Wire size for generator

[cwoodyfly2001]

I am installing a generator for my house as emergency power.. I need to run about 70 feet of wire from one side of my house to the other so that the gen will be away from all bedrooms and behind a locked fence.. Does anyone know what size wire I would need to run? The outlet on the generator is 30amp 220 volt..
Thanks for the help
cwoodyfly2001

 

[Stuart in MN]

A 30 amp circuit requires 10 gauge copper wire.

 

[fefarms]

10 AWG will carry 30 amps. But the post kind of begs a different question. This sounds like a pretty light duty generator -- 7000 watts or so. it won't run more than a refrigerator and a few lights. Most of these smaller rigs you wouldn't want to leave running while you slept. If the wire will be semi-permanent (vs an extension cord) you might want to step the wire size up to 8 AWG or 6 AWG to allow for a bigger rig in the future.

And please use a proper transfer switch, or a dedicated panel and receptacles, and don't try some stunt like backfeeding your main panel through the electric dryer outlet or some such.

 

[cwoodyfly2001]

Thanks for the fast reply.. I will be installing a transfer switch next to the current panel.. I work out of town and am trying to set up the house so that my wife and kid can still function w/o me around.. The other reason is that I know of several people in the area that have had there generators running out by the garage or the side of the house, go outside to fill the tank only to find someone has stole it... If I would run a cord down the easy side of the house, and put it behind the fence, it would be running outside my kids window and I am not willing to take the chance with carbon monoxide..
The generator is a 6500 watt so I am hoping for some lights, refrigerator, and the gas furnace..