Wire Size?

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McCuckerson

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I really hate to ask questions here when I can look up the answer, but in this case I am having difficulty getting a straight answer. I have installed a 50a GFI in my box in the garage, 2 feet below the box is the outlet. Here is my question: what size can I use to go from the 50a breaker 2-3ft to the outlet? The manufacturer states min wire size 8awg and max wire size 2awg. CodeRage's primer states 6awg for 55a. BB store says 8awg is rated for 50a and several electrical discussion boards say it depends on length. They go far enough to say that 14awg can handle 50a at short enough lengths (I would NEVER try that).

I know bigger is better in this case, but above 8awg is hard to com by. Could I buy a stove cord and use that?

Thanks,
McC
 
Between 6 and 8 awful will be fine it all depends on the length of time you use outlet for I would use number 6 but that is me as a electrician
 
So if the rig only pulls 30a for 1 hour 8awg is ok? Can I use a stove cord in the wall? Is there 6, 8awg romex?
 
I am not an expert, just someone who researched this when I did my control panel.

You can use 8 gauge, but thicker is better(at least that is what she said). A stove cord is probably 8 gauge, dryer cord probably 10. If you are pulling 30 amps, you "should" use a 30 amp breaker. If you are going to use a 50 amp, make sure all your wire is rated for 50 amp. So in your control panel, instead of using 10 gauge, use 8. Can you use a stove cord in the wall? I am sure it violates some code. I think my Home Depot has 6 gauge 4 wire romex for 4 a ft, 8 is like 3.79.
 
Just got back from HD. 10awg romex is the biggest they had. 6,8 was special order (guess nobody runs power for stoves and dryers:confused:). They did have seperate 6awg wires in different colors. Not to complicate things but could I run seperate 6awg wires for power in the wall over the 2-3ft span?
 
The HD in my town has 6-3 with ground. It's not Romex. It's on the spool rack and is sold by the foot.
 
I'm not sure you can run the separate conductors on the wall. It would be better in conduit. Why not surface mount the outlet box directly on the panel?
 
Oh, and the wire you're talking about is probably THHN. If so #8 would be sufficient for 50A.
 
Get a piece of 'Greenfield' Its a wound metal tube that is flexible and used for
covering wire. You can get a short piece and run it in the wall or outside.

I would get wire sized for the 50 amp circuit. No change necessary if you
go from 30 to 50 amp. Wire difference is small compared to doing it over again.

You can use separate wire - that's what was used before romex (along with conduit.)
Need 3 wires.
 
If you EVER think you will want 120V from whatever is plugged into the outlet, you want to get 4-wire... 6/3 NMB w/Ground is worth the few pennies more. here is the 50' at HD, you only need 4', so probably $8-12 http://www.homedepot.com/h_d1/N-5yc1v/R-202206572/h_d2/ProductDisplay?langId=-1&storeId=10051&catalogId=10053

and a 125/250V dryer outlet (google: nema 14-50 outlet)

You will never have any regrets if you do it this way, and all new installations of dryers and ranges are required to be this way by code..
 
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