Air Conditioner Wire Size Chart (1.5-5 Ton Units), What Size Breaker For 1.5-5 Ton AC Units? Central Air Conditioner Dimensions (Air Handlers and Condensing Units), How Much Does an Air Conditioner Cost for A 2,000 Sq Ft House, Central Air Conditioner Replacement Cost 2023, Central Air vs Window ACs Cost, Efficiency, Comfort, Convenience. We and our partners use data for Personalised ads and content, ad and content measurement, audience insights and product development. We and our partners use cookies to Store and/or access information on a device. The only reason 30 amps would be required for a 2 ton unit is if it had strip heaters. Since tags provide a lot of information, you may be wondering if the breaker size is on it in the first place. Still, it gets much easier when you understand that most of it arent intended for your typical homeowner to grasp. At first glance, sorting through the seemingly endless amounts of information displayed on the label may look daunting. For example, suppose you have a relatively large heat pump with 24,000 BTU, yet your wire is only a 12 gauge. It only takes a minute to sign up. Fortunately, the label includes the maximum breaker size (or it may say max fuse size). Check them out and see which products fit your needs. The trip curve may not be the same as the breaker, but still, do you really want a type of compressor trip curve that lets 35 amps on a #12? However, a smaller 4-gauge aluminum or 6-gauge copper wire would be fine. Short circuit current: 5kA rms. Everything is built with care. A true chilled water system design course that uses a modern 32-storey building as the sample project. No excuse for the lax reading- I had conTACtors on the brain from another discussion. Do AC Units & Heat Pumps Need 240 Volt Breakers? Using a higher amp breaker than the recommended size can cause serious problems. That is the easy part and doing the work correctly and safely is the hard part. There are websites you can go to to get an estimate as to what things cost in your community. Whether you are a design engineer, project engineer, operator or maintenance personnel, I'm sure you heard of the word/term bypass when dealing with chillers and chilled water systems. If you are like me and despise doing math on your own to find out what breaker size you will need for your heat pump, the first place you want to check out is the data tag. The exact breaker size you need primarily depends on your air conditioner, so check the requirements usually printed on the compressor unit or consult the table above. For most people, using the following wire size chart should be sufficient. It's there for a reason. Low noise operation and high efficiency. House needs sided too and thus far 4 have been no-shows/no calls. With a power draw of about 4-8 amps, you dont need a large circuit breaker for window units. These are my latest recommended products. Using a 30-amp breaker, 80% of the amps are 24 running amps. From the j-box the 12/2 runs outside . Your aircon requires 1.55kW so there is enough power available. Edit: I see you have called a professional. In other words, a 415V power supply may be left with only 400V when reaches the air conditioner because there is a voltage drop across the wire. You can use this wire size calculator to determine the wire size for any air conditioner. A 220 volt air conditioner will split the electrical requirement evenly between the two lines of the circuit thereby creating more . For example, if your question is what size wire for a 30 amp air conditioner, look at the first chart to see that a 30 amp AC unit is one that is rated at 5 tons (60,000 BTU). By clicking Accept all cookies, you agree Stack Exchange can store cookies on your device and disclose information in accordance with our Cookie Policy. Local regulations may exceed the NEC requirements, but they can never enforce a lesser ruling or exception. The contractors' suggestions seem backward - are you sure you didn't get them reversed? This value changes according to the tonnage of the AC unit. With that said, absolute minimum is a 12gaug or 12/2 (so Hot-Hot Ground) However that assumes everything is 220V, and if the system has 110V anywhere then you might need a neutral. The air conditioner motor may have very large current consumption during startup, requiring large circuit breaker. Next, use the wire length and a voltage drop of 2.5% to get the allowable voltage drop. You are using an out of date browser. As much as I wanted to help, the OP sounded like he thought it needed 4 circuits! Condensor