Does 2/0 Copper Adaquate For 200 Amp Service Entrance

What Size Wire For 200 Amp Service Cloak-and-dagger?

Choosing the right wire for 200 amp service is a affair of condom. The wire that you lot apply for 200 amp service depends on the material, and you'll demand #4/0 wire if information technology is aluminum. Whether it be copper, copper-clad, or aluminum, permit'south take a look at what size wire you need for 200 amp service.

What Size Wire for 200 Amp Service Underground

If you are running an underground 200 amp service, so y'all may exist wondering what size wire to utilize in your installation. We're going to answer that question for you, even so, keep in mind that you may demand a allow and that a professional should practise the installation.

For a 3″ conduit, a #4/0 AWG aluminum/copper-clad wire or a #ii/0 AWG copper wire is needed for a 200 amp electrical service. In most states, this is not a DIY project as hiring an electrician and obtaining sure permits is required in order to have your wire installed according to your local electric codes.

Electrical work can exist a daunting job if you do not know all of the requirements, codes, and allow rules. You should start past finding out what codes and permits are needed in your expanse.

This data is provided as our informed opinion and does not constitute bodily advice from a licensed professional person.

Wire Size for 200 Amp Service

Inside a 3′′ conduit, a 200 amp electrical service requires #ii/0 AWG copper wire or #4/0 AWG aluminum or copper-clad wire.

A 200 amp electrical service is non a practice-information technology-yourself project. It frequently necessitates obtaining a permit and having a skilled electrician install it co-ordinate to local electrical codes.

However, y'all can always check with your local government to see what exactly is required for your region. The table below shows the size, voltage driblet, and length of the wiring:

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

Video: What Size Wire for Your Electrical Panel

Using Copper Conductors

We advise using copper conductors if it fits into your budget. Copper is better than aluminum for many reasons. It has been the most widely used type of wire for 200 years and holds up well over time.

If your home has a large load capacity, then using copper will help make certain that everything that your firm runs, will hold upwardly to the 200 amp service you are installing. If yous are worried about the copper wire turning black, don't exist. Information technology is natural for copper wires to become discolored through the process of oxidation.

Reasons to Use Copper Wiring

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

Copper can reach farther. Copper'southward strong conductive qualities and heat resistance permit it to exist used across longer distances.
Copper wire is more heat resistant than aluminum wire considering of its conductive qualities. Considering 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 easily without breaking.
Copper wire is second only to silver in terms of electrical conductivity. Copper has a meliorate electrical load conveying capacity, needing less insulation and a smaller wire gauge. For the same conductivity, copper wiring is about one-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 effect on its conductivity.

Using Aluminum or Copper-Clad Aluminum

Aluminum will work if you are on a budget. It is cheaper than copper, but does non conduct electricity as well, and could be less than ideal if your dwelling house has a large load capacity. For this reason, if you are using aluminum, we suggest copper-clad aluminum.

It helps the aluminum conduct better and keeps information technology from corroding as much. You lot volition spend a footling chip more, but yous volition be happy that y'all did.

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

Why Use Aluminum or Copper-Clad Aluminum Wire?

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

Faster Installation. Because aluminum is lightweight and flexible, it tin can exist installed more quickly than copper, saving time and money.
Aluminum is lightweight. Despite the wire estimate beingness near twice the size of copper, aluminum is lightweight and relatively flexible, making it easier to piece of work with.
Aluminum wire is preferred since it is less expensive. When compared to copper wire, aluminum wiring is less expensive to industry. Copper-clad aluminum wiring is recommended, however, information technology is more 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?

Yous will also need to consider how many feet of wire you lot will be running. This can be a deciding factor, in whether or non you volition use 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 because it conducts better and does non expand and contract similar aluminum.

With long distances, aluminum can interfere with the period of electricity. There are precautions you can accept if yous are going with aluminum, such equally using copper-clad aluminum and using special copper fittings on the ends of the aluminum wire.

The Distance the Service Wire is Running

Wire fabricated of aluminum and copper is rated for 200 amps of service. The aluminum estimate, on the other hand, will be higher due to its lower conductivity and heat resistance. Copper wire can be used over a greater altitude.

One affair you should consider is how long the service wire will get from the meter to the electrical panel when yous determine the wire size. The greatest voltage drop is 3%. The voltage driblet will ofttimes determine whether copper or aluminum wire can be used, as well as the gauge required.

Distances may differ depending on where y'all are:

Service Wire Size	Distance (Gauge) to Maintain three% Voltage Drib
Aluminum #4/0 Wire	50 feet
Aluminum 300kcmil	100 feet
Copper #ii/0 Wire	50 feet
Copper #3/0 Wire	100 feet
Copper #4/0 Wire	150 feet

How Load Impacts Voltage Drop

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 accept as well many loads on a circuit and surpass the standard 80 percentage rubber chapters, you lot will be calculation superfluous voltage driblet. To avoid this, maintain the full load on the circuit to 80 percent or less of the full capacity.

Sizing Conductors

Information technology is recommended by the National Electrical Code (NEC) to use a maximum voltage drop of 3 percent for individual household circuits, or branch circuits. This number is besides a practiced guide for sizing the conductors for an hush-hush run.

Check the Codes

The codes can vary by state, or location, so always make certain that you check your local codes earlier having any electrical piece of work washed. The codes volition permit you know what AWG wire you should use, for any corporeality of amps.

While the wire sizes nosotros have provided should be skilful enough to run your 200 amp service, at that place may exist actress rules that apply to utilise them in your location.

If you lot are unsure of how to cheque the codes, or what they mean, make sure that you lot have a professional person making the final decision. This can salve yous fourth dimension and coin, by avoiding mistakes early on on.

Practice Yous Demand a Permit?

You lot may need a let to install a 200 amp service. The final thing yous want to do is get your operation close down for not using the correct permits. Most large electric operations, such as a 200 amp service, require a permit.

You will demand a licensed professional to pull your allow. We advise always using a professional when doing something of this magnitude. Electric work can be unsafe, fifty-fifty if you know a fiddling fleck nearly it. An underground 200 amp service has a lot of power, parts, and work that must exist done properly.

Cost to Install 200 Amp Electrical Service

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

According to several electricians that we reached out to for quotes, a complete 200 amp electric installation will cost between $1,600 and $half-dozen,400, with a median cost of around $three,800, and will include the following:

200-amp Service Wire Costs: Between $1000 and $1500 on boilerplate, with a median of $1250.
The boilerplate cost of a 200 amp service panel: Between $500 and $4000, with a typical toll of $2000.
The average cost of a 200 amp meter base of operations: Betwixt $100 and $650, with a typical cost of $450.

Tips for Installing a 200 Amp Service Underground

Here are a few tips that will help determine what is needed for installing a 200 amp service. These are all-time practices that y'all should endeavour to follow.

Use a licensed professional person. Exercise not cut corners when it comes to electric work of this size, always use a professional. Performing electric piece of work is incredibly unsafe and should only be done by a certified expert.
Yous volition need an inspector for a 200 amp service. Since this is a big operation, you lot will have to accept a permit and an inspector.
Never gamble with safety. Practise not perform whatever of this work if y'all are not a licensed professional, this guide is meant to teach you lot only what is involved.
Use special fixtures with aluminum. If yous are using aluminum wire, consider using special copper fixtures that are pigtailed onto the ends of the aluminum.

Equally always, working with electricity requires special circumspection. It is crucial that you NEVER attempt whatsoever sort of electrical work without the necessary experience.

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