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#6 Cooper wire
- Thread starter edulinka
- Start date
Solarman004
Member
The answer is yes but it depends on the type of wire and insulation.
Individual wires labeled THWH are rated for continuous current of 65 amps, and THHN wire rated to 75 amps. As mentioned earlier, both of these options would be safe but must be run through conduit.
The NM-B wire mentioned above is commonly referred to as Romex, which is a brand name. This has 3 or 4 wires wrapped in a single sleeve, and is the typical wire found in your house. This will NOT work on a 60 amp circuit because #6 copper NM-B is only rated to 55 amps.
The wire has to meet the breaker rating even though electrical code limits the max continuous current to 80% of the breaker rating. So for your 60 amp circuit you must set the wall unit to 48 amps or less (earlier generation wall units could go up to 72 amps).
Individual wires labeled THWH are rated for continuous current of 65 amps, and THHN wire rated to 75 amps. As mentioned earlier, both of these options would be safe but must be run through conduit.
The NM-B wire mentioned above is commonly referred to as Romex, which is a brand name. This has 3 or 4 wires wrapped in a single sleeve, and is the typical wire found in your house. This will NOT work on a 60 amp circuit because #6 copper NM-B is only rated to 55 amps.
The wire has to meet the breaker rating even though electrical code limits the max continuous current to 80% of the breaker rating. So for your 60 amp circuit you must set the wall unit to 48 amps or less (earlier generation wall units could go up to 72 amps).
There is not just one answer to this question, because it depends on the type of wire and the type of installation you are planning.
If it is all individual wires inside conduits, then yes, #6 is OK.
If it is using the multiple wires that are bundled together in that black plastic sheath to run inside walls or above ceilings, that is called Romex, and it has a different amp rating, and #6 is not allowed for a 60A circuit. You would either need to use thicker gauge, or do a 50A circuit with that.
Conduit: pipe, like plastic or metal pipe that wires go through. Since you don't know what conduit is, I am getting a really strong feeling you'd better not be trying to do-it-yourself this. You need to hire an electrician.
But what installation method? The specific question is whether this #6 THING is wires in a conduit, or if it's Romex.
rhumbliner
Member
Years ago I read an online guide for recovering space on a hard drive. I think the forewarning they issued is applicable here:
”Please do not attempt this if you don’t know what you’re doing. And if you’re reading this, you don’t know what you’re doing.”
”Please do not attempt this if you don’t know what you’re doing. And if you’re reading this, you don’t know what you’re doing.”
I don't do by myself. I am just trying to get right estimate because different electrician saying different things.
I just trying to get it right. Electrician will do it with permit and inspection from town. By getting estimates and almost all electricians telling different things that needs to be done.
Well, we have answered this very simply. If it is wire in conduit, then 6 gauge is fine for a 60A circuit. If it's Romex cable, then it's not. That is the direct answer to the question you asked. Since you are getting different bids from different electricians to do different things, then we don't know what they will be using to do this job.
If you have ask a question like that , it just proves you are NOT qualified to perform electrical work safely! Electrical work is NOT a hobby, Electrical work is a licensed profession!
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