Aluminum Wire Sizing & Ampacity Chart [From 4/0 to 12 AWG] (2024)

Do you rack your brain finding out the 4/0 aluminum wire ampacity?

The ampacity chart is the standard method to find out how many amps aluminum wires can tolerate. The following aluminum wire ampacity table lists the ampacities (number of amps a wire can support) for the cable at three different temperatures: 60°C (140°F), 75°C (167°F), and 90°C (194°F).

Additionally, you can discover the maximum permitted amps on different types of aluminum wires at an average ambient temperature of 75°C, which satisfies the 80% NEC requirement.

Aluminum Wire Ampacity Chart Based On Sizing

Aluminum AWG wire sizeAmpacity at 140 degrees Fahrenheit (60 degrees Celsius)Ampacity at 167 degrees Fahrenheit (75 degrees Celsius)Ampacity at 194 degrees Fahrenheit (90 degrees Celsius)Maximum allowable amps (75 degrees Celsius)
0000 (4/0) AWG150 Amps180 Amps205 Amps144 Amps
000 (3/0) AWG130 Amps155 Amps175 Amps124 Amps
00 (2/0) AWG115 Amps135 Amps150 Amps108 Amps
0 (1/0) AWG100 Amps120 Amps135 Amps96 Amps
1 AWG85 Amps100 Amps115 Amps80 Amps
2 AWG75 Amps90 Amps100 Amps72 Amps
3 AWG65 Amps75 Amps85 Amps60 Amps
4 AWG55 Amps65 Amps75 Amps52 Amps
6 AWG40 Amps50 Amps60 Amps40 Amps
8 AWG30 Amps40 Amps45 Amps32 Amps
10 AWG25 Amps30 Amps35 Amps24 Amps
12 AWG20 Amps20 Amps25 Amps16 Amps

How To Read Aluminum Wire Amp Rating Chart

The table contains the following:

The AWG sizes for aluminum electrical wires are shown in the first chart, ranging from 4/0 to 12 AWG. These are regarded as smaller wires since they have a 180A median ampacity.

Aluminum kcmil wires are available in the following gauges: 250, 300, 350, 400, 500, 600, 700, 800, 900, 1000, 1250, 1500, 1750, and 2000 kcmil. These wires are identical to MCM aluminum wires. The larger size and thicker ones have capacities of up to 560A.

It’s not difficult to interpret this ampacity chart for aluminum wires. Locate the AWG wire you are interested in and look at the ampacity. In the last column, you will also get the maximum that an AWG aluminum wire can conduct at a median temperature of 75°C.

Frequently Asked Questions

How Many Amps Is Aluminum Wire Good For?

There is no precise answer to this question. The ampacity of your aluminum wire should depend on the type of wire and your working purposes.

What Is #2 Aluminum Wire Rated For?

On average, the aluminum wire in the 2 AWG gauge has an ampacity of 90A at an ambient air temperature of 75°C (167°F).

How Many Amps Will 3 0 Aluminum Wire Carry?

If you check at the 75°C rated ampacity, 3 gauge copper wire is the wire size requirement for 100 amps. The wire diameter, measured in mm, is 5.827 mm, which enables an electric current of this ampacity to flow through it.

What Is Aluminum Wire Rated For 60 Amps?

The maximum conductor size allowed by code for 60 amps of electricity is 4 or 6 AWG copper.

AWG means American Wire Gauge, and the normal wire size in the US is 6 AWG or 4 AWG for 220V electricity. For 60 amps at 220V, an amateur will utilize wire size 6 AWG. Meanwhile, a professional engineer or electrician will always utilize a 4 AWG wire size for that case.

What Size Wire Do I Need To Run 60 Amps 100 Feet?

As a rule of thumb, a 60-amp cable with 100 ft length will experience a 20% voltage drop. To connect a 60A breaker at more than 100 ft, a 3 AWG wire may be substituted for a 4 AWG wire.

How Many Amps Will A 2 0 Aluminum Wire Carry?

First, make sure you distinguish 2 0 and #2 aluminum wires clearly. The thickness is what distinguishes #2 AWG wire from 2 0 wire. The latter one will be thicker than a wire designated #2 AWG.

Additionally, lower AWG wires often have larger amps, the fundamental unit of an electrical current. For instance, a 2 0 copper wire can carry up to 200 amps, whereas a 2 AWG copper wire can carry 125 amps.

A 2 0 aluminum wire carries 150 amps at 90 degrees Celsius. Therefore, 2 metal wires are ideal for your 100 amp sub panel to prevent issues like short circuits that might result in electrical harm to your components.