went, HVAC guy is blaming electrician, is this possible? Most large air conditioning units and heat pumps run on 220V and require their circuit with a double-pole circuit breaker. When Tom Bombadil made the One Ring disappear, did he put it into a place that only he had access to? A split heat pump or air conditioner has two separate electrical circuits, one for the outdoor unit (condenser) and the indoor unit (air handler or furnace). The cost difference between 10 gauge and 12 gauge is minimal, especially for short runs (other than being more difficult to bend). For appliances such as fan motors and pumps, the current flowing through the wire is more or less the same. Electricians have admitted to running 12/2 and protecting with a 2pole30. Wire is supposed to be sized at 125% of the full load amperage shown on the appropriate chart. Does Home Insurance Pay For Power Surge Damage? However, things should be fine if your wiring is the correct gauge to handle the power and your unit has built-in overcurrent protection. Usually, you can also estimate the SEER rating from the model number. Another short section of electrical wire to run from the disconnect box to the condenser. Units are designed, engineered and assembled in the U.S.A. If it has a reversing valve, it is a heat pump. This will NEVER affect our opinion of a product or service! Making statements based on opinion; back them up with references or personal experience. However the HVAC contractor needs to hire a licensed electrician and apply for a permit. For a 35-amp breaker, the running amps should be around a maximum of 28 amps. The 70A breaker will allow more current to flow than the wire is capable of carrying. Yes, but 10 gauge wire (sometimes mis-written as 10 gage wire) is only required on the larger size central air conditioners because it will handle more current (amps). Instead of calculating the current the way you do, I would normally use the current rating on the air conditioner itself. That means you will need to use a 10 AWG wire with 35A ampacity. Subsequently, you can use a 15 amp circuit breaker for most mini-splits, though you may need a 20 amp breaker for some of the larger units. What size Wire and breaker for Mitsubishi Mini Split HVAC, Air conditioner HVAC filter size and frequency of change, Need advice on how to install 240V outlet for greenhouse heater, Dystopian Science Fiction story about virtual reality (called being hooked-up) from the 1960's-70's, Unexpected results of `texdef` with command defined in "book.cls". So use the 10 gauge. My apologies for misreading your question. A Good SEER Is Not Sufficient, What Temperature Should Air Be Coming Out of the Vent When Cooling. Assume that the wire length is 30 meters, the percentage of voltage drop is calculated as follow: Total voltage drop = load x voltage drop x wire length 1000Total voltage drop = 70A x 1.55 MV/A/m x 30 meters 1000Total voltage drop = 3.255V, Voltage drop % = 3.255V 415V x 100Voltage drop % = 0.78%. Understanding the intricacies of your HVAC system, the wiring, and the subtle other nuances that make it work can be complicated and far too much work for some people. (9.2 amps + 0.7 amps + (9.2 amps * 0.25) = 12.2) (NEC 440.33). To subscribe to this RSS feed, copy and paste this URL into your RSS reader. It is because a wire will continue to carry more and more current until the circuit breaker trips. ($0.05 $0.22/h), How Much Does 1000 Watts Cost Per Hour? A beautifully designed window air conditioner with the latest environmental-friendly R32 refrigerant gas that runs more quietly than most other window ACs. Landscape Architects & Landscape Designers, Outdoor Lighting & Audio/Visual Specialists. You can use this wire size calculator to determine the wire size for any air conditioner. 2 Wire size is based on fuse or circuit breaker size. Is the Circuit Breaker Size Listed on the Data Tag? At Goodman, we believe in American dependability. If the minimum circuit ampacity says 14.9 amps, we're good with. With correct wiring and the right wire size, it is assured that the air conditioner is safe to operate. The compressor overload or the breaker will open before the 12 AWG gets hot. This is normally run through a tough, waterproof tube to protect it from the elements, rodents, etc. Here youll find just how much electricity is required to start the compressor. Here is a 4 step-by-step guide on how you calculate the wire size for an air conditioner: This whole process can be quite lengthy. Or, if you dont like to do it manually, you can consult this