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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Mar 2007
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    Daniel Island, SC.
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    240

    Default 6 gauge wire to a 30 amp breaker

    Can you have a 6 gauge wire go to a 30 amp double breaker? This was found in a panel today. There were three 60 amp breakers going to the Air handler, stove and electric on demand water heater. There was two 30s going to the compressor and washer/dryer combo. He had them all wired with six gauge wiring. Said he was told if the wire was larger for the 30 it would not matter.

    Jim

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  2. #2
    Join Date
    Mar 2007
    Location
    Spring City/Surrounding Philadelphia area
    Posts
    3,509

    Default Re: 6 gauge wire to a 30 amp breaker

    Oversized wire gauge size is not a problem, as long as it fits properly beneath the breaker lugs and does not need to be modified or altered to fit.

    Oversized breaker size is a problem.

    "It takes a big man to cry. It takes an even bigger man to laugh at that man". - Jack Handey

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Mar 2007
    Location
    Daniel Island, SC.
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    Default Re: 6 gauge wire to a 30 amp breaker

    Thanks a lot!

    Jim


  4. #4
    Join Date
    Mar 2007
    Location
    Fletcher, NC
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    28,032

    Default Re: 6 gauge wire to a 30 amp breaker

    Quote Originally Posted by Nick Ostrowski View Post
    Oversized wire gauge size is not a problem, as long as it fits properly beneath the breaker lugs and does not need to be modified or altered to fit.

    And not just "as long as it fits properly" into the lug, read the label on the breaker and see if the lug is rated for that size conductors, it might not be ... even though the conductor may appear to "fit properly".

    This comes down to something we have started saying more and more often - read the label to see if it is allowed. Those labels really are important.

    Jerry Peck
    Construction/Litigation/Code Consultant - Retired
    www.AskCodeMan.com

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Jul 2008
    Location
    Snowbird (this means I'm retired and migrate between locations), FL/MI
    Posts
    4,086

    Default Re: 6 gauge wire to a 30 amp breaker

    May be fine at the breaker, but is the wire oversized for the terminal block or receptacle, now that IS a question.


  6. #6
    Join Date
    Dec 2007
    Location
    Chico,Ca
    Posts
    454

    Default Re: 6 gauge wire to a 30 amp breaker

    250.122 (B) must be considered.

    (B) Increased in Size. Where ungrounded conductors are
    increased in size, equipment grounding conductors, where
    installed, shall be increased in size proportionately according
    to the circular mil area of the ungrounded conductors.

    Copy & Paste from the 2008 NEC

    If someone pulled 6 AWG conductors into EMT & used the conduit as a ECG, then no issue, but w/ NM or other wiring methods it does become a problem.


  7. #7
    Zibby Bujno's Avatar
    Zibby Bujno Guest

    Default Re: 6 gauge wire to a 30 amp breaker

    Maybe 6ga was on sale that day?
    If length was a issue then maybe they up-sized wire to avoid voltage drop at full load.


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