#100 amp sub panel ground wire size install#

If you have the money, copper is your best option. For instance, you can replace 8AWG copper with 6AWG aluminum. You can compensate for copper’s superior conductivity by selecting an aluminum line with a higher gauge. I suggest you use copper wire because it is highly conductive, heat resistant, and malleable.īut aluminum is cheaper and easier to install. Is copper better than aluminum for grounding? In truth, both materials can work if you select the correct gauge. If your appliance can run on 6AWG at 20 feet, you are better off raising the wire size to 4AWG at 50 feet.Įven though ground wires with smaller gauges are less likely to overheat because they only carry electricity on those rare occasions when a surge occurs, these cables can still overheat if they are too thin and they have to cover long distances. This is why projects that require longer conductors use higher gauges. The resistance will essentially consume the current, reducing the amount of power your applications and appliances will receive. Longer wires have more resistance than shorter wires. However, the distance will influence the conductor’s ability to carry those 95 amps safely.

For instance, 4AWG will carry 95 amps regardless of whether it covers 50 or 100 feet. Technically speaking, the distance cannot change a wire’s amp rating. Things To Consider To Choose Perfect Ground Wire Size For 100-Amp Service 1). The ground wire can be smaller or bigger than the neutral and hot wires. But what if you prefer 3AWG or 2AWG? What if you’ve decided to apply the same gauge to the hot, neutral, and ground wiring? That is perfectly acceptable. This is why you can also use 8AWG and 6AWG. As such, even if the current exceeds the capacity of the ground wire, it won’t transmit that current long enough to overheat. Most people go an entire year without recording a surge.īut even if a surge occurs, ground wires carry electricity for a fraction of a moment before the breaker trips. First of all, it only carries electricity when a surge occurs. You can make the ground wire smaller without endangering your home. Surprisingly, the ground wire’s size doesn’t have to mimic the gauge of the neutral and hot wires. Although, 4AWG wire is also adequate if the distance between the panel and load is less than 50 feet.ĭoes that mean every home with a 100 amp service requires a 4 – 2AWG ground wire? Not necessarily. In other words, you wouldn’t be wrong in assigning 3 and 2AWG lines to a 100 amp service. The neutral wire takes that same power back, and the ground line will lead any excess current to the earth in the event of a surge.ģ and 2-gauge wiring can withstand 100 or more amps. After all, the hot wire carries the power from the panel. Hot/Neutral VS GroundĬommon sense will tell you that the hot, neutral, and ground conductors should be the same size. And the distance influences the wire size. This matters because the location of the subpanel affects the distance the wires have to cover. They can also extend your home or commercial building’s electrical service to a structure in the vicinity. People use subpanels to accommodate new circuits.

#100 amp sub panel ground wire size install#

If someone wants you to install a grounding wire for their 100 amp service, it is probably a sub-panel. While 100A can work, don’t be surprised if you occasionally overload your system. However, 200A is sufficient for your basic needs. Larger houses may prioritize 250-amp services.

200A is the standard, especially for conventional homes with kitchen and laundry appliances, not to mention heating and cooling units. Subpanelįirst of all, you rarely see 100-amp services in residential settings. If you’re a layperson, you will take several considerations into account before answering this question, including: 1). The size of ground wire for 100 amp service is 8AWG or 6AWG. But what is the correct ground wire size for a 100 amp service? This guide will tell you.

You can’t trust these cables to protect you unless you secure the right size. Ground wires are indispensable because they provide an alternative path for excess current during an emergency.