Stunning Gauge For 20 Amp Circuit
The number of devices connected to the circuit usually determines how much current will flow through the wire.
Gauge for 20 amp circuit. Not sure why they would do this. There is the potential for danger anytime a device or appliance tries to draw more power on a circuit than the wire gauge is rated for. A 15 amp breaker is generally cheaper.
In most home installations several 15 amp receptacles connect to a 20 amp circuit breaker. If that occurs you should remove one of the devices and reset the. The higher the amperage the bigger the wire.
Wire gauges run contrary to what you might think. Electrical current is measured in amps. The gauge of wire you need for your 220 volt circuit depends on how many amperes will be running through the wire.
A minimum of 12 gauge wire is required for a 20 amp circuit. Amperage and wire gauge building codes based on the national electrical code prohibit the use of 14 gauge wire anywhere on a 20 amp circuit. Voltage drop 15 8 volts 200 ft.
Nec regulates 3 voltage drop or 3 6 volts 120 volts or 7 2 volts 240 volts. Household receptacles are connected using 12 gauge wire. Each wire size or wire gauge awg has a maximum current limit that a wire can handle before damage occurs.
Should the circuit breaker fail to operate correctly that heater will draw more current than the wires can safely handle and could heat the wires to the point of melting the insulation around the wires and igniting surrounding materials. All wiring in such circuits must be 12 gauge or larger. To comply with the nec you should run a 4 2 with ground which would only have 2 voltage drop or 2 5 volts.