COPPER WIRE AMPACITY TABLE TUTORIALS AND LINKS

Copper Wire Condcutors

Copper is one of the best conductors for electricity. It is used in almost all facet of electrical engineering. Copper wires can be used in or as:

1. Control and protection wires 

2. Building wiring

3. Grounding conductors

4. Distribution conductors

5. Transmission conductors

6. Magnetic wires

Copper wires come in various sizes and could be insulated or bare. Consequently, they also have different ampacities. These article is a collection of copper wire ampacities.

Ampacities of Copper Wire

Alowable Ampacities of Insulated Conductors Rated 0 through 2000 Volts, 60°C through 90° C (140° F through 194°F) Not more than Three Current-Carrying Conductors in Raceway, Cable, or Earth (Directly Buried), Based on Ambient Temperature of 30° C (86° F). This Data is based on NEC Table 310-16. Click here for the table...

Allowable Ampacities of Insulated Conductors

The following table is provided for your convenience.  We believe that the data presented is reliable, however we make no claim as to the accuracy of the information. Applicable To Conductors:

Rated 0 Through 2000 Volts

60°C Through 90°C (140°F Through 194°F)

Not More Than Three Current-Carrying Conductors in

Raceway, Cable, or Earth (Directly Buried)

Ambient Temperature of 30°C (86°F) Click here for the table...

Copper Wire Ampacity Charts

Amperage is a measure of the electrical current flowing through a circuit. Current is measured in amperes or "amps". You must use the correct size wire for the amperage requirement of the circuit to prevent the wire from over heating.  To calculate the amperage for a circuit, first add up the wattage of all the electrical devices that will be on the circuit. Then, divide the total wattage by the voltage of the system, 110 or 220, and that will give you the expected current or amps. Click here for the table...

National Electrical Code Allowable Conductor Ampacity (Table 310-16) 
Allowable Ampacities of Insulated Conductors, Rated 0-2000 Volts, 60° to 90°C (140° to 194°F)

NOT MORE THAN THREE CONDUCTORS in Raceway or Cable or Earth, (Directly Buried), Based on Ambient Temperature of 30°C (86°F) Click here for the table...

Wiring Conductor Ampacity to Temperature Rating

Conductors with 90°C rated insulation can be used on circuit breakers rated for 60°C or 75°C wiring only if their size is based on the ampacity of the lower temperature-rated wire (reference Table 2). If the 90°C wire size were to be selected based on the ampacity allowed in the 90°C column of Table 2, the smaller resulting wire size would generate additional heat at the circuit breaker terminals and possibly cause nuisance tripping. Click here for the table...

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