%
Sources include Cerrowire, "240 Volt, Conductor Size (AWG or kcmil) Single Phase, Max 3% Voltage Drop" retrieved 2021/12/03 original source: Cerrowire, Notes included by Cerrowire: *The tables assume steel conduit, a power factor of 0.9, an ambient temperature of 86°F, and no more than 3 current-carrying conductors. We have taken
reasonable care to establish the accuracy of these values; however, this tool is intended only as a guide, consult a professional engineer to determine suitability for your application. **Based on 60°C per NEC 110.14(c)(1)(a). ***Based on 75°C per NEC 110.14(c)(1)(b). Watch out: the engineering work and derivation of the table above is derived from
the sources listed below including manufacturer's tables and online voltage drop calculators but may not be correct for your specific installation. Check with your engineer or electrician. Wire Size AWG Copper AMPS Rating1 Voltage Drop Percentage 12V 3% 12V 10% 120V 3% 120V 10% Maximum Electrical Wire Run Length in Feet 14 15 5 16 252 -
50 160 12 20 5 18 302 - 60 180 10 30 6 20 402 - 64 200 8 55 5 17 552 - 76 175 6 75 6 19 752 - 94 192 4 95 8 25 952, 3 253 2 130 9 29 1302 286 1 1452 0 170 10 35 1702 346 00 195 11 38 1952 382 000 225 12 42 2252 416 0000 260 14 46 2602 457 250 kcmil5 2902 Typically the maximum allowed voltage drop in residential wiring is 3%.
For motor circuits and other applications less voltage drop may be acceptable, and you may need to consider both the starting voltage drop and the running voltage drop allowed. Watch out: the engineering work and derivation of the table above is derived from the sources listed below including manufacturer's tables and online voltage drop
calculators but may not be correct for your specific installation. Check with your engineer or electrician. Maximum wire run distance changes by required temperature rating: The Amperage rating and distances shown are for 90°C (194°F) THWN-2, THHN, XHHW-2, USE-2 - copper wire; Watch out: Note that dropping to 60°C (140°F) NM-B, UF-B
copper wire, the maximum run lengths will be substantially shorter. For example #4 copper wire can be run just 70 ft. instead of 95 ft. as shown in the table above. See this ELECTRIC WIRE AMPACITY CHART [PDF] from CerroWire, retrieved 2021/11/25 original source: For example, if your circuit permits a voltage drop of 5% (3% is more-common)
you could run a 20A circuit using #12 wire run up to 50 ft. Using a typical online voltage drop calculator, specifying source voltage 120VAC, Single Phase, 70Amps, 70 ft run, 3% voltage drop, for copper wire The National Electrical Code limits voltage drop to a maximum of 5% of nominal.
Most experts recommend limiting the voltage drop to 3% of nominal. For longer wire runs & larger wire sizes in the kcmil range, and a table of allowable current (amps) & run lengths see SE CABLE & WIRE SIZES FOR LONG RUNS Adapted from "Wire, Cable & Harness", provided by the California Department of Transportation, retrieved
2016/02/09, original source: VOLTAGE DROP TABLE, [PDF], retrieved 2017/09/26, Cerrowire LLC, 1099 Thompson Road SE, Hartselle AL 35640, USA, Tel: 256-773-2522, original source: Excerpt: To avoid excessive voltage drop, select a size wire that will minimize voltage drop, You need to know the length of the wire run and the amp load or
current that will be on the circuit. To determine amps, add up the wattage of all electrical devices that will be on the circuit and divide this total by the voltage of the circuit, 110 or 220. WIRE SIZES AND MAXIMUM LENGTH DETERMINATION, [PDF] (2007) [no author, no authority cited] retrieved ca 2007, retrieved anew 2017/09/26, original
source: [Beware this is a pretty weird website] According to the zetatalk version, This chart works for any voltage or voltage drop, American (AWG) or metric (mm2) sizing. It applies to typical DC circuits and to some simple AC circuits (single-phase AC with resistive loads, not motor loads, power factor = 1.0, line reactance negligible). WIRE SIZE
GUIDE, 6,12, 24V [PDF], Thomas & Betts, ABB Group, Emergi-Lite, retrieved retrieved 2017/09/26, original source: LOW VOLTAGE ELECTRICAL WIRE SIZE TABLE [PDF] Emergi-Lite emergency lighting company, original source: Credits: The articles from which some of this online material originated appeared first in the ASHI Technical Journal,
Vol. 2.
