Is this 2 gauge Alum wire ?

[AP514]

Hey ALL

My AC guy was not so sure this wire was correct size for my AC/Heater...

The wire is on 100Amp C/B....the Heating unit has 2-60 C/B on the unit it's self for protection.

Wires are 2nd and 3rd from bottom...thinking it is that old Alu THWN wire ?? house built in 70's

 

[AP514]

Opp's helps with PIC's

 

[Bert_]

Those wires are part of SE cable. They kind of look bigger than #2, but it's really not possible to tell from the picture. Can you read the label on the cable sheath were it comes to the furnace?

 

[AP514]

Nope that is my problem...can not read either end.

 

[ard]

If you disconnect the wires, can you see printing on them? Or at last get a caliper on the AL part, with a diameter and # of strands, should be able top look up (I think)

 

[JRC3]

That looks a lot like the wire in my house, tinned copper strands. A garage was built in the 80s and 200A service was put in the garage and the house main was turned into a sub. The original meter box on the house was bypassed and the meter was installed in the garage. I had to fix the shoddy jump in the original meter box and in the process found the service wire to be tinned copper. I At first I thought it was aluminum but once cutting it and Googling I figured it out.

The best I can tell mine is #3, but I'm just guessing from the number of strands and what I've seen online.

HTH

 

[alfredeneuman]

thinking it is that old Alu THWN wire ?? house built in 70's

If it's from the '70s and by the looks of it, chances are the insulation is THW (without the N) 75° C rated.

 

[rburke65]

Well somewhere on the wire(s) it will be either printed or stamped with the wire size and type.

 

[JRC3]

Well somewhere on the wire(s) it will be either printed or stamped with the wire size and type.

Often that info is inside a wall, conduit/mast, or other inaccessible area. And what is visible has had the outer jacket with that info stripped.

 

[wyliesdiesels]

Hey ALL

My AC guy was not so sure this wire was correct size for my AC/Heater...

The wire is on 100Amp C/B....the Heating unit has 2-60 C/B on the unit it's self for protection.

Wires are 2nd and 3rd from bottom...thinking it is that old Alu THWN wire ?? house built in 70's

He should know WHAT the correct size is by looking at the nameplate on the unit NOT the wire itself.

Im wondering why he didnt start there.

Can you post a pic of the nameplate?

 

[AP514]

He should know WHAT the correct size is by looking at the nameplate on the unit NOT the wire itself.

Im wondering why he didnt start there.

Can you post a pic of the nameplate?

what are you saying ?? the name plate on the heater unit ? the Main Box ?

you have totally lost me on that one....the unit is new the wire is old

 

[wyliesdiesels]

what are you saying ?? the name plate on the heater unit ? the Main Box ?

you have totally lost me on that one....the unit is new the wire is old

Nameplates are for equipment.

Its on the AC/furnace

Panels dont have nameplates...

All of the info needed to size the circuit for the AC/heater should be listed on the nameplate.

You said your AC guy wasnt sure if a certain size wire is correct. So i responded that the info to determine that is on the nameplate.

Once you read the nameplate, then you can decide whether its the correct size.

Its all how you formed the statement in your OP.

 

[wyliesdiesels]

circuits for AC units are sized by the MCA and MOCP listed on the nameplate.

Wire sized by MCA and breaker (or fuse) sized by MOCP....

 

[AP514]

Well, ok..the unit is new and the C/B on the main panel says 100amp..the wire from the 100amp C/B is what is in question here...no markings on it..The wire looks like 1 or 2 gauge maybe 3..the first 2 would be ok for the C/B at 100 Amps..but an Alum 3 guage wire is too small for that C/B CORRECT ?

 

[mm08822]

Well, ok..the unit is new and the C/B on the main panel says 100amp..the wire from the 100amp C/B is what is in question here...no markings on it..The wire looks like 1 or 2 gauge maybe 3..the first 2 would be ok for the C/B at 100 Amps..but an Alum 3 guage wire is too small for that C/B CORRECT ?

Not necessarily for this purpose.

As Wylie requested, post a pic of the ac/furnace nameplate. Once that information is known, then you can determine the minimum wire size required and independantly of that then the max cb.

Then go check what is presently installed.

 

[wyliesdiesels]

Well, ok..the unit is new and the C/B on the main panel says 100amp..the wire from the 100amp C/B is what is in question here...no markings on it..The wire looks like 1 or 2 gauge maybe 3..the first 2 would be ok for the C/B at 100 Amps..but an Alum 3 guage wire is too small for that C/B CORRECT ?

That still doesnt provide the info needed.

 

[AP514]

I will post Pic's as soon as I can get over to that house..might be a few days

 

[AP514]

I finally got to the house today... here is the info..hope I got all that is needed.

