2-2-2-4 or equivelant copper options

[absintheisfun]

Carrying 70Amps about 50-75 feet, and after seeing not only the price of the 2-2-2-4, but the insane girth, I'm now wondering what my options are...what is the copper equivelant?

And am I going for overkill?

It is going to a sub, and it will be running about 20 110v dual plugs and 2 220v plugs(compressor and later expansion), and 4 lights(dual T12 8')

The girth of the wire kind of threw me because it looks as thick as the copper lines coming into my house!


And then there is the fact that I'm kind of a cheap@ss and am looking for the most cost efficient way to do this....

If the experts here tell me it is the way it is and I need the 2-2-2-4, I'll gladly get it, but would like to explore all possible options.

 

[Charles (in GA)]

I seriously doubt you have copper coming into your house. I cannot imagine anyone uses copper for service entrance, and you can be sure the power company does not. Part of the size of 2-2-2-4 Mobile home Feeder is the insulation, its pretty thick, since its rated for direct burial.

Charles

 

[theoldwizard1]

Carrying 70Amps about 50-75 feet, and after seeing not only the price of the 2-2-2-4, ...

You had better be siting down when you price the appropriate size copper !


FYI : 2-2-2-4 is good for 90A.

 

[absintheisfun]

The wires from the meter at least are copper..

As for girth, I am referring to the individual lines...1/4" thick is crazy!

 

[pattenp]

You'd need #4 copper for about the same capacity as #2 aluminum and also have about 3 to 4 times the money to spend. And if you think 1/4" is crazy you need to see 4/0 aluminum which is commonly used for 200A service entrance. It's over a 1/2".

 

[Falcon67]

I paid $1.46/ft for my 2-2-2-4 at HD. If that's high to you, I'm not sure what to tell you. Copper will easy be three times the cost. 2-2-2-4 is not that hard to work with. Anything in the #4 and up is going to be stiff.

 

[Speedy Petey]

As for girth, I am referring to the individual lines...1/4" thick is crazy!

How big did you think conductors for a 70A circuit would be??


I agree with the others. If AL is pricy to you CU is out of the question.

 

[absintheisfun]

Yes, I'm cheap. But willing to spend money...just wanted to see what other options were out there.

My Lowes didn't have 2-2-2-4, but they did have 2-2-2(which is how I saw the size) and it was $3.87/ft! I guessed that 2-2-2-4 was going to be almost 5.00/ft.

I figured that copper would be about that much, but maybe a little easier to work with.

 

[Speedy Petey]

My Lowes didn't have 2-2-2-4, but they did have 2-2-2(which is how I saw the size) and it was $3.87/ft! I guessed that 2-2-2-4 was going to be almost 5.00/ft.

That HAD to be mis-marked. That is WAY more than normal.

I figured that copper would be about that much, but maybe a little easier to work with.

Ummmm.....NO! And yes.

 

[offroadsteve]

My Lowes didn't have 2-2-2-4, but they did have 2-2-2(which is how I saw the size) and it was $3.87/ft! I guessed that 2-2-2-4 was going to be almost 5.00/ft.

I

I bet that price was for 2/0-2/0-2/0, $3.87 a foot sounds about right for that

 

[Kevin C]

You'd need #4 copper for about the same capacity as #2 aluminum and also have about 3 to 4 times the money to spend. And if you think 1/4" is crazy you need to see 4/0 aluminum which is commonly used for 200A service entrance. It's over a 1/2".

If the OP can use a 70°C rating, seems to me that #6 copper THHN /THWN an option for 70 amps ( other than the cost).

Is that a fair assumption?

 

[pattenp]

Using #6 CU THHN he could squeeze out 70A. By the NEC table it is 65A @ 75 deg.C. My comparison was for #2 Al @ 90A, so that's why I said #4 Cu.

If the OP can use a 70°C rating, seems to me that #6 copper THHN /THWN an option for 70 amps ( other than the cost).

Is that a fair assumption?

 

[Kevin C]

Using #6 CU THHN he could squeeze out 70A. By the NEC table it is 65A @ 75 deg.C. My comparison was for #2 Al @ 90A, so that's why I said #4 Cu.

Your right, it was 65 amps for 6 gauge, ( again from memory, you are allowed to round up to the next breaker- 70 amps).

Mostly I was bringing it up because I have 6 gauge copper running out to my garage on a 50 amp breaker. If I needed it, I could go up on the breaker size ( assuming there are no voltage drop issues).

Thanks,

Kevin

 

[wyliesdiesels]

Your right, it was 65 amps for 6 gauge, ( again from memory, you are allowed to round up to the next breaker- 70 amps).

Mostly I was bringing it up because I have 6 gauge copper running out to my garage on a 50 amp breaker. If I needed it, I could go up on the breaker size ( assuming there are no voltage drop issues).

Thanks,

Kevin

If the wire is UF-B(direct bury Romex) then its limited to the 60c deg column(55a).

 

[Kevin C]

If the wire is UF-B(direct bury Romex) then its limited to the 60c deg column(55a).

THHN... Was the insulation type that I was referring to. I undersized the breaker when I wired it.

 

[wyliesdiesels]

OK, disregard then! Had to throw that in there just in case!

 

[Falcon67]

Yes, I'm cheap. But willing to spend money...just wanted to see what other options were out there.

My Lowes didn't have 2-2-2-4, but they did have 2-2-2(which is how I saw the size) and it was $3.87/ft! I guessed that 2-2-2-4 was going to be almost 5.00/ft.

I figured that copper would be about that much, but maybe a little easier to work with.

You looked at the wrong wire or your Lowes is in high gear rip mode. Last I looked (about 3 months ago) it was $1.89/ft at HD. Our local HD had said they were no longer going to break 500' rolls, but it looks like from the material on the shelf that they are breaking rolls. I bought my wire 18 months ago and the quoted price was $1.79 but when they forklifted the roll down it had a 1.47 sticker on it, so I got it for that. I walked out with 130' of wire, a 20 slot panel with breakers and a 70A breaker for under $250.