No. 1, January 1992, "Determining Service Ampacity," Dan Friedman and Alan Carson, and the ASHI Technical Journal, Vol. 3. No. 1, Spring, 1993, "Determining Service Ampacity - Another Consideration," Robert L. Klewitz, P.E., with subsequent updates and additions to the original text ongoing to 2091/07/236. How to Use a Voltage Drop Calculator
to Determine Required Service Entry Wire Size Here we give examples and compare the results of using two example wire size and voltage drop calculators. You will see that Southwire and Paige calculators give similar results. 1.
Southwire's Voltage Drop Calculator example calculating SEC wire size Southwire's wire size calculator at is easy to use and clear. The user specifies the number of phases (1 or 3), conductor (copper or aluminum), installation (direct buried, conduit, or overhead) and the input voltage, maximum allowed voltage drop (I use 3%), the length of the cable
run, and the desired current (amps) at the end of the cable run. The calculator gives an appropriate wire selection and its parameters, such as this: Example: Single phase, aluminum conductor, direct buried, 120VAC, 3% maximum voltage drop, 250 ft. cable run length, 100A current at end of cable Result: 1 conductors per phase utilizing a #400
Aluminum conductor will limit the voltage drop to 2.94% or less when supplying 100.0 amps for 250 feet on a 120 volt system. Changing the example above to 240 VAC, keeping other parameters the same gives this result: Result: 1 conductors per phase utilizing a #3/0 Aluminum conductor will limit the voltage drop to 2.82% or less when supplying
100.0 amps for 250 feet on a 240 volt system.
2. Paige Wire Size Calculator example calculating SEC wire size Paige Wire's voltage wire size calculator at is also easy to use and clear and is an alternative to the Southwire wire size, length, and voltage drop calculator we described above.
Testing with the following parameters: Example: 240 VAC Single Phase, 100A, 250 ft.
run, 3% voltage drop allowed, Result: 1 AWG Copper or 2/0 Aluminum Changing the example above to 120VAC, keeping other parameters the same gives this result: Result: 3/0 AWG Copper or 250 MCM Aluminum 3. Siemens offers an XLS spreadsheet [this address leaves InspectApedia.com] that can be used to calculate voltage drop as do other
sources, and there are numerous online voltage drop calculators - I like the Southwire calculator given above. Be sure to compare the calculator's result with what the applicable electrical code will permit. Voltage Drop Index - VDI - when to increase wire size for long runs The voltage drop index or VDI is a reference number that is based on the
electrical resistance of a wire and is calculated as VDI = (Amps x Feet of run) / (% Voltage Drop allowed x Voltage) Typical allowable voltage drop is 2% or 4% depending on the application. 3% is a typically-accepted voltage drop target. The calculated VDI for a specific circuit is then compared with VDI's given in wiring charts. The type of electrical
load is important as well as the circuit type (AC vs DC). For typical residential electrical circuits with resistive loads (such as lighting, not motor loads) using a power factor of 1 and assuming a negligible line reactance, above on this page is an example table (see warning and citations throughout this article and at REFERENCES). Wire Ampacity
Ratings - Temperature Ratings Three different ampacity ratings shown for most of the wire types above reflect the wire types and temperature ranges as shown in the tables now given in detail at ELECTRICAL WIRE TYPES CODES USES Reader Comments & Q&A On 2021-09-06 by inspectapedia.com.moderator - @Nestor, Let's start with the wire
size table above on this page where look up the wire size in your question. A No. 4 COPPER wire is rated to carry 70 Amps. Using the on-page search box for InspectApedia and searching for "Convert Amps to Watts" or searching for "Convert Watts to Amps" finds several articles describing how to do that; if we just try the very first article in the list
ELECTRIC MOTOR HORSEPOWER & CIRCUIT WIRE SIZE we find this really simple formula AMPS = Watts / Volts OR Watts = Amps x Volts OR Volts = Watts / Amps So if your #4 copper service wire is 120Volts (as is the case in North America where we are guessing you're located) And if we pretend your wiring is legal so is correctly sized to carry
70 Amps of current, We convert 70 Amps to Watts as follows: AMPS = Watts / Volts 70 = Watts / Volts where we know Volts is 120 using simple algebra we write 70 x120 = Watts or 8,400 = Watts so your No. 4 copper wire can support 70 A of current or 8,400 Watts of electrical power. Please take a look at DEFINITIONS of ELECTRICAL TERMS to
find definitions of each of these terms. And don't hesitate to ask follow-up questions if you need.
