![]() 4 AWG Wire Cables: 4/2 Wire, 4/3 Wire, and 4/4 Wire Since the maximum allowed temperature for residential use is 60☌/140☏, the second column shows the actual Ampacity (current carrying ability) of 4 gauge wire depending on its length.Ī similar calculation can be done for the 4 gauge aluminum wire. The following chart lists the Ampacity (given in Amps) of 4 gauge copper wire at default temperatures for the wires of 50, 100, 150, and 200 feet long. ![]() If the wires are longer, the actual capacity drops by 10% for every 50 feet (~15.25 m) of wire.įor example, the actual Ampacity for a 100 feet long 4 gauge wire with the maximum allowed surface temperature of 60☌/140☏ would be: Since is the maximum allowed surface temperature for many applications, we can say that 4 AWG copper wire can safely handle 56 Amps, while 4 AWG aluminum wire can safely handle 44 Amps.Īnd this is just for relatively short wires. The 80% Rule is a very important safety rule which says that the actual Ampacity of the wire is 80% of its nominal/default value. These are the default Ampacities of the solid 4 gauge copper and aluminum wires, and these values don't include any safety margin - time for "Rule 80%". This 15-20 Amps difference is a serious difference, showing why the copper is preferred choice as wire material over aluminum, at least for the applications where wire weight is not that important. On the other hand, the Ampacities of the 4 gauge solid aluminum wire are: ![]() If we check the Ampacity of the 4 gauge solid copper wire, then we can see that the actual Ampacity depends on the maximum allowed surface temperature: So, for many applications, copper 4 gauge wires are the preferred choice over aluminum 4 gauge wires. 4 AWG Aluminum WireĪs a wire material, aluminum is lighter and cheaper, but it also features larger electric resistance than copper.Īlso, as the aluminum wire warms up, it expands more than the copper wire. However, solid 5-6 mm copper wire is not easy to work with, making this 12-14% difference mostly negligible for many applications (for example, welding wire). Since stranded wires feature air gaps between the individual strands (~20-25% of the stranded wire is actually - air), the diameter of the stranded wires with the same Ampacity (wire current carrying ability) is ~12-14% larger than the diameter of the solid wire (~6 mm on average). The physical dimensions of the solid copper 4 gauge wire are: *Data provided on this page is subject to change based on different manufacturers' variances ** Images are for display purposes only refer to Product Technical Details for accurate information on the product.4 Gauge/AWG Wire: 4/2 Wire, 4/3 Wire, and 4/4 WireĤ gauge wires are relatively thick wires that are seldom used at home and residential electrical installations but may be quite common in light industrial applications and applications that require currents in the 50-60 Amps range.Ĥ gauge wires differ in wire material, construction, Ampacity, and a few other details, making it very important to choose the very best 4 gauge wire carefully.Īmerican Wire Gauge (AWG) 4 wire may be made of solid or stranded wire, made of pure copper, aluminum, Copper Clad Aluminum (CCA), and a few other materials that are very rarely used (for example, oxygen-free copper and similar). Some of the advantages of copper in cables include conductivity, tensile strength, and the properties of the tensile expansion. The conductor is available in hard, medium-hard, and soft-drawn combination unilay temper. Tinned Bare Copper Wire has a tinned copper conductor per ASTM B-1, B-2 and B-3. Bare conductors of this electrical wire exhibit superior conductivity compared to insulated versions. The layer of tin provides an improved resistance to corrosion and difficult environmental conditions. It is also used in hookers and jumpers that do not have an insulation. Tinned Bare Copper Wire is an electrical wire suitable for overhead distribution circuits or grounding conductors. 4 AWG Solid Tinned Bare Copper Conductor Soft Drawn Wire ( Reduced Spool Price of 250ft Spool ) Other Names For 4 Solid Tinned Bare Copper:Ĥ Solid Tinned Bare Copper Wire, 4 Solid Tinned Bare Electrical Wire, 4 Solid Tinned Bare Copper Cable Applications:
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