What about copper-clad aluminum?Ĭopper-clad aluminum is your third option for wiring the 200 amp service. So, if you are going for aluminum wires for 200 amp service, it should be around 4 AWG. If you cannot afford copper wires for their high cost, you can opt for aluminum wires.īut remember that you will require a higher gauge than the copper wires to compensate for the low conductivity. CheaperĪluminum is very affordable and cheap compared to copper wires. That is why a lot of people still use aluminum. Since it has low conductivity, you will require higher gauges to balance the conductivity.Įven if the wires are at higher gauges, the wires are still lightweight and easy to install. Here are some reasons why people choose aluminum: Easy to installĪluminum is lightweight and, thus, faster to fix and easy to handle. However, despite these drawbacks, people still use aluminum wires because of some good points.Ĭopper is always the best option, but it is heavy, costly, and tricky to fix. To cope with the low conductivity, you might require higher gauges, nearly double the size of the copper wires. Can we use aluminum wires?Īluminum wires are also a good option, but they are inferior to copper wires.Īluminum has less conductivity than copper wires, so it responds quickly to heat and corrosion. If you use copper wire for 200 amp service, it should be 2 AWG. Distanceīecause of their high conductivity and heat resistance, you can use copper wires over long distances with smaller gauges. That is why the wires can be molded and used without any risk of breakage. The copper wires are highly conductive, and the wires are very thin. However, the oxidation and the color change don’t affect the conductivity of the copper wires. That is why copper wires are resistant to corrosion. Corrosion resistantĬopper wires have Patina, a greenish tarnish color formed by oxidation and changes the color of the copper wires. Since copper wires can carry huge loads of current, they are extremely resistant to heat compared to aluminum wires.Ĭoppers do not contract or expand like aluminum wire.ĭespite being flexible and malleable, they remain tight and straight. You will require only half the aluminum wire size for the same circuit breaker. Since copper wires can hold more current loads, you will need the wire in a smaller gauge than aluminum. Here are some good points about copper: High conductivityĬopper is naturally high in conductivity after silver.įor this reason, you can use copper for longer distances. The wire is also flexible and malleable, thus being ideal for working in any situation without any contractions.īut since it has such good advantages, it is very expensive and complex to install. It has high conductivity and good resistance to heat and corrosion. Of so many wire types, copper is the best type of wire for electrical work. Since we have shared two sizes of wires depending on two wire types, let’s talk about them and the reasons behind their uses. In that case, the voltage will increase, and the wire will start melting, resulting in a fire hazard.Įspecially the copper wire should be at least 2 AWG and not less than that. Suppose the wire sizes are smaller than the recommended size. They allow the wires to handle the electrical services at full amperage without high voltages or voltage drops. These wire sizes are the best and safest ones to use. The size of the wires should be the same as the live and neutral wires. So, 250 kcmil wire is the best wire for 200 amp service.ĭepending on the wire type, the best size for a 200 amp service is a 2 AWG copper wire or a 4 AWG aluminum or copper-clad aluminum wire. If you are building new houses, straightaway, go for the 200 amps.īut, while changing from 50 amps to 200 amps, the wire size will change too.ĭepending on the ampacity, a 200 amp wire can handle 250A. People are upgrading their electrical services from 40-50 amps to 200 amps. In the old days, most houses used to have only 40 or 50-Amps services.īut nowadays, we use several electrical devices to speed up our lives.įor that, a 200 amp service is the standard electrical service for normal houses today. What size of wire is needed for a 200 amp service?
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