How many watts is the capacity of number 4 service wire.? @Anonymous, Thank you so much, Anon- I confused #12 and #14 wire sizes in that note; I have corrected the article.
We've worked hard on this information for decades but your comment proves how valuable it is to have careful readers. If you want to be identified just say so; else our thanks is to "Anonymous" and working together makes us smarter. You may need to clear or refresh your browser cache to see the updated page. We welcome your further photos,
comments, questions. You have a typo. Based on your table "#14 = 0.073- .064 / 1.84-1.63" but you mention "typical diameter of #14 copper wire as 2.05 to 2.32 mm or about 0.081 - 0.092" On 2021-11-27 by Inspectapedia Com Moderator - what wire size for a 100A street light panel? @Bruce, IF the main switch and panel are 100A that tells you the
wire size needed - as you'll find easily in the tables above on this page.
When you set out to buy the SEC cable, you'll see temperature range rating among its data provided stamped right onto the cable jacket. #1 copper would provide 100A BUT you'll need to go to a larger size like 1/0 copper for a longer wire run length - data you've not provided. Measure your wire run length and then check the SEC WIRE SIZE tables
given above. An example of #1 copper and aluminum wire ampacity ratings in the 100A range, showing different temperature ranges and the codes telling you the temperature ranges is given below, courtesy of cerrowire.com - you can see the full chart at CERROWIRE AMPACITY CHART (image file) From your question: I have a street lighting
controller that is rated at 100 Amps Field installed conductors shall be 60 degrees C, or 90 degrees C, sized to 60 degrees C rating for 110 amps or less; and 75 degrees C or 90 degrees C for 125 amps and above." I agree that whoever wrote those instructions lives in a mental fog and was unable to write clear, intelligible, unambiguous instructions. I
THINK what they're trying to say is your wires can have a temperature rating of 60C or 90C your wire can have a temperature rating of 60C if your control panel is 100A or less (yours is 100A) your wire should have a rating of 75C OR 90C if your panel is 125A or higher (this is not your case) The voltage drop for the wire bringing power to your
control panel is figured by the run length of your SEC wire to to the panel Separately, you will want to look at the length of your run from panel to each street light and to size those wires properly as well. You can see that to meet the 60C requirement for a 100A panel you'd start (before increasing wire size for a longer run) that There are NO
Cerrowire copper wire products rated for 60C in the 100A current range - the most you'd find is that #1 NM-B UF-B that can deliver up to 95A - too small Instead You'd have to use #3 - 75C Copper THW THWN SE USE or XHHW wire to get 100A I have a street lighting controller that is rated at 100 Amps and has four 30 amp breakers (one for each
circuit). Each circuit is 240 VAC. I am trying to determine the minimum wire size for electrical service from the streetlighting controller to the power pole. The streetlighting controller has this note: "Field installed conductors shall be 60 degrees C, or 90 degrees C, sized to 60 degrees C rating for 110 amps or less; and 75 degrees C or 90 degrees C
for 125 amps and above." Does this control more than the voltage drop? What size service wire would I need for a 1 phase, 3 wire, 240 volt system and a 100 Amp service? When the pump sees a voltage drop, yes quite possibly you need a larger wire to power your pump, but I can't tell without this key diagnostic data: - what is the circuit ampacity
that powers the pump? - what is the wire size used on that circuit?
