Bill Price
Active Member
Except that's not what the ratings are for. AWG 4 is rated for 60Amp PEAK, but only 48Amp CONTINUOUS. AWG 6 is rated for less than that, so using it would not be considered safe per code since the charger would draw 48Amp CONTINUOUS.
I have no idea where your information is coming from, but to be succinct, it is wrong.
- Ampacity is the MAXIMUM current that a conductor can carry CONTINOUSLY under the conditions of use without exceeding its temperature rating. Current is measured in amperes or “amps”. You must use the correct size wire for the current (load) requirement of the circuit to prevent the wire from overheating.
- The number and type of electrical devices connected to a circuit determine the ampacity requirement of the conductor. Usually, a general purpose house circuit is designed for 20 amps. Lighting circuits may be designed for only 15 amps
Copper wire, either THW or THHN is rated at the following capacities @ 75 degrees C........
AWG 6 -------> 65
AWG 4 -------> 85
These are MAXIMUM current capacities that the copper conductor can carry CONTINUOUSLY without exceeding it's temperature rating. As I stated before, AWG 6 is more than adequate for the purpose intended in this post as long as the run is 100 feet or less. The circuit will be carrying 48 amps......the 60 amp circuit breaker is a SAFETY device and will trip if for some unknown reason the current reaches 60 amps, but the conductor is CLEARLY capable of carrying 65 amps CONTINUOUSLY. AWG 4 is NOT needed unless the run is much farther than 100 feet and only needed because of voltage drop, not current carrying capacity. Please don't try to misinform people about something you obviously know very little about.
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