Current is an electrical quantity defined as the time rate of change of charge (Q), measured in amperes (A), also known as Amps. The heat capacity is directly proportional to the current square, which means the current plays a vital role in evaluating the amps that a wire can carry. Read more about How Many Amps Can A 6/3 Wire Carry.
How much ampere of current a wire carries is dependent on the current carrying capacity. The heat is related to current where the notation I is current, R is Resistance, and T is Time. American Wire Gauge (AWG) is a term used to represent the size of the wire and how much current it can safely carry. The higher the wire gauge value, the smaller the diameter of the wire; similarly, the lower value of the wire gauge will denote the larger diameter of the wire. As the wire gauge value increases in number, the diameter of the wire will decrease, which in turn affects the current value by reducing its value, which will increase the resistance of the wire. 6/3 wire is a bare copper wire which carries current and carries a current of 55 Amps approximately.
What is an American Wire Gauge?
AWG, also known as American Wire Gauge, is the standard system mainly accepted in North America. The gauge is used to determine the cross-section of the wire. Mathematically AWG is calculated using the formula, where is the radius of the wire. The calculation of AWG only considers the principal conductor and not the insulation. Read more about How Many Amps Can A 6/3 Wire Carry.
Wires Categorized based on size.
The wires are categorized based on the size of the diameter. The conductors above 4/0 AWG are measured in kcmil, also known as thousand of circular mils. 1kcmil = 0.5067 mm2. The wire other than 6/3 is 1/3, 2/3. 3/3, and 4/6. Which have different current ratings, and the current carrying capacity increases from 6/3 to 1/3 wire. A 6/3 AWG is a universal wire having black, red, and white wires, including bare ground.
6/3 Dimension Specification
Diameter, length, and cross-section areas are some of the crucial specifications of the wire. This specification affects the resistance of the wire, and that changes the current carrying capacity. A 6/3 AWG wire has a diameter of 4.11 mm and a cross-section of 13.29
6/3 Electrical Specification
A 6/3 cable is a 6 AWG cord having three-stranded bare copper conductors, having 101 strands. The cable is generalized and used almost for every purpose, for example, wiring of appliances, circuits of machinery, and lighting. The voltage rating of the cable is around 600V having a temperature handling from -40° to +90°. The specific current capacity of 6/3 wire is 55A, which uses Ethylene Propylene Diene Monomer Rubber (EPDM) as its insulation material. Due to its current rating capacity, a circuit breaker of 60A is introduced to protect the wire.
6/3 Current Rating For Different Temperature
Copper and Aluminum metals are generally used for 6/3 AWG cord. Usually, both the metal can handle temperatures up to 90°C; the current handling capacity varies for different temperatures. National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) 70- National Electric Code is the standard for designing the electrical system with all safety standards. This is accepted in all 50 states of the U.S and follows the guidelines strictly to protect people from electrical hazards.
6/3 AWG Copper Wire
The standard temperature according to NFPA is 60°C, 75°C, and 90°C. The current handling capacity gets affected as the temperature changes. For 6/3 AWG Copper at 60°C, the current handling is 55 Amps; at 75°C, it is 65Amps; and for 90°C, it is 75 Amps. Though the types of conductors differ at every temperature as insulation material also changes.
6/3 AWG Aluminum or Copper Clad Aluminum
Every material has a different capacity to handle the current. As, the optimistic conductor for carrying current is copper, but the best conductor is silver. Similarly, aluminum is the metal, which is mainly used in the power system infrastructure. For 6/3 AWG Aluminum at 60°C, the current handling is 40 Amps; at 75°C, it is 50 Amps; and for 90°C, it is 55 Amps.
Applications
According to the current-carrying capacity of AWG 6, the few applications are:
- Underground feeder and branch circuit connection.
- Can be exposed to direct sunlight.
Conclusion
The 6/3 wire is the dimensional and number of conductors, categorization of the wire. The wire can be of any material which will vary the current capacity of the wire. If the wire is of copper, the 6/3 AWG will carry a current of 55 Amps whereas if the wire is of aluminum, then the capacity of the wire is 40 Amps.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Can 6/3 wire be made of any material?
Yes, but the commonly used metals are copper and aluminum.
- On what factors does the current carrying capacity of a wire depend?
The current carrying capacity of wire depends on the material, insulation, voltage, and resistance developed.
