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What type of wire for dedicated 20A AC lines?

I’m about to have two 20A dedicated lines installed. What type of wire should I use? I know there are differences of opinion on whether to use 10 AWG or 12 AWG, however the link below makes a great case for using even 8 AWG solid core copper on longer runs like mine will be (50 ft), to ensure a lower resistance, lower voltage drop over the long run, and therefore more access to instantaneous current for my Gryphon Diablo 300. The wire would need to be stepped down to 10 AWG to connect with the receptacle. The article actually states that the thickness of the wire is more important than the fact that it is dedicated…

Assuming I want to follow this advice, which again makes sense to me, where would I find such wire to give to my electrician?

 

nyev
nyev OP
1,031 posts
 

@jea48 , just called the electrician that my dealer directed me to. Very glad you explained the difference in cables to me, thank you! Electrician immediately assumed I would want BX. I explained that no I need the separate ground wire and the electrician said “ah you need the insulated green with the metal clad” and he said that made total sense for the application, so that each device has their own connection to our house’s ground. So thanks again for clarifying that or I wouldn’t have known.

He also said he understood the need for heavier gauge solid core wire to support instantaneous current availability, which he said would be particularly important for longer runs like what I need.

Glad I started this thread or I may have ended up with the wrong wire!

He is coming by in a week or so to provide an estimate.

gdnrbob
4,507 posts
 

Good old Jea48, always has the best info on Audiogon, with regard to anything electrical.

B

audioguy85's avatar
audioguy85
2,033 posts
 

12 gauge...why make life diffucult restling with 10 gauge....code for 20 Amp is the yellow romex 12 gauge. The 10 is overkill. 

 

nyev OP
1,031 posts
 

With 10 AWG vs 12 AWG there seems to be strong differences of opinion. But my electrician had no concerns and said the 10 AWG would offer lower resistance and a lower voltage drop over a longer run which I need. That part is totally accurate and I believe is not in dispute.

What IS in dispute is whether said voltage drop with lighter wire is enough to impact performance. But for me, if the electrician is willing to go with 10 AWG, it seems like a no-brainer. There is no downside except a relatively small extra cost.

BTW my electrician said 10 AWG wire is used in commercial applications all the time.

nyev OP
1,031 posts
 

Regarding multiple paths to ground with my two dedicated lines:  I’m not sure yet if I will run my amp off one and my sources with a conditioner off another, or if I run everything on one line with a conditioner.  I guess it depends on how the amp performs plugged directly into its own new line, vs plugged into the conditioner with everything else.  But if I do end up connecting the amp to its own new line, and my conditioner and sources in the other new line, am I heading into ground loop territory?

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