- what is the pump's rated current draw (see the motor data tag)? - what is the pump circuit wire length? You give the pump circuit length as 150 ft from the holding tank but that doesn't tell us the total wire length from electrical panel to pump motor. - is the pump circuit a dedicated circuit or are other things powered from the same wire? - is this a
120V or 240V circut? See above on this page: Question: at what circuit length do I need to increase the wire size to allow for voltage drop? (Oct 23, 2015) Anonymous said: What size wire should run from my meter to the main fuse box and does distance affect this? Apr 28, 2015) Grant said: What is the maximum distance for 10 gage wire, 30 amp
circuit ,Direct burial 10-3 UF ? 1 hp motor (Aug 1, 2015) Anonymous said: what size wire would i have to use to run from a 200 amp 240 v disconnect to a structure that is 1300 feet away to avoid unacceptable voltage drop? prefer to use aluminum. 2016/02/09 JD said: What size wire do i need to run from a 200 amp pole service to a house 450 feet
away? Reply: crude rule of thumb: up one size for each 100 ft. of run The voltage drop in a wire run has to remain within code limits, that's how we get to larger wire sizes for long runs. There are online voltage drop calculators for which of course you need to plug in wire size, type, length, and the electrical load or current. However many electricians
simply jump up one wire size for each 100 feet of run length. A more engineering approach is cited at the Mike Holt's electrical forum where a reader says as an engineer he calculates the voltage drop (and thus the need for a larger wire size) when the run length of the circuit exceeds voltage rating of the circuit.
If we try this approach, for a 15A copper wire circuit using #14 copper wire in a typical household 120V circuit, if the circuit length exceeds 120 ft. the voltage drop must be calculated (or "considered"). This gives a result close to the first rule of thumb that argued just increase the wire size one step for each 100 ft. of run. For a costly SEC run it
would be smart to have your engineer calculate the actual voltage drop for the actual length and choose the larger wire size accordingly. Voltage drop is not discussed at length in the U.S. NEC, except in Article 647 that addresses "Sensitive Electronic Equipment". There, the U.S. National Electrical Code PP 674.4. Wiring Methods, Paragraph (D)
Voltage Drop states: (D) Voltage Drop. The voltage drop on any branch circuit shall not exceed 1.5 percent. The combined voltage drop of feeder and branch-circuit conductors shall not exceed 2.5 percent.
- 2002 NEC Article 647.4(D) Watch out: "rule of thumb" approaches to electrical wiring may produce unsafe results, particularly where higher voltages or service entry wiring questions are involved. And as we suggest above, using a rule of thumb on SEC wiring may also produce unnecessary costs. In general, voltage drop is a particular concern in
low voltage wiring systems (such as 12V or 24V solar systems) while maximum current carrying capacity is a greater concern in higher voltage systems (such as a 120V residential circuit). ... Continue reading at SE CABLE & WIRE SIZES FOR LONG RUNS or select a topic from the closely-related articles below, or see the complete ARTICLE INDEX.
Or see SE CABLE SIZES vs AMPS FAQs - questions & answers posted originally at the end of this page.
Or see these Recommended Articles Suggested citation for this web page SE CABLE & BRANCH CIRCUIT WIRE SIZES vs AMPS at InspectApedia.com - online encyclopedia of building & environmental inspection, testing, diagnosis, repair, & problem prevention advice. Or see this INDEX to RELATED ARTICLES: ARTICLE INDEX to ELECTRICAL
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