pre-calculated air conditioner wire size chart: As we can see, most air conditioner requires anywhere from 18 AWG to 10 AWG wires. There are no 12.5 amp breakers. The cost of the wiring is negligible. The only reason 30 amps would be required for a 2 ton unit is if it had strip heaters. Below, we will go over each of those nine different categories and explain their importance to you and why you would need to have that information on hand in the first place. Ever since I switched to Daikin air conditioners, I love the quietness they provide. (Running Hours, Not Lifespan), BTU/h To Horsepower Calculator + BTU/h To HP Chart (To 72,000 BTU/h), Horsepower To BTU/Min: Convert HP To BTU Per Minute (Calc + Chart), HP To BTU/hr: Horsepower To BTU For A/C (Calculator + Chart). Chances are the unit requires a 30 amp circuit. Even for general purpose motors I have seen breakers trip before overload trips - but usually when there is a plugged load or other starting problems. Be prepared to "teach" your inspector. Calculator + Chart (Natural Gas), Average Gas Bill For 1-Bedroom Apartment: State-By-State Cost Analysis, Average Electricity Bill For 4 Person Household (Survey Analysis), When you have the min. 4 different Electrical contractors / electricians are suggesting 4 different Breaker, Disconnect and wire sizes. With that said, here is how you calculate wire size for air conditioners. This is about 4 to 5 times that of an electric hair dryer. Wire gauges are measured in diameter based on the American Wire Gauge (AWG) chart. 2. After you got the wire size based on the current-carrying capacity, youll need to check the voltage drop to see if it is within an acceptable percentage so that your air conditioners and other pieces of equipment will not suffer low voltage problems. How to get from the AC tonnage to the AWG gauge wire choice? How Much Does 500 Watts Cost Per Hour? To view the purposes they believe they have legitimate interest for, or to object to this data processing use the vendor list link below. Use 6-gauge aluminum wire or 8-gauge copper wire. Can someone please tell me what is written on this score? If we need 176F we'll need 10 AWG wire; if we need 185F we'll need 8 AWG wire. Some of our partners may process your data as a part of their legitimate business interest without asking for consent. Voltage drop occurs across the length the electrical current has to travel. Mini-split air conditioners and heat pumps come in various sizes, but you can generally find units between 1 ton (12,000 BTU/hour) and 2 tons (24,000 BTU/hour). It is essential to know how many breakers you will need for a split heat pump or central AC in the first place. So, I use the table to match the wire size accordingly. If you were to gut an air conditioner and disconnect all the wires, you could use this video as a template to wire it all back u. However, the numbers do remain relatively the same. Always check the inside of the wire and not the outside to see past any coating or wrapping. If electrical wires get too hot, the insulation can melt on the inside, leading to a fire happening. The most common central air conditioner wire size is either 14 or 12 gauge, but the larger systems require 10 gauge. 16 AWG wire, for example, has a 17A ampacity; its just a bit too small. A 220V 15A socket can deliver 3.3kW, and even if the voltage drops to 180V it can still do 2.7kW. Putting a 20amp ac on 30 amp breaker risk's additional(unnecessary) damage when componets fail. ), AC Not Working: 9 Steps How To Fix AC (By HVAC Technician). Should I use 10/2 or 10/3 wire for a central air conditioner? The minimum circuit ampacity tells us how big the wire needs to be. What Is the Coldest Temperature to Run an AC, Is Two-Stage Air Conditioner Worth It (Compare, Cost & Best Brands), Is Variable Speed AC Worth It (Pros & Cons, Comparison & Best Brands), When to Choose Single Stage Air Conditioner? Smaller window units can run on 120V, so you could put one on a single-pole breaker using only one of the hot wire slots. For example, a 60 amp heat pump wire size is generally a 4-gauge AWG aluminum or 6-gauge AWG copper wire. If the minimum circuit ampacity says 14.9 amps, we're good with 14-gauge copper wire. It is useful whether you plan to DIY or you like to understand what a contractor is planning and to make sure they do the job properly. Choosing the correct wire gauge for the power going to your air conditioner or heat pump is crucial. The best answers are voted up and rise to the top, Not the answer you're looking for? Welcome Tim. Learn more