What size wire for 60 amps? Full Guide
You should use No. 4 AWG size for a 60 amp wire. This is the best size wire for 60 amps and 50 amps. However, with a 60 amp wire, you can go sometimes use a 6 gauge wire if it is only a short run.
A certified electrician is necessary for handling these types of amperages and wiring.
What Is the Correct 60-Amp Breaker Wire Size?
Use a 4 AWG wire for a 60 amp breaker. Wire gauge is very important. Resistance will trigger the wire to get too hot when the optimum current level for which the breaker is ranked passes through it if you try to use wire that's too small of amperage. If that happens, a fire might be started and you really do not want that to happen. On the other hand, a heavy-gauge wire is tough to deal with, hard to link/connect and have a high cost. Be sure not to use too much of an oversized wire.
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Visit Article CloseWhat is ampacity?
Ampacity is defined as the total amount of current that a cable or wire can carry safely. You can think of ampacity as the maximum amount of current that can flow for a given wire size with temperature and voltage drop at the limits.
What is gauge?
It is very important to understand what gauge means: It is not the size of the conductor (i.e., its physical dimensions). Rather, it reflects only the amount of electrical current that can flow through it safely under certain conditions, conditions such as operating temperature, operating voltage and the type of insulation.
WIRE SIZE AMPACITY CHART
| Gauge | Amperage |
|---|---|
| 14-gauge wire | 15 amps |
| 12-gauge wire | 20 amps |
| 10-gauge wire | 30 amps |
| 8-gauge wire | 40 amps |
| 6-gauge wire | 55 amps |
| 4-gauge wire | 70 amps |
| 3-gauge wire | 85 amps |
| 2-gauge wire | 95 amps |
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60 amp wire size
In order to use 60 amps, a 4 gauge wire is required. But, if you plan on running the wire over a short distances then you can use one of 6 AWG.
We all use appliances and electronics everyday. Here are some of the most common electronics and appliances that we use daily along with their wattage and amperage.
| Domestic Portable Appliance | Amps Used | Watts Used |
|---|---|---|
| Mobile phone charger | <0.5 | <12 |
| Electric blanket | <0.5 | 60 |
| Mini Fridge | <0.5 | 100 |
| Fridge | 0.65 | 150 |
| Laptop | <0.5 | 65 - 100 |
| Freezer | 0.86 | 200 |
| Fridge Freezer | 1.5 | 350 |
| Single oven | 13.0 | 3000 |
| Satellite TV box | <0.5 | 30 |
| Printer | <0.5 | 50 |
| Radiator | 8.5 | 2000 |
| Kettle | 13 | 3000 |
| Desk lamp (with 60 W lamp) | <0.5 | 60 |
| DVD player | <0.5 | 28 |
| Radio | <0.5 | 40 |
| Hair straighteners | <0.5 | 60 - 100 |
| Hair dryer | 10.0 | 2200 |
| Computer monitor | <0.5 | 100 |
| Desktop computer | 3.0 | 700 |
| Wi-Fi router | <0.5 | 10 |
| Television 42" HD | 0.5 | 120 |
| Vacuum cleaner | 9.0 | 2000 |
| Washing machine | 10 | 2200 |
| Toaster | 9.0 | 2000 |
| Game consoles | 0.86 | <200 |
| Tumble dryer | 11.0 | 2500 |
| Iron | 12.5 | 2800 |
| Dishwasher | 10.0 | 2200 |
| Microwave | 4.5 | 1000 |
Copper vs Aluminum Wires
| Table showing the different ratings of different types of wires. | ||
| Rating | Copper conductor | Aluminum conductor |
| 60 amp | #4 AWG | #3 AWG |
| 50 amp | #6 AWG | #4 AWG |
| 40 amp | #8 AWG | #6 AWG |
| 30 amp | #10 AWG | #10 AWG |
| 20 amp | #12 AWG | #12 AWG |
Want to know the wire sizes of other amperages? Visit some of our other pages below.
- Wire size for 100 amps?
- Wire size for 200 amps?
- Wire size for 400 amp service?
- 200 amp panel upgrade cost
- Installing a 50 amp rv outlet
- 30 amp wire size
Using wrong wire size for your breaker.
There are so many different things that can happen when you use the wrong wire size for your breaker. If you use a wire size that is too big for your 60 amp breaker, not much will happen except having to pay a high price for said wire. On the other hand, if you use too much of a small wire for your 60 amp breaker, then there are so many things that can go wrong.
Conclusion
Knowing what gauge wire is right for your next project is crucial. Hopefully you have done the necessary research before taking on any type of DIY or hired a professional. Above i went over all you need to know about using 60 amps.