I am actually a bit more confused..But here are the pic's
Is it saying if I am reading correctly at the unit 1 CB should be 60 Amp and the Other 25 ?
It has 2-60 amp right now in unit
TEM4A0, C42
BAYHTR1515BRK

Oh I also found what the wire from the main to the unit says... 2-2 AL, F2AL type SE Cable, style type U, XHHW Conds 600Volt , Cerro or Cerrd

 

[AP514]

bump

 

[Bert_]

From the tag and the number you listed it looks like a 15kw unit, which is fine on #2 AL. But two 60 amp breakers would be normal for a 20kw, either somebody switched just the breaker or installed 20kw worth of strips. Need to know what is installed in the air hander.

 

[alfredeneuman]

# of strands,

All stranded wire (Southwire brand) between #14 through 4/0 is 19 strand

 

[wyliesdiesels]

Without the correct box being marked by the installer, no way to tell.

Unfortunately, that is frequently the case.

 

[AP514]

Without the correct box being marked by the installer, no way to tell.

Unfortunately, that is frequently the case.

does the P/N on each sticker not say what is installed ?

TEM4A0, C42

BAYHTR1515BRK

 

[wyliesdiesels]

All stranded wire (Southwire brand) between #14 through 4/0 is 19 strand

yeah that doesnt seem right.

I remember it being 7 or 9.

Dont have any on me but next time i go to storage im gonna look at the rolls of #10 that i have.

does the P/N on each sticker not say what is installed ?

TEM4A0, C42

BAYHTR1515BRK

missed that..

I finally got to the house today... here is the info..hope I got all that is needed.

I am actually a bit more confused..But here are the pic's
Is it saying if I am reading correctly at the unit 1 CB should be 60 Amp and the Other 25?
It has 2-60 amp right now in unit
TEM4A0, C42
BAYHTR1515BRK

Oh I also found what the wire from the main to the unit says... 2-2 AL, F2AL type SE Cable, style type U, XHHW Conds 600Volt , Cerro or Cerrd

Its telling you that he breakers in the panel should be 60a and 25a.

Wire should be sized by the MCA so #6 cu(either nm or thhn in pipe) or #4 al and #12 cu THHN in pipe or #10 NM.

SO the #2 is overkill for both circuits.

 

[AP514]

TY for the reply.....Now I wonder if one of those CB should be changed out to a 25Amp from that 60amp.

 

[wyliesdiesels]

TY for the reply.....Now I wonder if one of those CB should be changed out to a 25Amp from that 60amp.

Ive noticed youve said "in-unit" several times previously.

Are you saying that there is breakers in the actual equipment?

What size breakers do you have in the panel?

The 25a circuit should feed the AC portion.

The 60a should feeds the heat strips.

You will need to figure out which is which....

 

[Bert_]

Ive noticed youve said "in-unit" several times previously.

Are you saying that there is breakers in the actual equipment?

What size breakers do you have in the panel?

The 25a circuit should feed the AC portion.

The 60a should feeds the heat strips.

You will need to figure out which is which....

Most of these air handlers have breaker(s) in the unit. If the heat strips are more than 10kw it will be broken up into multiple breakers. Sometimes the air handler is set up so it can be fed with one larger circuit, rather than multiple smaller ones.

 

[wyliesdiesels]

Most of these air handlers have breaker(s) in the unit. If the heat strips are more than 10kw it will be broken up into multiple breakers. Sometimes the air handler is set up so it can be fed with one larger circuit, rather than multiple smaller ones.

yeah we dont use heat strip units out here. Electricity too expensive. So ive never worked on one....

But I figured he was talking about breakers in the unit.

We need to know what breakers he has in the panel not the unit which couldve come from the factory with those breakers...

 

[Bert_]

Hey ALL

My AC guy was not so sure this wire was correct size for my AC/Heater...

The wire is on 100Amp C/B....the Heating unit has 2-60 C/B on the unit it's self for protection.

Wires are 2nd and 3rd from bottom...thinking it is that old Alu THWN wire ?? house built in 70's

Maybe this rings a bell?

 

[wyliesdiesels]

Maybe this rings a bell?

Oh yeah whoops. I forgot to look at previous comments.

So then he needs to change one of the 60s to a 25a?

Or maybe he should make sure that it is indeed a one circuit setup and not 2.

Odd there would be 2 60s when the nameplate says 60 and 25.

 

[AP514]

I thought that was odd also.....the AC compressor part has dual 20/50 amp CB at main panel..the HEATER unit has 1-100Amp CB at main panel..and 2-60 Amp CB on the unit its self...(the heater unit has 3 elements in it...all draw 20 Amps each...checked it my self.

So 1 60Amp CB is drawing 40 amps(2 elements) and the other 60 amp is drawing 20 Amps

the 100 Amp wire comes into the 1st 60 amp CB then a wire is taken from there (power side of CB) to the 2nd 60 amp CB