I am assuming your engineer friend is giving you advice about getting electrical service your own personal home?Background: My building and safety electric engineer said I need to use 3 AWT copper wire to connect a 200 AMP load center to a 200 AMP meter pedestal 100 feet away.
First question: I shop around for prices and I see most places use the terminology 3/0 AWG. Does the /0 indicate that the wire is AWT?
Second question: Do all three wires (2 hot + neutral) need to be the same size? I'm pretty sure the answer is yes, but just checking to make sure the neutral also needs to be 3 AWT.
Third question: I plan to install a new ground rod at the load center that is separate from the ground rod at the meter pedestal. What gauge should a wire that leads into the ground for a 200 AMP load center be? 3 AWT as well?
I was pretty clear about what the engineer said: 3 AWT (pronounced ought).If the engineer said 3 awg copper you need to stop listening to him ...
Well, the spelling is "aught", which is an old synonym for zero. Once upon a time 3-aught was written as 000, 4-aught was written as 0000, and so on. So yes, 3/0 is "three-aught". Which, as another poster said, is not the same thing as #3 -- 3/0 is larger.Internet searches for "3 AWT" lead me to lots of 3/0 AWG products. That's where the confusion occurs. I'm clear as to what the engineer said.
:laughing::laughing::laughing::laughing::laughing::laughing::laughing::laughing::laughing::laughing:I was pretty clear about what the engineer said: 3 AWT (pronounced ought).
Internet searches for "3 AWT" lead me to lots of 3/0 AWG products. That's where the confusion occurs. I'm clear as to what the engineer said.
Yea....I knew that.......(can we say brain fart on my part?)3/0 is larger than 2/0.
:laughing::laughing::laughing: It's 3/0 the zero is your "ought":wallbash:I was pretty clear about what the engineer said: 3 AWT (pronounced ought).
"AWT" = aught = the number zero = wire size larger than 0 AWG. This one's beaten to death so I'll stop there.Background: My building and safety electric engineer said I need to use 3 AWT copper wire to connect a 200 AMP load center to a 200 AMP meter pedestal 100 feet away.
First question: I shop around for prices and I see most places use the terminology 3/0 AWG. Does the /0 indicate that the wire is AWT?
Yes, both hots and the neutral must be the same size. If there is a disconnect at the meter, then you need a fourth conductor (grounding) and it can be smaller. Whether you need 3/0 conductors or could get by with 2/0 for all of them is an open question. Whether you should be using copper versus aluminum is also questionable. I would use aluminum.Second question: Do all three wires (2 hot + neutral) need to be the same size? I'm pretty sure the answer is yes, but just checking to make sure the neutral also needs to be 3 AWT.
You need to install two ground rods at the panel (one if you prove the resistance is under 25 ohms, but don't bother trying - just install two). You also need to bond the building's water service, and connect to the rebar in the slab if there is any. Your grounding electrode conductor needs to be #4 copper, green or bare (no re-marking), running uninterrupted from the panel to the first rod.Third question: I plan to install a new ground rod at the load center that is separate from the ground rod at the meter pedestal. What gauge should a wire that leads into the ground for a 200 AMP load center be? 3 AWT as well?
.... where is your service equipment panel ... the pedestal or the 200 amp panel at the home? Once you can tell us that then read post #12 by mpoultonI was pretty clear about what the engineer said: 3 AWT (pronounced ought).
Internet searches for "3 AWT" lead me to lots of 3/0 AWG products. That's where the confusion occurs. I'm clear as to what the engineer said.
Would it be advisable to avoid writing down the term "AWT" and instead use the terminology 3/0. To avoid any confusion with American Wire Gauge."AWT" = aught = the number zero = wire size larger than 0 AWG. This one's beaten to death so I'll stop there.
You need to install two ground rods at the panel (one if you prove the resistance is under 25 ohms, but don't bother trying - just install two). You also need to bond the building's water service, and connect to the rebar in the slab if there is any. Your grounding electrode conductor needs to be #4 copper, green or bare (no re-marking), running uninterrupted from the panel to the first rod..
Those are code minimums though it is correct to make point of it. Even though #6 is all that is required to ground rods many, many ground rods for residences are connected with #4 GEC.Would it be advisable to avoid writing down the term "AWT" and instead use the terminology 3/0. To avoid any confusion with American Wire Gauge.
Are you sure that we need #4 copper to the ground rods? Strangely, we need #4 copper to the water pipe (if metal leaving the house underground) for the 200 amp service but no fatter than #6 copper to ground rods. Then we would need the #4 grounding electrode conductor running nonstop from the panel to the pipe, and the #6 GEC from the rods to either the panel or to the #4 GEC whichever it reached first.
Ever hear of a rifle, a 30-06? It's commonly called a "thirty ought 6" That's the same terminology used on the wire in question.:yes:I was pretty clear about what the engineer said: 3 AWT (pronounced ought).
Internet searches for "3 AWT" lead me to lots of 3/0 AWG products. That's where the confusion occurs. I'm clear as to what the engineer said.
Yes, you're right. #4 is the largest GEC required for a 200A service supplied by 3/0, but only #6 is needed for the rods.Are you sure that we need #4 copper to the ground rods? Strangely, we need #4 copper to the water pipe (if metal leaving the house underground) for the 200 amp service but no fatter than #6 copper to ground rods. Then we would need the #4 grounding electrode conductor running nonstop from the panel to the pipe, and the #6 GEC from the rods to either the panel or to the #4 GEC whichever it reached first.
I'm using pex.bond the building's water service
