Max amp for wire

Toyboy · Nov 6, 2011

Can any of you master electricians tell me how many amps 6 AWG TW 600v UC Pump cable SX-PA can carry. I'm having a 20kw gen set installed and wanted to use this wire since I have 50 feet of it. The electrician tells me I can't, because it's 50 amp wire and he's installing a 100 amp service and has to use a different wire. Is this a true statement?

WayneB · Nov 6, 2011

Your electrician is telling you the truth. I think, not sure, that you would have to use a 2awg wire or even a 1 awg wire to handle the 100 amp service.

This might help?

Wire-Gauge Ampacity - Transwiki

LD1 · Nov 6, 2011

If you have to buy wire for that 100A service, look into aluminum. It requires a heavier guage, but is substantially cheaper than copper.

I think it is 2-2-4 URD for 100amp service and 4/0-4/0-2/0 for 200 amp

The 100amp stuff is pretty cheap. ~$1.40-$1.50/ft

grsthegreat · Nov 6, 2011

#6 copper good for 50 amps. hes correct. 20 kw = 83.3 amps. rate wire for 90 amps . 2/2/2/4 SER aluminum is good for use on this. thats what i use. Its about $2.5/foot as i recall. They also make it in a metal clad wire called MC thats great if the wire is going to be left exposed or can get damaged. Aboput $3.50 ish per foot.