ga wire to use
#1
04-11-03, 10:35 AM
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: NEW YORK - PUTNAM COUNTY
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ga wire to use
I am looking at running outdoor cable to power a few lamp posts.
The total run is 330' to the street. I will probably have 3 or 4 Park Style lamp posts. With a single lamp fixture. I also will have outlets at each point to power hedge trimmers etc...
Due to the length of the run what ga. wire should I run.
The total run is 330' to the street. I will probably have 3 or 4 Park Style lamp posts. With a single lamp fixture. I also will have outlets at each point to power hedge trimmers etc...
Due to the length of the run what ga. wire should I run.
#3
04-11-03, 11:23 AM
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Location: Connecticut USA
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a #4 AWG copper to the furthest receptacle outlet will get you 17 amps @ 120 volts, #6 will only get ya 11 
Don't forget to take into consideration any long lengths of extension cord you might want to use with said tools.
Don't forget to take into consideration any long lengths of extension cord you might want to use with said tools.
#4
04-11-03, 12:03 PM
A 20 amp draw on #4 copper for 330' will give you 3.3% oltage drop. Boltedfault, I assume by your numbers you were trying to keep voltage drop to 3% or less which is fine.
I would recomnd that you run #2 aluminum which will give you a 3% voltage drop at 20 amps to the farthest outlet. The other reason to use aluminum is it increases your wiring options.
In your case figuring out the wire size in the easy part. How are you going to get the wire out there, and how will you connect to it in the hard part. You want to use a direct burry cable because the conduit costs will be as much, if not more than the wire. UF, USE, or a service entrance cable like SEU can all be directly burryied (there might be others as well). You'll have to bring the wire up in to the lamp base (which isn't going to be easy with #4 or #2 wire. You need to splitbolt some #12 onto it, and go from there. If you use aluminum wire make sure you get the correct splitbolts ans some NOALOX.
I would recomnd that you run #2 aluminum which will give you a 3% voltage drop at 20 amps to the farthest outlet. The other reason to use aluminum is it increases your wiring options.
In your case figuring out the wire size in the easy part. How are you going to get the wire out there, and how will you connect to it in the hard part. You want to use a direct burry cable because the conduit costs will be as much, if not more than the wire. UF, USE, or a service entrance cable like SEU can all be directly burryied (there might be others as well). You'll have to bring the wire up in to the lamp base (which isn't going to be easy with #4 or #2 wire. You need to splitbolt some #12 onto it, and go from there. If you use aluminum wire make sure you get the correct splitbolts ans some NOALOX.