Conclusion

The aluminum wire amp rating and size chart should not cause you any reading difficulty. Check the above table to choose the correct size wire and know more about it.

See more:

  • 10 gauge wire amp rating
  • 12 gauge wire amp rating
  • 14 gauge wire amp rating
  • 18 gauge wire amp rating
Aluminum Wire Sizing & Ampacity Chart [From 4/0 to 12 AWG] (2024)

FAQs

How many amps can 4 gauge aluminum wire handle? ›

4 AWG aluminum wire amp rating of RHW, THHW, THWN, and USE at 75 °C is 65 Amps. 4 AWG amp rating of aluminum RHW-2, THHW, THWN-2, USE-2 at 90°C is 75 Amps.

What is the ampacity of 12 AWG aluminum wire? ›

Here is the breakdown: 12 AWG Aluminum with 60°C insulation (like TW, UF): 15 Amps. 12 AWG Aluminum with 75°C insulation (like RHW, THHW, THWN): 20 Amps. 12 AWG Aluminum with 90°C insulation (like THHN, XHHW): 25 Amps.

Can you use 4 0 aluminum wire for 200 amp service? ›

You need a minimum of 2/0 copper or 4/0 aluminum wire size for a 200 Amp panel that can safely carry 200 Amps of current. Most electricians will opt for a 3/0 copper or 250 kcmil aluminum wire.

Can 4 AWG handle 100 amps? ›

Most panels require #2 AWG wire for 100-amp service. You'll need to use #4 AWG wire if the distance between the utility and breaker panel is less than 50 feet.

What aluminum wire is good for 100 amps? ›

Typical sizes of wires for 100 Amp Service are 4 AWG or 2 AWG for copper wiring and 2 AWG, 1 AWG, or 1/0 AWG for aluminum or copper-clad wiring. These sizes are also used for direct burial. When choosing 100 amp service wire size, remember that a 100 amp circuit at 240V can proceed up to 24,000W of electricity.

How many amps will 12 AWG wire carry? ›

20 AMPS

What gauge aluminum wire for 200 amps? ›

What Wire Size Works Best for 200-Amp Service? If you plan to install or upgrade a 200-amp electrical service panel, you can choose between copper or aluminum/copper-clad wires and conductors. The National Electrical Code (NEC) requires a minimum of 2/0 AWG for copper wire or 4/0 AWG for aluminum or copper-clad wire.

What aluminum wire is rated for 60 amps? ›

The optimal wire sizes for a 60 Amp circuit breaker are 4 AWG copper or 3 AWG aluminum.

Will 4 0 aluminum wire fit in a 100 amp breaker? ›

OK, A 100 amp breaker requires either 2 AWG copper or 1/0 AWG aluminum. Since your run is lengthy, you needed to upsize the feeder circuit in order to compensate for the voltage drop. You can purchase a multi-tap connector to make the connections. Run the 4/0 AWG aluminum feeder into the panel.

What size conduit for 4/0 aluminum wire? ›

The size of Schedule 80 PVC conduit for 4/0-4/0-2/0 aluminum cable is typically 4 inches in diameter. This size conduit provides sufficient space for the three aluminum conductors (4/0-4/0-2/0) to fit comfortably inside and also allows for proper bending and handling of the cable.

What is the smallest wire for 200 amp service? ›

When installing a 200 Amp service, you will need at least 3/0 AWG copper wire or 4/0 AWG aluminum or aluminum copper-clad wire.

What size aluminum wire for 200 amp service? ›

What Wire Size Works Best for 200-Amp Service? If you plan to install or upgrade a 200-amp electrical service panel, you can choose between copper or aluminum/copper-clad wires and conductors. The National Electrical Code (NEC) requires a minimum of 2/0 AWG for copper wire or 4/0 AWG for aluminum or copper-clad wire.

What size aluminum wire for 40 amp service? ›

The minimal wire gauges for a 40 Amp circuit breaker are 8 AWG copper or 6 AWG aluminum. This is based on the allowable ampacity of these particular cable sizes: the ampacity of the 8 AWG copper wire is 50 amps at 75°C, and the ampacity of the 6 AWG aluminum wire is 50 amps at 75°C.

What size aluminum wire do I need for a 50 amp circuit? ›

Based on allowable ampacities of the aluminum and copper wires, you should use 6 AWG copper wires and 4 AWG aluminum wires in the 50 Amp circuit breaker. These are the recommendations for cables that run for 100 feet or less, the most common distance for cables powering the 50 Amp circuit breaker.

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