Expert: Rick Miell - 4/25/2005

Question
Rick

Thanks for your help with my last question. Everything worked out great. Now for my next project. I just bought a hot tub. The hot tub draws a max of 47 amps at 240 volts. I have to run the wire about 60 feet. What I need to know is what size breakers to use and whate gauge wire to run.

Thanks
Bob Watson


Answer
Hi Bob.

Glad everything worked out for you.

To size your wire, you must take the amp rating and add 25%.  47 X 1.25 = 58.75amps.  Your wire needs to be able to handle this.  The wire can be larger, but not smaller.  #4 copper is rated at 70amps, so this would be the smallest allowed by code.  For your breaker, use the same calculation, but the result is a maximum (except when the result is not a standard size, the code allows you to go up one size)  This means the breaker needs to be a 60 amp breaker.

wire = #4 copper, breaker 60amps

Hope this helps.

Rick Miell