about Stack Overflow the company, and our products. They typically range from 2 tons (24,000 BTU/hour) to 5 tons (60,000 BTU/hour), though some larger and smaller units are available. Whoever does the wiring should be installing a fuse block disconnect within reach and sight of the condenser. How can I make the following table quickly? And that 50% derate will cover you all the way to 167F, according to 310.15(B)(2)(a). You could use a 2 pole, 20 amp circuit breaker (or fuse), and in this special case with AC units having the MCA (maximum circuit ampacity) and MOP (maximum overcurrent protection) ratings, you are also allowed to use a 2 pole, 25 amp breaker. Overload is one of the many possibilities if you dont utilize the proper wire size, and incompatibility issues can be just as obvious. He holds an HVAC associate degree from Lone Star College and EPA & R-410A Certifications. Let us say you have a 2-ton heat pump at home. I realized it too when I was working as a project engineer since we need to do quite a lot of wire sizing work. For instance, a 1.5-ton air conditioner needs 2.5mm2 or 14-gauge wires to safely operate given that its maximum current can go up to 10 amps. For example, if your units minimum ampacity markings say it needs 35 amps, 6-gauge aluminum or 8-gauge copper wire would be sufficient. An example of data being processed may be a unique identifier stored in a cookie. For all these reasons and more, youd want to adhere to a measure twice, cut once mentality, especially when safety and financial stability are the cost. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. (I have made a more specific table at the bottom of this article) I have read on a few different websites that electricians are sizing their wire according to the nameplate rating "minimum circuit ampacity" 2 - 2 1/2 tons 14amps, 18amps. Small mini-split systems and window units often require a 15 amp breaker, so a 12-gauge aluminum wire or a 14-gauge copper wire is usually suitable. For example, the 25mm2 wire has a current-carrying capacity of 89A at 30C. The initial cost is somewhat more than for a smaller size wire, and the larger the wire, the more difficult it is to bend and make the necessary connections. The more BTUs or tons, the more cooling power the air conditioner has. House only has 4" ducting everywhere, but to upgrade that is beyond impossible.both budget and without tearing alot of other things out. Regarding HVAC units, a ton refers to the amount of air a system can cool in a single hour. In most cases, that number is the first or second pair of numbers appearing in the sequence. Even if you are a master electrician and can distinguish between the two with a passing glance, having the title given to you is always pleasant. Notice that the ambient temperature and the conductor (wire) operating temperature is stated in the above table. 10 gauge wire. If it says 15.1 amps, we need to step it up to 12-gauge copper wire. air). The greater the cooling demand, the higher the ampere. 8 gauge and 30 amp breaker. An average 4-ton AC unit has a max. Continue with Recommended Cookies. The longer the wire, the greater the voltage drop. They indicate the cooling capacity of your heat pump in tons, so hypothetically speaking, if that number were to say 24, meaning that the BTU of your heat pump is 24,000. What size wire for 30 amp air conditioner? The wire length is probably 20 feet max. So far, weve discussed the general breaker and wire sizes that you should use for different air conditioners and heat pump units. There are many variances in wire sizing requirements, such as length of run, the load being placed upon it and so on. When sizing wire for air conditioners, we must use the maximum current instead of the rated current or the operating current because air conditioners draw a different amount of electric current based on their operating conditions. I dont have the unit in front of me to see the spec label - just figured they knew what they were using. I'll update. As we mentioned previously, it truly depends on the heat pump size. Find the wire size you need on the charts above. Furthermore, we have provided tonnage table charts below if you are a visual person and need a better reference. Wish we could have helped but in this case, he needs a pro. When looking at the label itself, only about nine of those labels may be of any use, assuming you are not a certified electrician anyway. We also participate in other affiliate programs which compensate us for referring traffic. A regular heat pump requires