Shop wiring...240v...what gauge?...

Will Carter

Will Carter

Well-Known Member
Joined
Mar 23, 2005
Location
Burlington
I need to wire up two machines that'll each pull 60 amps max at 240v, single phase, they need to be on at the same time...

What gauge will support 60 amps?

What gauge will support 120 amps?
Am I thinking correctly that I could run one wire that'll support 120 amps and put the 60 amp breakers at the end of the strand, then to the machines?

All my google searches are pulling up car stuff and charts I don't understand...
 
Lowes has a board at the wire section that tells ya what size wire for what size amps.

You'll be cheaper to run two seperate 60 amp services versus one 120 amp service
 
What are you wiring that will take 60 amps each?

I have my welder and compressor in my building, that run at the same time, sometimes, and I only have a 50 amp main breaker. It's never popped. The building is supplied with 6/2 gage, with a ground.
Remember if it has to draw a max of 60 amps, then each wire needs to be able to handle 30 amps each.
Rule of thumb I use. If your need is 60 amps, then the 60 amps should be 80% of your ability. that way you are safe from over working it.
SkyhiK5 can answer this best, it's his busines......Ron???
 
On Cue...
Ok, to do it PER code if I am understanding your intentions correctly you will need 2 60A circuits.

(You dont want a single 120A circuit. #1 cost will kill you and #2 you will not have OC protection for your equipment.)

For example, a 60A breaker will cost you ~$20...a 120 triple that or more. And the wire....shudder....

Your wire must be sized as big or bigger than the breaker feeding it, this is code and practical. You dont want the wire to burn up before a breaker trips.

I cant tell you what gauge wire to run without knowing the length of the run...

Give me a little more details and I'll lay it out for you....
 
I'm wiring in spray-on bedliner equipment...big compressor, 4 sets of big fluid heaters...


I'll give all the info I know...maybe some of you will come up with a easier/ better solution than I've thought of...


All 240v here...The main building feed comes into a box with a 200 amp breaker...in that box it splits to a 100 amp breaker and an open spot for another breaker...from the 100 amp breaker there's 40 feet of wire (don't know exactly...maybe 4 gauge?...3 strands...) to the box in my bay. That box is divided up into 2 30 amps (compressor and welder) and a 20 amp (lift)...

I need to get my two 60 amp circuits from the box in my bay about 40 feet of wire away...

I'm saying 60 amps because that's what the compressor motor says...it currently has 50 amp fuses supplying it and they've never popped...

The heating machine...also says 60 amps on the diagram...however, is currently hooked into a 30 amp that has never tripped...don't ask...I didn't wire it up in it's current state...??



EDIT: Ah...appears as though I have the incorrect diagram taped to the inside panel of my machine...finally found the right PDF on the manufacture's website...looks like it's calling for single phase, 240v, 37 amps max when using 315' of heated hose...I only have 50' of heated hose though...looks like the existing 30 amp will take care of that...that makes things easier...

Thanks for the help.
 
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