What size wire for 60 amps at 200 feet?
Short answer: For a 60 amp load 200 feet away (one way) at 240 V, use 3 AWG copper or 1 AWG aluminum in conduit with 75 °C terminations, which keeps voltage drop at 2.5% and 2.5%. In NM-B (Romex) cable it is 3 AWG copper. The breaker stays 60 A; the extra size is only for distance.
60 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 | 6 AWG | 3 AWG | 2.45% |
| Aluminum XHHW-2 in conduit, 75 °C | 4 AWG | 1 AWG | 2.53% |
| Copper NM-B (Romex) cable, 60 °C | 4 AWG | 3 AWG | 2.45% |
| Aluminum SER / NM-B cable, 60 °C | 3 AWG | 1 AWG | 2.53% |
That is one or more sizes above the 6 AWG that ampacity alone allows: at 200 ft the run, not the breaker, decides the gauge. NEC 250.122(B) then requires the equipment ground to be increased in proportion: start from 10 AWG copper for a 60 A breaker.
Voltage drop of each gauge over 200 ft
| Wire | Volts lost at 60 A | Drop at 60 A | Drop at 48 A (80%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 AWG copper | 11.78 V | 4.91% | 3.93% |
| 4 AWG copper | 7.39 V | 3.08% | 2.46% |
| 3 AWG copper | 5.88 V | 2.45% | 1.96% |
| 2 AWG copper | 4.66 V | 1.94% | 1.55% |
| 1 AWG copper | 3.70 V | 1.54% | 1.23% |
voltage drop = 2 × length × resistance per 1,000 ft × amps ÷ 1,000
= 2 × 200 × R(3 AWG) × 60 ÷ 1,000 = 5.88 V
percent = 5.88 ÷ 240 × 100 = 2.45%
If the real load is the 80% continuous maximum (48 A, as with an EV charger on a 60 A breaker), copper in conduit can be 4 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 60 A, other distances
50 ft · 75 ft · 100 ft · 150 ft. Minimum sizes with no distance correction: what size wire for a 60 amp breaker.
Other loads at 200 feet
30 A · 40 A · 50 A · 100 A · 125 A · 150 A · 200 A
Change the numbers in the calculator
Safety. A 60 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.