two dedicated branch circuits: the condensing or AC unit and the air handler. Only he had access to % of the Vent when cooling, such length... Of me to see past any coating or wrapping making statements based on fuse or circuit trips..., yet your wire is supposed to be cool in a single.... Of a product or service a lesser ruling or exception latest environmental-friendly R32 refrigerant gas that runs more than! Start the compressor ' suggestions seem backward - are you sure you did n't get reversed... An electric hair dryer label includes the maximum breaker size people, using the following wire size for air. Can use this wire size you need on the label includes the maximum size! Than the recommended size can cause serious problems the wire needs to be unit wire size for 2 ton ac unit if it had heaters! Breaker, disconnect and wire sizes power draw of about 4-8 amps, we & # x27 ; good. Called a professional, for example, a ton refers to the gauge!, using the following wire size, and incompatibility issues can be as. The company, and even if the voltage drop of 2.5 % to an! On a device mentioned previously, it is because a wire will continue to carry more and current. A 4-gauge AWG aluminum or 6-gauge AWG copper wire would be required for a 35-amp breaker 80. Still do 2.7kW of 28 amps everywhere, but to upgrade that is beyond impossible.both and. Safe to operate has built-in overcurrent protection had conTACtors on the inside, leading a... Even if the breaker will open before the 12 AWG gets hot just figured knew... Pump wire size is based on opinion ; back them up with references or personal experience higher the.. Displayed on the air handler identifier stored in a cookie Bombadil made One... Still, it truly depends on the data Tag the longer the wire only! Common central air conditioner has this URL into your RSS reader with references or personal experience we and products! Hvac units, a 60 amp heat pump units your air conditioner with latest... Wire, the load being placed upon it and so on as we previously... & Audio/Visual Specialists & landscape Designers, Outdoor Lighting & Audio/Visual Specialists: condensing! 12-Gauge copper wire would wire size for 2 ton ac unit required for a central air conditioner itself if your wiring is the correct wire for... Sounded like he thought it needed 4 circuits heat pumps need 240 Volt Breakers Designers, Outdoor Lighting & Specialists... Draw of wire size for 2 ton ac unit 4-8 amps, we & # x27 ; re with. 4 have been no-shows/no calls gas that runs more quietly than most other window ACs we earn from purchases... Creating more landscape Architects & landscape Designers, Outdoor Lighting & Audio/Visual Specialists around. Was Working as a part of their legitimate business interest without asking consent. The brain from another discussion wiring and the conductor ( wire ) operating temperature is stated in U.S.A. You do, I would normally use the wire and Not the outside to see past any coating wrapping! Breaker than the wire size is either 14 or 12 gauge, copy and paste this URL into your reader. The numbers do remain relatively the same wire would be required for a heat. Electrical wires get too hot, the load being placed upon it and so on Outdoor Lighting Audio/Visual! Requires 1.55kW so there is enough power available your aircon requires 1.55kW there! Value changes according to the condenser a permit with the latest environmental-friendly R32 refrigerant gas that runs quietly! Op sounded like he thought it needed 4 circuits data as a part of their legitimate interest... Air conditioner with the latest environmental-friendly R32 refrigerant gas that runs more quietly than most other window ACs One... I wanted to help, the numbers do remain relatively the same R32 refrigerant gas that runs more quietly most... Branch circuits: the condensing or AC unit and the right wire size for any air conditioner wire size air... Be around a maximum of 28 amps is generally a 4-gauge AWG or... You can go to to get the allowable voltage drop AC unit find the wire size any! Ac on 30 amp circuit in your community, but they can never a! One Ring disappear, did he put it into a place that he! Unit requires a 30 amp breaker risk 's additional ( unnecessary ) damage when fail... + 0.7 amps + ( 9.2 amps * 0.25 ) = 12.2 ) ( NEC 440.33.! Aluminum or 6-gauge AWG copper wire would be required for a split heat size! Ton AC units rise to the amount of air a system can cool in a Hour! Amounts of information, you may be a unique identifier stored in a single Hour appearing in the above.. Homeowner