4 gauge wire to recessed panel

[ALinCarolina]

Short form is I need to get 4 gauge THHN from surface mounted conduit into a flush mounted panel.
Long form: I am installing a second EVSE into a vacation home. This one will be hardwired and will have 4 gauge THHN in 50 feet of surface mounted 1 inch rigid PVC conduit. My plan at present is to terminate the conduit in an LB above the electrical panel and have the wire exit the LB through the back of the LB and through the dry wall, then fished down through the top of the panel to the breaker.

As I understand it the THHN should not run in the wall unless in conduit or other raceway even if it is just a foot or so. My question is it worth it to try to place a short piece of conduit between the LB and the panel? It is a 2X6 exterior wall with insulation. It seems there won't be enough room to run a 1 inch sweep elbow and the 4 gauge will be tough to bend much more acutely. The other alternative I have seen described is mounting a box half in the wall cavity and half outside. That would give me a straight shot down to panel but seems a lot more work just to make sure that a foot of THHN is not surrounded by conduit.

 

[nadogail]

Are you going to do this the right way or are you asking us to bless your cobbled avoidance of doing the job correctly?

 

[Bert_]

Thhn goes in conduit all the time no matter where you run it.

Use flex or something like that

 

[ALinCarolina]

Yeah that's what I figured. At least it is a 2x6 wall and not a 2x4 so I will connect it with a foot of flex conduit. If I need to I can cut out a piece of drywall, I still have a 5 gallon bucket of mud left from construction.

 

[wyliesdiesels]

Short form is I need to get 4 gauge THHN from surface mounted conduit into a flush mounted panel.
Long form: I am installing a second EVSE into a vacation home. This one will be hardwired and will have 4 gauge THHN in 50 feet of surface mounted 1 inch rigid PVC conduit.

what size charger is this for?

My plan at present is to terminate the conduit in an LB above the electrical panel and have the wire exit the LB through the back of the LB and through the dry wall, then fished down through the top of the panel to the breaker.

As I understand it the THHN should not run in the wall unless in conduit or other raceway even if it is just a foot or so. My question is it worth it to try to place a short piece of conduit between the LB and the panel? It is a 2X6 exterior wall with insulation. It seems there won't be enough room to run a 1 inch sweep elbow and the 4 gauge will be tough to bend much more acutely. The other alternative I have seen described is mounting a box half in the wall cavity and half outside. That would give me a straight shot down to panel but seems a lot more work just to make sure that a foot of THHN is not surrounded by conduit.

loose conductors need to be in conduit for the entire length

 

[ALinCarolina]

The EVSE charges at 48 amps and will be hardwired. At my main home I had a 14-50 receptacle in the garage that I used for a welder before building a separate workshop so I ordered a 40 amp that plugged into that. I sometimes need to go to the second home and back in one day so wanted the fastest one possible for that location which is 160 miles one way. When I ordered the two chargers I was able to get the 48 amp for the same price. Plus I figured going with the 48 might be a future proof of a small degree if I have vehicles in the future that can use even higher charging rates.

 

[Bert_]

#6 thhn is good to 65 amps unless you have 60*c terminals (unlikely)

 

[ALinCarolina]

Also, I picked up some more PVC fittings today like a male adapter to attach the foot long conduit to the panel. I don't really feel any safer but breaking the code rules would bother me from now on.

 

[ALinCarolina]

Doesn't the 80% rule come into play especially for continuous loads like an EVSE?

 

[justsam]

Just remember your wiring for the EV must be 60 Amp in order for you to have a 48 Amp continuous load. If you are going to use another 14-50 it must be protected with a 50 Amp breaker.

 

[Bert_]

48A x 125% is 60A

 

[wyliesdiesels]

Doesn't the 80% rule come into play especially for continuous loads like an EVSE?

It only comes into play for continous loads

 

[ALinCarolina]

Isn't the continuous load defined as three hours? I am willing to be educated. I had asked two of my electrician friends about wire size for the hardwired EVSE. One said for the 60 amp breaker it would be either 4 or 6 gauge and that I would probably be fine with 6. The other electrician said he always runs 4 gauge for a 60 amp breaker (unless it is a well over 100 ft run). 60 amp breaker X 1.25= 75 ampacity for continuous loads as he explained. The price at Lowes was the same for either@ $ 1.52 a foot so I figured why not run 4 gauge.

 

[wyliesdiesels]

Isn't the continuous load defined as three hours?

its something that will run for 3hrs or more. your previously comment said "especially", making it sound like the 80% rule applies to loads other than continuous...

I am willing to be educated. I had asked two of my electrician friends about wire size for the hardwired EVSE. One said for the 60 amp breaker it would be either 4 or 6 gauge and that I would probably be fine with 6. The other electrician said he always runs 4 gauge for a 60 amp breaker (unless it is a well over 100 ft run). 60 amp breaker X 1.25= 75 ampacity for continuous loads as he explained. The price at Lowes was the same for either@ $ 1.52 a foot so I figured why not run 4 gauge.

you size the wire @ 125% of the load not the breaker. 48 x 125% = 60a bert already pointed this out above.