What Size Wire For A 200 Amp Service

What Size Wire For 200 Amp Service Undercover?

Choosing the correct wire for 200 amp service is a affair of safety. The wire that you use for 200 amp service depends on the cloth, and you'll need #4/0 wire if it is aluminum. Whether information technology exist copper, copper-clad, or aluminum, permit's take a look at what size wire you demand for 200 amp service.

What Size Wire for 200 Amp Service Underground

If you are running an underground 200 amp service, then yous may be wondering what size wire to apply in your installation. Nosotros're going to respond that question for you, however, keep in mind that you lot may need a permit and that a professional should practise the installation.

For a three″ conduit, a #4/0 AWG aluminum/copper-clad wire or a #2/0 AWG copper wire is needed for a 200 amp electrical service. In most states, this is not a DIY project every bit hiring an electrician and obtaining sure permits is required in order to accept your wire installed co-ordinate to your local electrical codes.

Electrical piece of work can be a daunting job if you do not know all of the requirements, codes, and permit rules. You should start by finding out what codes and permits are needed in your area.

This information is provided as our informed opinion and does not constitute actual advice from a licensed professional.

Wire Size for 200 Amp Service

Inside a iii′′ conduit, a 200 amp electrical service requires #2/0 AWG copper wire or #4/0 AWG aluminum or copper-clad wire.

A 200 amp electrical service is not a do-it-yourself projection. It often necessitates obtaining a let and having a skilled electrician install it according to local electrical codes.

However, you lot can always check with your local authorities to see what exactly is required for your region. The table below shows the size, voltage drop, and length of the wiring:

Service/Feeder Rating (Amperes)	Copper-Clad Aluminum/Aluminum Wire (AWG or kcmil)	Copper Wire (AWG or kcmil)
100	4	ii
110	3	ane
125	2	1/0
150	one	2/0
175	i/0	3/0
200	ii/0	4/0
225	3/0	250
250	4/0	300
300	250	350
400	400	600

Video: What Size Wire for Your Electric Panel

Using Copper Conductors

We suggest using copper conductors if it fits into your budget. Copper is better than aluminum for many reasons. Information technology has been the nigh widely used blazon of wire for 200 years and holds up well over time.

If your domicile has a large load capacity, and then using copper will help make sure that everything that your house runs, will hold up to the 200 amp service you are installing. If y'all are worried about the copper wire turning black, don't be. It is natural for copper wires to become discolored through the procedure of oxidation.

Reasons to Use Copper Wiring

When information technology comes to wiring, copper is favored. Copper wire has a number of advantages, including:

Copper can achieve farther. Copper'due south strong conductive qualities and heat resistance permit it to be used across longer distances.
Copper wire is more than heat resistant than aluminum wire because of its conductive qualities. Because copper wire does non expand and contract like aluminum, the wire connections on lugs stay tight.
Copper is more flexible. Because copper is extremely conductive, the wire strands are thinner, allowing the wire to bend more hands without breaking.
Copper wire is second only to silver in terms of electric conductivity. Copper has a better electric load carrying capacity, needing less insulation and a smaller wire gauge. For the same electrical conductivity, copper wiring is about half the size of aluminum wiring.
Corrosion Resistant. Copper is a corrosion-resistant metal. Patina, a tarnish that forms on copper due to oxidation, has no issue on its conductivity.

Using Aluminum or Copper-Clad Aluminum

Aluminum will work if y'all are on a budget. It is cheaper than copper, but does not deport electricity also, and could be less than ideal if your home has a large load capacity. For this reason, if you lot are using aluminum, we suggest copper-clad aluminum.

It helps the aluminum conduct better and keeps it from corroding as much. You volition spend a picayune bit more, but you lot will be happy that you did.

Aluminum expands and contracts with heat, this can cause the wiring to loosen over time, and could somewhen cause a fire hazard.

Why Use Aluminum or Copper-Clad Aluminum Wire?

For a variety of reasons, aluminum wire is preferred for service entry wire, including:

Faster Installation. Considering aluminum is lightweight and flexible, information technology can be installed more rapidly than copper, saving fourth dimension and money.
Aluminum is lightweight. Despite the wire judge being near twice the size of copper, aluminum is lightweight and relatively flexible, making it easier to work with.
Aluminum wire is preferred since it is less expensive. When compared to copper wire, aluminum wiring is less expensive to manufacture. Copper-clad aluminum wiring is recommended, however, it is more than expensive than aluminum wiring.
It is more suitable for residential settings. Aluminum service wiring is made out of smaller solid aluminum strands rather than a single solid wire, making it suitable for usage in residential settings.

