225 Amp Wire Size at 120 Feet (480V Three-Phase (US Heavy Industrial))
Complete conductor sizing, Ohm's law voltage drop, $I^2R$ line power loss, and circuit breaker specification for a 225 A load over a 120 ft (36.6 m) one-way run.
Copper Wire (≤3% Drop)4/0 AWG107.2 mm² · Drop: 0.59%
Aluminum Wire (≤3% Drop)300 kcmilDrop: 3.31V (0.69%)
Voltage at Load End477.2 VLoss: 2.85 V (1108.9 W)
Power & Breaker (125%)187.06 kW300A Breaker Recommended
All AWG & kcmil Wire Gauges for 225 Amps at 120 Feet (480V)
| Wire Gauge | Metric Area | NEC 75°C Cu Ampacity | Copper Voltage Drop | Load Voltage | Aluminum Drop | Line Loss ($I^2R$) | NEC Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 14 AWG | 2.08 mm² | 15 A | 146.65 V (30.55%) | 333.3 V | 241.91 V (50.4%) | 57152.2 W | Drop/Amp High |
| 12 AWG | 3.31 mm² | 20 A | 92.16 V (19.2%) | 387.8 V | 152.01 V (31.67%) | 35914.4 W | Drop/Amp High |
| 10 AWG | 5.26 mm² | 30 A | 57.99 V (12.08%) | 422.0 V | 95.66 V (19.93%) | 22600.1 W | Drop/Amp High |
| 8 AWG | 8.37 mm² | 50 A | 36.44 V (7.59%) | 443.6 V | 60.12 V (12.52%) | 14202.7 W | Drop/Amp High |
| 6 AWG | 13.3 mm² | 65 A | 22.94 V (4.78%) | 457.1 V | 37.83 V (7.88%) | 8938.1 W | Drop/Amp High |
| 4 AWG | 21.15 mm² | 85 A | 14.42 V (3.0%) | 465.6 V | 23.79 V (4.96%) | 5620.6 W | Drop/Amp High |
| 3 AWG | 26.67 mm² | 100 A | 11.44 V (2.38%) | 468.6 V | 18.87 V (3.93%) | 4457.3 W | Drop/Amp High |
| 2 AWG | 33.62 mm² | 115 A | 9.07 V (1.89%) | 470.9 V | 14.97 V (3.12%) | 3535.9 W | Drop/Amp High |
| 1 AWG | 42.41 mm² | 130 A | 7.19 V (1.5%) | 472.8 V | 11.86 V (2.47%) | 2803.0 W | Drop/Amp High |
| 1/0 AWG | 53.49 mm² | 150 A | 5.7 V (1.19%) | 474.3 V | 9.41 V (1.96%) | 2222.4 W | Drop/Amp High |
| 2/0 AWG | 67.43 mm² | 175 A | 4.52 V (0.94%) | 475.5 V | 7.46 V (1.55%) | 1763.0 W | Drop/Amp High |
| 3/0 AWG | 85.01 mm² | 200 A | 3.59 V (0.75%) | 476.4 V | 5.92 V (1.23%) | 1398.4 W | Drop/Amp High |
| 4/0 AWG | 107.2 mm² | 230 A | 2.85 V (0.59%) | 477.2 V | 4.69 V (0.98%) | 1108.9 W | ✓ PASS (≤3%) |
| 250 kcmil | 126.7 mm² | 255 A | 2.41 V (0.5%) | 477.6 V | 3.97 V (0.83%) | 938.3 W | ✓ PASS (≤3%) |
| 300 kcmil | 152.0 mm² | 285 A | 2.01 V (0.42%) | 478.0 V | 3.31 V (0.69%) | 782.1 W | ✓ PASS (≤3%) |
| 350 kcmil | 177.3 mm² | 310 A | 1.72 V (0.36%) | 478.3 V | 2.84 V (0.59%) | 670.5 W | ✓ PASS (≤3%) |
| 400 kcmil | 202.7 mm² | 335 A | 1.5 V (0.31%) | 478.5 V | 2.48 V (0.52%) | 586.5 W | ✓ PASS (≤3%) |
| 500 kcmil | 253.4 mm² | 380 A | 1.2 V (0.25%) | 478.8 V | 1.99 V (0.41%) | 469.1 W | ✓ PASS (≤3%) |
| 600 kcmil | 304.0 mm² | 420 A | 1.0 V (0.21%) | 479.0 V | 1.66 V (0.34%) | 391.0 W | ✓ PASS (≤3%) |
| 750 kcmil | 380.0 mm² | 475 A | 0.8 V (0.17%) | 479.2 V | 1.32 V (0.28%) | 312.8 W | ✓ PASS (≤3%) |
| 1000 kcmil | 506.7 mm² | 545 A | 0.6 V (0.13%) | 479.4 V | 0.99 V (0.21%) | 234.6 W | ✓ PASS (≤3%) |
Frequently Asked Engineering Questions
What size copper wire do I need for 225 amps at 120 feet (480V)?
To stay within the NEC recommended 3% maximum voltage drop for a 225A load over 120 feet one-way at 480V (3-Phase), you need 4/0 AWG copper wire. This produces a voltage drop of 2.85V (0.59%) and delivers 477.2V at the load.
What size aluminum wire is required for 225 amps at 120 feet?
Using aluminum conductors (75°C rating), you should use 300 kcmil to maintain voltage drop at 3.31V (0.69%).
What breaker size is needed for a 225A continuous load?
Under NEC 210.20(A), continuous loads require a circuit breaker rated at 125% of the continuous current (225A × 1.25 = 281.2A), which corresponds to a standard 300A circuit breaker.
Compare Other Distances & Amperages
225 Amp Wire Size by Distance (480V)
225A at 20 ft (480V)225A at 30 ft (480V)225A at 40 ft (480V)225A at 50 ft (480V)225A at 60 ft (480V)225A at 75 ft (480V)225A at 80 ft (480V)225A at 100 ft (480V)225A at 125 ft (480V)225A at 150 ft (480V)225A at 175 ft (480V)