electrician2.com Wire Size calculator

NEC Table 310.15(B)(16) Ungrounded Conductor Size, OCPD, Voltage Drop, and Equipment Grounding Conductor Size Calculator by electrician2.com This calculator applies 2011 NEC Table 310.15(B)(16) and accompanying code sections and notes to find the wire size and minimum and maximum overcurrent protective devices (OCPD) for branch circuits and feeders per Section 240.4(B), and (D) and solves many common design problems. See Note 11 and examples at bottom of page. Written by Gerald C Newton November 2006 updated to 2011 NEC on 04/03/2011: Ampere values updated and ambient temp expanded

Select Material		Ambient Temperature C	Number Current Carrying Conductors in Raceway or Cable or bundled see Note 9
Continuous Load (in Amperes)
NonContinuous Load (in Amperes)		Special Conditions
Select Conductor Insulation Temperature	Select Termination Temperature C.	OCPD and assembly is rated for Continuous Load see Notes 1-5		Circuit is Branch Circuit that supplies multiple receptacles see Note 7
		Yes		Yes
See Note 10	See Note 10	No		No
Note: NM cable shall have a 90 degree C insulation (used for derating) but shall be used at the 60 degree C ampacity (334.80). See Note 12 and example 6.		Circuit is bundled or in raceway 24 inches or less in length		Circuit is Type AC or MC cable that complies with Note 6.
If circuit is 15, 20, 30 40, or 50 amperes branch-circuit supplying two or more outlets or receptacles See Table 210.24.		Yes		Yes
		No		No
CLICK BUTTON FOR OUTPUTS BELOW

Conductor Size	OCPD Minimum Size		OCPD Maximum Size
	Equip Grnding Cond. Size		Equip Grnding Cond. Size
Data
Conductor Derated ampacity	Terminal Ampacity	AC or MC Cable Derating Factor (if applicable)	Ambient Correction Factor		Continuous Load Multiplier
Total Load	Terminal Load (total load)		Conductor Derating Factor for more than three current carrying conductors
Ampacity from Table 310.16	Conductor circular mil area		Total Derating Factor



Voltage Drop for above Conductor
Select voltage and phase, Enter Distance, Then Click Calculate Button (This calculator uses k=12.9 for copper or k=21.2 for aluminum)
Select Voltage and Phase			Enter Distance in feet from supply to load (one way)
Input from above program: (The Load can be changed by using the keyboard)
Material	conductor Size	CMA of conductor	Load	k (circular mil-ohm ft.

			OCPD Minimum Size	OCPD Maximum Size
			Equip Grounding Conductor Size See Note 8.	Equip Grounding Conductor Size See Note 8.

