What size wire for 150 amps at 50 feet?
Short answer: For a 150 amp load 50 feet away (one way) at 240 V, use 1/0 AWG copper or 3/0 AWG aluminum in conduit with 75 °C terminations, which keeps voltage drop at 0.8% and 0.8%. In NM-B (Romex) cable it is 3/0 AWG copper. The breaker stays 150 A; distance does not force a larger size.
150 amps at 50 feet: wire size by type
| Wire type | Size by ampacity | Size for 50 ft (≤3% drop) | Voltage drop |
|---|---|---|---|
| Copper THHN/THWN-2 in conduit, 75 °C | 1/0 AWG | 1/0 AWG | 0.76% |
| Aluminum XHHW-2 in conduit, 75 °C | 3/0 AWG | 3/0 AWG | 0.79% |
| Copper NM-B (Romex) cable, 60 °C | 3/0 AWG | 3/0 AWG | 0.48% |
| Aluminum SER / NM-B cable, 60 °C | 4/0 AWG | 4/0 AWG | 0.63% |
At 50 ft, voltage drop stays under 3% with the ampacity size, so distance does not force a bigger wire. NEC 250.122(B) then requires the equipment ground to be increased in proportion: start from 6 AWG copper for a 150 A breaker.
Voltage drop of each gauge over 50 ft
| Wire | Volts lost at 150 A | Drop at 150 A | Drop at 120 A (80%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1/0 AWG copper | 1.83 V | 0.76% | 0.61% |
| 2/0 AWG copper | 1.45 V | 0.60% | 0.48% |
| 3/0 AWG copper | 1.15 V | 0.48% | 0.38% |
| 4/0 AWG copper | 0.91 V | 0.38% | 0.30% |
| 250 kcmil copper | 0.77 V | 0.32% | 0.26% |
voltage drop = 2 × length × resistance per 1,000 ft × amps ÷ 1,000
= 2 × 50 × R(1/0 AWG) × 150 ÷ 1,000 = 1.83 V
percent = 1.83 ÷ 240 × 100 = 0.76%
If the real load is the 80% continuous maximum (120 A, as with an EV charger on a 150 A breaker), copper in conduit can be 1 AWG. 3% is the NEC's recommendation for a branch circuit (Informational Note to 210.19), not a hard rule, but motors, compressors and chargers run better with it.
Same 150 A, other distances
75 ft · 100 ft · 150 ft · 200 ft. Minimum sizes with no distance correction: what size wire for a 150 amp breaker.
Other loads at 50 feet
30 A · 40 A · 50 A · 60 A · 100 A · 125 A · 200 A
Change the numbers in the calculator
Safety. A 150 A circuit or feeder over 50 ft needs a permit almost everywhere in the US. Buried runs have their own depth and conduit rules (NEC 300.5), and equipment nameplates override any general table.