Type of wire to run to sub panel

MrAngles

I'm finishing my basement, and decided to add a subpanel for power down there. I'd like to use a 50 or 60 amp breaker in the main panel, but I'm not clear on what wire to use to run to the subpanel. I can't seem to find any romex in 6 gauge or bigger at the big big stores, but I did find this online: http://www.wesbellwireandcable.com/R...mexnmb6-2.html Should I be using romex, or should I be using individual wires in a conduit? Will I need higher than 6 gauge to support 60 amps?

J. V.

The wire in the link can be purchased from a local electrical supply house. But, you need 6/3 NM. Not 6/2 NM. You must run four wires to the sub. H-H-N-G.

MrAngles

Thank you, what's the additional wire for?

kbc

the additional wire is for the ground, in a main panel nuetrals and grounds can be together but in a sub panel they hav to be isolated

MrAngles

Isn't 6/2 three wires, hot, neutral and ground? 6/3 is four leads, right?

BrandonD

Correct... 6/3 with ground contains two hots, a neutral, and a ground. One hot would be connected to each pole of your 2-pole feeder breaker in the main panel to run 240V and then connect to the buses in your subpanel (lugs or breaker).

MrAngles

Gotcha, cool, thank you.

sublime2

Generally speaking the first # in wire description refers to the gauge (thickness) of the wire.
The second # refers to the amount of wires within the sheathing. The ground is almost never referenced in that # but is almost always there.

k_buz

You are correct on the gauge, but the second number refers to then number of insulated conductors.

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sublime2

Tomato, tomAto.
Terminology.
No?

MrAngles

Okay I have my 50A breaker, my sub panel and my 6-3 NM wire, with three 6-gauge conductors and a ground.

My sub panel has three lugs, two for hot and one for negative? Where do I hook up the ground? Do I just screw it in anywhere on the negative bar? Also since this is just going from the attached garage to the basement (it doesn't go outside anywhere), do I take the green screw out?

(sorry for the poor picture)

rrolleston

You will have to add a ground bar.

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rrolleston

Yes it is.

__________________
Please ask me about my special discount for people that shut up and stay out of my way! With Electricity there is the right way to do it and the dead way. Just because it works does not make it safe.

MrAngles

Ok I see where the ground bar will pop in on the left side. Do I need to actually ground it to something in the basement, or is it just a spot for the ground wires to all connect to the 6-3 supply wire's ground?

And how about that green screw?

brric

Remove the green screw.