Voltage drop			Voltage at load end of circuit
Per Cent voltage drop


Copyright Notice
Notes: 1. Continuous Load. A load where the maximum current is expected to continue for 3 hours or more. 2. 422.13 Storage-Type Water Heaters. A fixed storage-type water heater that has a capacity of 450 L (120 gal) or less shall be considered a continuous load. 3. 424.3(B) Branch-Circuit Sizing. Fixed electric space heating equipment shall be considered a continuous load. 4. 426.4 Continuous Load. Fixed outdoor electric deicing and snow-melting equipment shall be considered a continuous load. 5. 427.4 Continuous Load. Fixed electric heating equipment for pipelines and vessels shall be considered a continuous load. 6. 310.15(B)(2)(3)(a)Exception No, 5 Circuit is Type AC cable or to Type MC cable without an overall outer jacket under the following conditions:(1) Each cable has not more than three current-carrying conductors. (2) The conductors are 12 AWG copper.(3) Not more than 20 current-carrying conductors are bundled, stacked, or supported on “bridle rings. (Load must be 18.6 amperes or less - ambient multiplier 1.04 x .6 x 30)) 7. 240.4(B) Devices Rated 800 Amperes or Less. The next higher standard overcurrent device rating (above the ampacity of the conductors being protected) shall be permitted to be used, provided all of the following conditions are met: (1) The conductors being protected are not part of a multioutlet branch circuit supplying receptacles for cord and- plug-connected portable loads. Also see Table 210.24 and Section 210.23. 8. Equipment Grounding Conductor for each OCPD device is increased proportionally per 250.122 (A)and (B) when conductor size is increased. 9. Neutral Conductor. (a) A neutral conductor that carries only the unbalanced current from other conductors of the same circuit shall not be required to be counted as a current carrying conductor. (b) In a 3-wire circuit consisting of two phase wires and the neutral of a 4-wire, 3-phase, wye-connected system, a common conductor carries approximately the same current as the line-to-neutral load currents of the other conductors and shall be counted as a current carrying conductor. (c) On a 4-wire, 3-phase wye circuit where the major portion (over 50 per cent) of the load consists of nonlinear loads such as electric discharge lighting and computer loads, harmonic currents are present in the neutral conductor and the neutral shall be considered a current carrying conductor. (d) Each current-carrying conductor of a paralleled set of conductors shall be counted as a current carrying conductor. 10. Termination provisions of equipment for circuits rated 100 amperes or less, or marked for 14 AWG through 1 AWG conductors, shall be used only for one of the following: (1) Conductors rated 60°C (140°F). (2) Conductors with higher temperature ratings, provided the ampacity of such conductors is determined based on the 60°C (140°F) ampacity of the conductor size used. (3) Conductors with higher temperature ratings if the equipment is listed and identified for use with such conductors. (4) For motors marked with design letters B, C, or D, conductors having an insulation rating of 75°C (167°F) or higher shall be permitted to be used, provided the ampacity of such conductors does not exceed the 75°C (167°F) ampacity. Termination provisions of equipment for circuits rated over 100 amperes, or marked for conductors larger than 1 AWG, shall be used only for one of the following: (1) Conductors rated 75°C (167°F) (2) Conductors with higher temperature ratings, provided the ampacity of such conductors does not exceed the 75°C (167°F) ampacity of the conductor size used, or up to their ampacity if the equipment is listed and identified for use with such conductors. Author's Note: In general most terminals are rated for 75 degrees C. Conductors with 90 degree C insulations can be used on these terminals provided they are not used at an ampacity higher than the 75 degree C. ampacity. However, the 90 degree insulation ampacity can be used for derating purposes. For example a No. 12 AWG copper 90 degree C. THHN rated at 30 amperes can be used in a raceway with up to 9 current carrying conductors on a 20 ampere circuit breaker with 75 degree C terminal or 60 degree C terminal since the derated 90 degree C ampacity is 0.7 x 30 = 21 amperes and the 75 degree C ampacity is 25 amperes and the 60 degree C ampacity is also 25 amperes. 75 degree terminals may be stamped AL7CU. This means the terminal is rated for aluminum or copper at 75 degrees C. 11. Small Conductors. This calculator follows the general rule for small conductors as given in NEC Section 240.4(D). This rule states that unless specifically permitted in 240.4(E) that covers tap conductors or 240.4(G), that covers specific circuits such as motor circuits the overcurrent protection shall not exceed 15 amperes for 14 AWG, 20 amperes for 12 AWG, and 30 amperes for 10 AWG copper; or 15 amperes for 12 AWG and 25 amperes for 10 AWG aluminum and copper-clad aluminum after any correction factors for ambient temperature and number of conductors have been applied. 12. The ampacity of Types NM, NMC, andNMS cable shall be determined in accordance with 310.15. The ampacity shall be in accordance with the 60°C (140°F) conductor temperature rating. The 90°C (194°F) rating shall be permitted to be used for ampacity derating purposes, provided the final derated ampacity does not exceed that for a 60°C (140°F) rated conductor. Where more than two NM cables containing two or more current-carrying conductors are bundled together and pass through wood framing that is to be fire- or draftstopped using thermal insulation or sealing foam, the allowable ampacity of each conductor shall be adjusted in accordance with Table 310.15(B)(2)(a). See example 6. 