Quote:
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Originally Posted by Mike AA
they say use #6 on a 120 amp breaker, #6 will really only properly sustain ~60 amp.
-Mike
-Electrician
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The rating of 6 gauge wire varies, depending upon the application.
For open chassis wiring 6 gauge wire is listed at 101 amps
http://www.powerstream.com/Wire_Size.htm
and this rating is referred to as conservative.
The robot construction guidelines document, Guidelines_c.pdf, listed
6 feet of 6 gauge wire as carrying 125 amps, based on a 2.5 % voltage
drop for 12 volts. The power dissapated in by the wire in this instance
is 37.5 watts, about a half watt per inch. It is going to get warm, and
you don't want to be giving away .3 volts like that, but it is safe for short
durations in the open air.
One of the things that was refreshing in the 2005 electrical rules
was the reasonable limits for allowed current in the wiring, making
for a lighter robot.