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Ejm
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# Posted: 10 Jul 2019 09:03am
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Good Morning,
Need some help picking the correct wire. I am upgrading my generator and have to run a new line. My line will be 75 feet long and the watts are 8000. The line will run from 220 connection from my generator to the inside of my cabin electrical box like a regular home. What gauge would work best to avoid wattage drops.
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Nobadays
Member
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# Posted: 10 Jul 2019 09:21am
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Try this calculator... http://www.paigewire.com/pumpWireCalc.aspx?AspxAutoDetectCookieSupport=1
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Ejm
Member
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# Posted: 10 Jul 2019 09:31am
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Thank you... I am still not 100% sure after using the calculator if anyone could help it would be appreciated. I am thinking 6 gauge wire at 75 feet 3 wire with ground. 2 hot for the 220
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Brettny
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# Posted: 10 Jul 2019 11:58am
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Your best option is mhf rated for direct burrial. Its cheap. There are better forums to ask this question on.
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ICC
Member
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# Posted: 10 Jul 2019 04:54pm - Edited by: ICC
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8000 watts max at 240 VAC is (8000 / 240 =) 33 amps.
My calc shows that for a maximum of 3% voltage drop 33 amps, 75 feet, copper wire, 240 volts you can use 8 AWG copper or 6 AWG aluminum. If you never actually use the max capacity of the generator you could even use 10 AWG copper. Note that 3% drop is the maximum allowed under NEC rules, for a main line.
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cspot
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# Posted: 10 Jul 2019 06:14pm
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Just a thought here. I would check out prices on the various cable sizes and maybe upsize if the cost wasn't too much. Who knows in 10 years you may want to increase the size of the Generator?
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Steve_S
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# Posted: 10 Jul 2019 07:38pm
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I would suggest #6/3 AWG Copper, you can get direct burial but it is of course more expensive.
REF @ Homedepot USA
https://www.homedepot.com/b/Electrical-Wire/6/3/N-5yc1vZbm7vZ1z0rqhbZ1z10myq?catStyle =ShowProducts
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ICC
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# Posted: 10 Jul 2019 10:31pm - Edited by: ICC
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Conduit, even PVC, is considered a wet location. Code does not allow the above mentioned 6/3 or any other romex type cable to be run in conduit. Read the labels, the data sheets. It may not seem to make sense because we glue all the joints, but that is how it is.
If one wants to run conduit, purchase THWN wire. It is available as single conductor, solid or stranded usually in white, black, red, green and bare. Much of the THHN sold is also rated THWN. The W denotes wet. Double check before purchase.
Even though the insulated wires in romex may very well be THHN/THWN the ground wire is bare and that is what rules out the romex for conduit use; the ground must be insulated in conduit. As well the extra romex jacket makes the romex run warmer in a conduit so it would need derating.
But direct burial is simplest. But do it right and go at leat 18" deep and mark with red marker tape 12" above the cable.
Conduit is handy if you think you may want to run some other wires someday. Use a large enough conduit- there are limits to the number allowed. Then run a pull cord in there and leave it with the wires.
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Brettny
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# Posted: 11 Jul 2019 06:51am
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Dont bother with conduit as long as your not going to run it across your driveway.
Home depot in my area costs more and dosnt have the wire selection that local electrical supply houses have.
#4 triplex rated for direct burrial and overkill for your needs is aluminum and $1 a foot. Copper will be alot more but HD may have that.
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Ejm
Member
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# Posted: 11 Jul 2019 09:28am
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Thank you everyone, great site for helpful info!
It looks like I am going to go overkill, its expensive, but as Cspot mentioned you never know if I will need more power down the road. Rather spend a little more now then have to spend a lot more latter if I decide to upgrade.
Here is what I will be using: 6/3 UF (Underground Feeder - Direct Earth Burial) Cable
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mj1angier
Member
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# Posted: 11 Jul 2019 09:38am
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Quoting: Ejm It looks like I am going to go overkill, its expensive, but as Cspot mentioned you never know if I will need more power down the road.
Buy once, cry once (well I always hope)
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Brettny
Member
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# Posted: 11 Jul 2019 01:42pm
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I guess if money is not in the factor.
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cspot
Member
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# Posted: 11 Jul 2019 05:25pm
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Quoting: ICC Conduit is handy if you think you may want to run some other wires someday. Use a large enough conduit- there are limits to the number allowed. Then run a pull cord in there and leave it with the wires.
You can also drop another conduit in as well.
If you are renting a machine to run the conduit also think about any other lines that you may want to run in the future. Like maybe you are thinking about running water to an outbuilding. You can trench and put the line in now with caps on the end for future use.
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Steve_S
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# Posted: 12 Jul 2019 10:30am
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When I built the Power / Pump House I put it 50' from my cabin, so I dug a trench 10' deep to the cabin and ran 2, 4" sealed corrugated pipes to allow me to run water, wires etc. Twas a wise move and it's paid off for thinking ahead. The power cables #6/3 & #8/3 are both NMWU so no problem pulling them in there.
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Ejm
Member
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# Posted: 12 Jul 2019 01:18pm
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That's a good idea... I was going to remove the wire, but you just never know what the future holds.
Thank you for the replies!
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