13. 215.2(A)(1) The minimum feeder-circuit conductor size, before the application of any adjustment or correction factors, shall have an allowable ampacity not less than the noncontinuous load plus 125 percent of the continuous load. 210.20(A) (A) Continuous and Noncontinuous Loads. Where a branch circuit supplies continuous loads or any combination of continuous and noncontinuous loads, the rating of the overcurrent device shall not be less than the noncontinuous load plus 125 percent of the continuous load. 215.3 Where a feeder supplies continuous loads or any combination of continuous and noncontinuous loads, the rating of the overcurrent device shall not be less than the noncontinuous load plus 125 percent of the continuous load. See example 5.
Examples Example 1 from NEC Annex D Example D3(a) Continuous Load= 56,600 VA Non Continuous Load = 42,400 VA Supply is 480/277 volt Use XHHW-2 conductors rated at 90 degrees C Use 75 degree C Terminals 8 current carrying conductors in raceway Ambient Temperature is 35 degrees C. Cont load Amperes = 56,600 VA/ (480V * 1.732) = 68.2 amperes Non Cont Load Amperes = 42,400 VA /(480V*1.732) = 51.1 Amperes Answer: 2/0 AWG conductors on a 150 ampere circuit breaker
Example 2 from NEC Handbook Section 220.40 Given: Feeder Circuit with following parameters. 3 phase 4 wire feeder full size Neutral 125 ampere noncontinuous load 200 ampere continuous load 75 Degree C terminal temperature rating Type THHN insulated conductors (THWN was given in the original problem, but was changed to THHN in the solution) Four current carrying copper conductors in a raceway Majority of load is nonlinear Solution : 600 kcmil conductors protected by a 400 ampere overcurrent protective device (OCPD) Example 3 from NEC Handbook Section 210.20(A) Given: Branch Circuit with following parameters. 25 ampere continuous load 60 Degree C terminal temperature rating Type THWN insulated conductors Four current carrying copper conductors in a raceway Majority of load is nonlinear Solution: No. 8 AWG conductors protected by a 35 ampere overcurrent protective device (OCPD) Example 4 from Mike Holt online examples Given: Branch Circuit with following parameters. 53 ampere continuous load 75 Degree C terminal temperature rating Type THHN insulated conductors Four current carrying copper conductors in a raceway Majority of load is nonlinear Solution : No. 4 AWG conductors protected by a 70 ampere overcurrent protective device (OCPD) Example 5 from Mike Holt online Examples Given: Feeder Circuit with following parameters. 3 phase 4 wire feeder full size Neutral 184 ampere continuous load 75 Degree C terminal temperature rating Type THHN insulated conductors Four current carrying copper conductors in a raceway Solution: 250 kcmil conductors protected by a 250 ampere overcurrent protective device (OCPD) Example 6 from McGraw-Hill's NEC Handbook Given: Branch Circuit with following parameters. 100 ampere continuous load 75 Degree C terminal temperature rating Type THHN and THW insulated conductors Four current carrying copper conductors in a raceway Majority of load is nonlinear Solution : No. 1 AWG THHN or No. 1/0 AWG THW conductors protected by a 125 ampere overcurrent protective device (OCPD) In this example the minimum feeder-circuit conductor size, before the application of any adjustment or correction factors, shall have an allowable ampacity not less than the noncontinuous load plus 125 percent of the continuous load. Therefore, we take 125 percent of the load, 100 amperes, to get 125 amperes. We next go to the 90 degree column for THHN and select No. 1 AWG that has an ampacity of 150 amperes. Next we apply the derating factor of 0.8. 0.8 x 150 = 120 amperes. This is sufficient to carry the 100 ampere continuous load per the rule. We next select the next higher OCPD at 125 amperes. If we had selected No. 2 at 130 amperes then multiplied by 0.8 we would get 104 amperes. Then the next higher OCPD would be 110 amperes which is not sufficient. The OCPD must also be sized for the continuous load which in this case requires a OCPD of 125 amperes minimum. Ref: 210.20(A) (A) Continuous and Noncontinuous Loads. Where a branch circuit supplies continuous loads or any combination of continuous and noncontinuous loads, the rating of the overcurrent device shall not be less than the noncontinuous load plus 125 percent of the continuous load. 215.3 Where a feeder supplies continuous loads or any combination of continuous and noncontinuous loads, the rating of the overcurrent device shall not be less than the noncontinuous load plus 125 percent of the continuous load. Example 7 Nonmetallic Cable Given: Branch Circuit with following parameters. 16 ampere continuous load Four each 2-conductor w/ground NM cables in a 36 inch long raceway used for firestopping. Conductors are copper Analysis: Per Section 334.80 The ampacity of Types NM, NMC, and NMS cable shall be determined in accordance with 310.15. The ampacity shall be in accordance with the 60°C conductor temperature rating. The 90°C rating shall be permitted to be used for ampacity derating purposes, provided the final derated ampacity does not exceed that for a 60°C rated conductor. To apply these rules select the conductor as "NM Cable - 90 C" and the terminal temperature as "NM - 60 C." There are 8 current carrying conductors. Solution : No. 12 conductors protected by a 20 ampere overcurrent protective device (OCPD)