How Many Feet of Wire Are You Running?

You volition also need to consider how many feet of wire you volition be running. This tin can exist a deciding cistron, in whether or non you lot volition utilise copper or aluminum wire.

While both wires are rated to be used with 200 amp service, copper can be used at longer lengths. This is considering it conducts better and does non expand and contract like aluminum.

With long distances, aluminum can interfere with the menses of electricity. In that location are precautions you tin can accept if yous are going with aluminum, such as using copper-clad aluminum and using special copper fittings on the ends of the aluminum wire.

The Altitude the Service Wire is Running

Wire made of aluminum and copper is rated for 200 amps of service. The aluminum approximate, on the other paw, will exist higher due to its lower conductivity and rut resistance. Copper wire can be used over a greater distance.

1 affair yous should consider is how long the service wire will go from the meter to the electric panel when you determine the wire size. The greatest voltage drop is three%. The voltage drib will often determine whether copper or aluminum wire can be used, likewise as the judge required.

Distances may differ depending on where you are:

Service Wire Size	Distance (Approximate) to Maintain 3% Voltage Driblet
Aluminum #4/0 Wire	fifty anxiety
Aluminum 300kcmil	100 feet
Copper #2/0 Wire	50 anxiety
Copper #3/0 Wire	100 anxiety
Copper #four/0 Wire	150 anxiety

How Load Impacts Voltage Driblet

Equally the load on a circuit increases, the voltage drop increases, and overload on a circuit will contribute to excessive voltage drop.

Put simply, if you have too many loads on a circuit and surpass the standard 80 pct safe chapters, y'all will be adding superfluous voltage drop. To avoid this, maintain the total load on the circuit to 80 percent or less of the total chapters.

Sizing Conductors

It is recommended by the National Electric Code (NEC) to use a maximum voltage driblet of 3 percent for individual household circuits, or branch circuits. This number is also a skillful guide for sizing the conductors for an hole-and-corner run.

Check the Codes

The codes tin vary by country, or location, and so always brand sure that you cheque your local codes before having any electrical work done. The codes will permit yous know what AWG wire you should use, for any amount of amps.

While the wire sizes we have provided should be good enough to run your 200 amp service, there may exist extra rules that apply to employ them in your location.

If you are unsure of how to check the codes, or what they mean, make certain that you accept a professional making the concluding decision. This can save you time and money, past avoiding mistakes early on.

Exercise You Need a Permit?

Yous may need a let to install a 200 amp service. The last thing you want to do is go your functioning close down for non using the correct permits. Most large electrical operations, such as a 200 amp service, require a permit.

Y'all will demand a licensed professional to pull your permit. We propose always using a professional person when doing something of this magnitude. Electrical work tin can be unsafe, even if you know a piffling bit about it. An hole-and-corner 200 amp service has a lot of power, parts, and work that must be done properly.

Toll to Install 200 Amp Electrical Service

The toll of installing a 200 amp service volition vary depending on your region and local material costs. The cost will also be decided by the amount of work required. A 200 amp electric service commonly entails the installation of a 200 amp service wire, conduit, meter base of operations, and a 200 amp electrical panel.

According to several electricians that nosotros reached out to for quotes, a complete 200 amp electric installation will toll between $one,600 and $vi,400, with a median cost of effectually $iii,800, and will include the following:

200-amp Service Wire Costs: Between $m and $1500 on average, with a median of $1250.
The boilerplate toll of a 200 amp service panel: Between $500 and $4000, with a typical cost of $2000.
The average price of a 200 amp meter base: Between $100 and $650, with a typical cost of $450.

Tips for Installing a 200 Amp Service Cloak-and-dagger

Hither are a few tips that will help determine what is needed for installing a 200 amp service. These are all-time practices that you should try to follow.

Use a licensed professional. Do not cutting corners when it comes to electrical work of this size, e'er use a professional person. Performing electrical work is incredibly unsafe and should only be washed by a certified adept.
Y'all will need an inspector for a 200 amp service. Since this is a large operation, you will accept to have a permit and an inspector.
Never take chances with safety. Do not perform any of this work if you are not a licensed professional, this guide is meant to teach you but what is involved.
Employ special fixtures with aluminum. If yous are using aluminum wire, consider using special copper fixtures that are pigtailed onto the ends of the aluminum.

As ever, working with electricity requires special circumspection. It is crucial that y'all NEVER endeavour any sort of electrical work without the necessary experience.

Follow the above all-time practices, and you will be well underway to getting your 200 amp service, with the correct wiring.