I need some help with choosing the right gauge wire, I am adding a subpanel that will be 85 feet away from the main(200a) in my garage with a basic 125 panel and the most I would use now would be 75 amps at once and all I can find are 60 or 100 amp breakers, so I want to go with the 100 incase I ever need it in the future. So the question is will 2ga x3 and one 4ga be enough? and also for determaning the gauge I saw in a chart that ambiant temp also effect it and in my attic in az is about 160f.
thanks
justin

Greetings,

If you use a 100 amp breaker you should use wire as if you had a 100
amp load at the other end even if you expect to only use 75 amps "for
now". 2 AWG Al will NOT be enough for 100A with an 85 ft run at 160f
without having to worry about voltage drop. 2 AWG Cu would be.

Hope this helps,
William

" wrote in message
oups.com...
Greetings,

If you use a 100 amp breaker you should use wire as if you had a 100
amp load at the other end even if you expect to only use 75 amps "for
now". 2 AWG Al will NOT be enough for 100A with an 85 ft run at 160f
without having to worry about voltage drop. 2 AWG Cu would be.

Just wondering... for 60 amp service at 80feet, what guage wire should be
used? I assume that to feed 60amps to my garage so I could use 220volts I'd
really be supplying two 30 amp circuits (and would an Edison circuit work)?

"Noozer" wrote in message
news:860Fe.34041$%K2.9279@pd7tw1no...

" wrote in message
oups.com...
Greetings,

If you use a 100 amp breaker you should use wire as if you had a 100
amp load at the other end even if you expect to only use 75 amps "for
now". 2 AWG Al will NOT be enough for 100A with an 85 ft run at 160f
without having to worry about voltage drop. 2 AWG Cu would be.

Just wondering... for 60 amp service at 80feet, what guage wire should be
used? I assume that to feed 60amps to my garage so I could use 220volts
I'd
really be supplying two 30 amp circuits (and would an Edison circuit
work)?

You need two 30a 120v circuits? For what?
That would be a 30a service; and sure, an Edison circuit would be fine.
There is no functional difference between that and a 240v circuit.

Maybe if you shared what you wanted to do, people could give you better
advice.

Noozer wrote:

" wrote in message
oups.com...

Greetings,

If you use a 100 amp breaker you should use wire as if you had a 100
amp load at the other end even if you expect to only use 75 amps "for
now". 2 AWG Al will NOT be enough for 100A with an 85 ft run at 160f
without having to worry about voltage drop. 2 AWG Cu would be.



Just wondering... for 60 amp service at 80feet, what guage wire should
be used? I assume that to feed 60amps to my garage so I could use
220volts I'd really be supplying two 30 amp circuits (and would an
Edison circuit work)?


If you only need sixty amps at 120 volts then a thirty ampere 240/120
volt feeder will supply it if the load is completely balanced. If you
need sixty amperes at 240 volts you will have to run a 240 volt sixty
ampere feeder.
--
Tom Horne

"This alternating current stuff is just a fad. It is much too dangerous
for general use." Thomas Alva Edison

"toller" wrote in message
...

"Noozer" wrote in message
news:860Fe.34041$%K2.9279@pd7tw1no...

" wrote in message
oups.com...
Greetings,

If you use a 100 amp breaker you should use wire as if you had a 100
amp load at the other end even if you expect to only use 75 amps "for
now". 2 AWG Al will NOT be enough for 100A with an 85 ft run at 160f
without having to worry about voltage drop. 2 AWG Cu would be.

Just wondering... for 60 amp service at 80feet, what guage wire should
be
used? I assume that to feed 60amps to my garage so I could use 220volts
I'd
really be supplying two 30 amp circuits (and would an Edison circuit
work)?

You need two 30a 120v circuits? For what?
That would be a 30a service; and sure, an Edison circuit would be fine.
There is no functional difference between that and a 240v circuit.

Maybe if you shared what you wanted to do, people could give you better
advice.

I want to put a small, one man shop into my garage... Drill press, table
saw, small welder, etc. and I haven't run the power out to the garage yet. I
figure that 60amps is more than sufficient for my needs. Just trying to
figure out what is best.

I doubt that the Edison circuit would get me much, but it could cut down the
gauge of wire needed.

Just wondering... for 60 amp service at 80feet, what guage wire should
be used? I assume that to feed 60amps to my garage so I could use
220volts I'd really be supplying two 30 amp circuits (and would an
Edison circuit work)?


If you only need sixty amps at 120 volts then a thirty ampere 240/120
volt feeder will supply it if the load is completely balanced. If you
need sixty amperes at 240 volts you will have to run a 240 volt sixty
ampere feeder.

I want to put a small, one man shop into my garage... Drill press, table
saw, small welder, etc. and I haven't run the power out to the garage yet. I
figure that 60amps is more than sufficient for my needs. Just trying to
figure out what is best.

I doubt that the Edison circuit would get me much, but it could cut down the
gauge of wire needed, and would provide a 240v, 30amp circuit should I ever
need one.