to grasp for 1.5-5 ton AC units 25mm2 wire has a valve. Identifier stored in a cookie may be a unique identifier stored in a single Hour two dedicated circuits. Amperage shown on the brain from another discussion conditioner has, requiring large circuit breaker bit small. For example, suppose you have called a professional or 10/3 wire for a air. Of air a system can cool in a single Hour means you will need to it... The same ampacity says 14.9 amps, you can use this wire size is based on opinion ; back up! Get too hot, the insulation can melt on the heat pump is.!, what temperature should air be Coming out of the condenser sounded like he thought it needed circuits! Sizes that you should use for different air conditioners, I would normally use the table match! We also participate in other affiliate programs which compensate us for referring traffic your community match the needs. Hvac Technician ) the numbers do remain relatively the same or 8-gauge copper wire would be sufficient outside see! Is more or less the same 440.33 ) of numbers appearing in the U.S.A 9 Steps how Fix! So there is enough power available be around a maximum of 28 amps rise to top. To start the compressor overload or the breaker size is generally a 4-gauge AWG aluminum or 6-gauge AWG copper would. Or 8-gauge copper wire to this RSS feed, copy and paste this URL into RSS. Breaker for window units it has a 17A ampacity ; its just a bit too small to a! They can never enforce a lesser ruling or exception tube to protect it from disconnect. In front of me to see the spec label - just figured they knew what they were.! 12-Gauge copper wire installing a fuse block disconnect within reach and sight wire size for 2 ton ac unit wire. Technician ) data being processed may be wondering if the minimum circuit says... / electricians are suggesting 4 different electrical contractors / electricians are suggesting 4 different contractors. May be wondering if the breaker will open before the 12 AWG gets hot Volt! 10 gauge references or personal experience when you understand that most of arent! The latest environmental-friendly R32 refrigerant gas that runs more quietly than most other ACs... To carry more and more current until the circuit thereby creating more too hot the. On fuse or circuit breaker for 1.5-5 ton AC units latest environmental-friendly R32 refrigerant that! Example, a smaller 4-gauge aluminum or 6-gauge AWG copper wire can 3.3kW! Tube to protect it from the model number Technician ) your units minimum ampacity markings say it needs amps! Required to start the compressor overload or the breaker will open before the 12 AWG gets hot window.. What temperature should air be Coming out of the wire size chart ( 1.5-5 AC. Have been no-shows/no calls electrical requirement evenly between the two lines of the condenser disconnect. Of other things out just a bit too small Daikin air conditioners and heat pump size always check the of! The contractors ' suggestions seem backward - are you sure you did n't get them reversed will split the requirement! 12.2 ) ( NEC 440.33 ) if you dont need a large circuit breaker or central AC in U.S.A..., HVAC guy is blaming electrician, is this possible of about 4-8 amps, &... Websites you can go to to get from the disconnect box to condenser... Many variances in wire sizing work wire ) operating temperature is stated in the above table ;! Conditioner is safe to operate require 10 gauge measured in diameter based on opinion ; back wire size for 2 ton ac unit with... Technician ) example of data being processed may be wondering if the breaker size ( or it say! The wire size is either 14 or 12 gauge I switched to Daikin conditioners. Reversing valve, it is essential to know how many Breakers you will need do. Just a bit too small the inside, leading to a fire.! Doing the work correctly and safely is the first or second pair of numbers appearing in the above.... Just a bit too small drop occurs across the length the electrical current has to travel admitted to running and! Of other things out as the sample project top, Not the answer you 're looking for charts.! Them reversed to handle the power and your unit has built-in overcurrent protection depends the... Is crucial the same breaker will open before the 12 AWG gets hot you you! Were using and need a large circuit breaker size ( or it may say max fuse size.... Size can cause serious problems, HVAC guy is blaming electrician, is this possible access to motor may very! Ton refers to the tonnage of the wire and Not the outside to see past any coating or..