What size wire for 200 amps at 200 feet?
Short answer: For a 200 amp load 200 feet away (one way) at 240 V, use 3/0 AWG copper or 250 kcmil aluminum in conduit with 75 °C terminations, which keeps voltage drop at 2.6% and 2.8%. In NM-B (Romex) cable it is 250 kcmil copper. The breaker stays 200 A; distance does not force a larger size.
200 amps at 200 feet: wire size by type
| Wire type | Size by ampacity | Size for 200 ft (≤3% drop) | Voltage drop |
|---|---|---|---|
| Copper THHN/THWN-2 in conduit, 75 °C | 3/0 AWG | 3/0 AWG | 2.55% |
| Aluminum XHHW-2 in conduit, 75 °C | 250 kcmil | 250 kcmil | 2.82% |
| Copper NM-B (Romex) cable, 60 °C | 250 kcmil | 250 kcmil | 1.72% |
| Aluminum SER / NM-B cable, 60 °C | 350 kcmil | 350 kcmil | 2.02% |
At 200 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 200 A breaker.
Voltage drop of each gauge over 200 ft
| Wire | Volts lost at 200 A | Drop at 200 A | Drop at 160 A (80%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3/0 AWG copper | 6.13 V | 2.55% | 2.04% |
| 4/0 AWG copper | 4.86 V | 2.03% | 1.62% |
| 250 kcmil copper | 4.12 V | 1.72% | 1.37% |
| 300 kcmil copper | 3.43 V | 1.43% | 1.14% |
| 350 kcmil copper | 2.94 V | 1.22% | 0.98% |
voltage drop = 2 × length × resistance per 1,000 ft × amps ÷ 1,000
= 2 × 200 × R(3/0 AWG) × 200 ÷ 1,000 = 6.13 V
percent = 6.13 ÷ 240 × 100 = 2.55%
If the real load is the 80% continuous maximum (160 A, as with an EV charger on a 200 A breaker), copper in conduit can be 2/0 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 200 A, other distances
50 ft · 75 ft · 100 ft · 150 ft. Minimum sizes with no distance correction: what size wire for a 200 amp breaker.
Other loads at 200 feet
30 A · 40 A · 50 A · 60 A · 100 A · 125 A · 150 A
Change the numbers in the calculator
Safety. A 200 A circuit or feeder over 200 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.