60 amp sub panel wire size aluminum. The 100amp panel will feed a heat pump compressor air handler with heat strips total load 70 amps and about 4 20 amp outlet lines. The aluminum wire is much cheaper and is allowed as a feeder in my area atleast and is perfectly safe if installed correctly. I will be using a double pole 60 and gfi circuit breaker in the main panel to a 60 amp pull out on outside of work shop then inside to the subpanel. The length from the main panel to the workshop is about 105 feet.
The cost of wire. As an electrical contractor i would use a urd cable an underground aluminum cable that every utility company uses and use a 4 four wire system. This gives you the opportunity to run two 120v circuits off two different breakers from your main panel to the shop. I may run one saw at a time or a couple of saws.
Wire size chart and maximum amp ratings. At 60a it sounds like y. A 60 amp sub panel would require you two have minimum 6 copper wire. You would have two hot wires one neutral wire and one ground wire.
A 50 amp circuit breaker or fuse box can also be powered by 6 gauge wire. If this were my shop and i needed 60a service at 100 feet i would likely run 8 gauge wire 83wground. Harper reinstate monica jul 10 16 at 2154. 4 the nec allows a maximum of a 3 voltage drop on the main branch of a circuit at the farthest outlet of power and 5 total to both feeders and branch circuits to the farthest outlet.
I have previously wired a 60 amp sub panel in this house. What would be a good size wire. I have 200amp service though and ran 2 guage aluminum wire with a 60amp breaker in the breaker box in the house feeding a 100amp breaker panel in the garage. When the amperage increases the width of the wire needs to be larger to conduct more electricity.
The calculator allows entry of a voltage drop but caution should be used when doing so to make sure you are calculating the wire sizes in accordance with nec article 210 19 fpn no. In the us the nfpa70 national electric code nec table 31015b16 2014 says that 3awg copper wire w. The 60a breaker will continue to protect the wires and a 100a sub panel can obviously handle 60a. For 60 amp electrical service 6 gauge copper or aluminum wire is the correct size to power such devices as electric furnaces and large electric heaters.
If you are running 60a wire and a 60a breaker in the main panel feel free to upsize to a larger sub panel which will give you more breaker spaces. Depends on the maximum ambient temperature the type temperature rating of the insulation and whether the conductor is copper or aluminum.