250 Amp Wire Size at 450 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 250 A load over a 450 ft (137.2 m) one-way run.
Copper Wire (≤3% Drop)250 kcmil126.7 mm² · Drop: 2.09%
Aluminum Wire (≤3% Drop)350 kcmilDrop: 11.82V (2.46%)
Voltage at Load End470.0 VLoss: 10.03 V (4343.8 W)
Power & Breaker (125%)207.85 kW350A Breaker Recommended
All AWG & kcmil Wire Gauges for 250 Amps at 450 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 | 611.05 V (127.3%) | 0.0 V | 1007.95 V (209.99%) | 264593.5 W | Drop/Amp High |
| 12 AWG | 3.31 mm² | 20 A | 383.98 V (80.0%) | 96.0 V | 633.4 V (131.96%) | 166270.2 W | Drop/Amp High |
| 10 AWG | 5.26 mm² | 30 A | 241.63 V (50.34%) | 238.4 V | 398.58 V (83.04%) | 104630.1 W | Drop/Amp High |
| 8 AWG | 8.37 mm² | 50 A | 151.85 V (31.64%) | 328.1 V | 250.48 V (52.18%) | 65753.2 W | Drop/Amp High |
| 6 AWG | 13.3 mm² | 65 A | 95.56 V (19.91%) | 384.4 V | 157.63 V (32.84%) | 41380.0 W | Drop/Amp High |
| 4 AWG | 21.15 mm² | 85 A | 60.09 V (12.52%) | 419.9 V | 99.13 V (20.65%) | 26021.5 W | Drop/Amp High |
| 3 AWG | 26.67 mm² | 100 A | 47.66 V (9.93%) | 432.3 V | 78.61 V (16.38%) | 20635.7 W | Drop/Amp High |
| 2 AWG | 33.62 mm² | 115 A | 37.8 V (7.88%) | 442.2 V | 62.36 V (12.99%) | 16369.9 W | Drop/Amp High |
| 1 AWG | 42.41 mm² | 130 A | 29.97 V (6.24%) | 450.0 V | 49.44 V (10.3%) | 12977.0 W | Drop/Amp High |
| 1/0 AWG | 53.49 mm² | 150 A | 23.76 V (4.95%) | 456.2 V | 39.19 V (8.17%) | 10288.9 W | Drop/Amp High |
| 2/0 AWG | 67.43 mm² | 175 A | 18.85 V (3.93%) | 461.2 V | 31.09 V (6.48%) | 8161.9 W | Drop/Amp High |
| 3/0 AWG | 85.01 mm² | 200 A | 14.95 V (3.11%) | 465.0 V | 24.66 V (5.14%) | 6474.0 W | Drop/Amp High |
| 4/0 AWG | 107.2 mm² | 230 A | 11.86 V (2.47%) | 468.1 V | 19.56 V (4.07%) | 5133.9 W | Drop/Amp High |
| 250 kcmil | 126.7 mm² | 255 A | 10.03 V (2.09%) | 470.0 V | 16.55 V (3.45%) | 4343.8 W | ✓ PASS (≤3%) |
| 300 kcmil | 152.0 mm² | 285 A | 8.36 V (1.74%) | 471.6 V | 13.79 V (2.87%) | 3620.8 W | ✓ PASS (≤3%) |
| 350 kcmil | 177.3 mm² | 310 A | 7.17 V (1.49%) | 472.8 V | 11.82 V (2.46%) | 3104.1 W | ✓ PASS (≤3%) |
| 400 kcmil | 202.7 mm² | 335 A | 6.27 V (1.31%) | 473.7 V | 10.34 V (2.15%) | 2715.1 W | ✓ PASS (≤3%) |
| 500 kcmil | 253.4 mm² | 380 A | 5.02 V (1.04%) | 475.0 V | 8.27 V (1.72%) | 2171.9 W | ✓ PASS (≤3%) |
| 600 kcmil | 304.0 mm² | 420 A | 4.18 V (0.87%) | 475.8 V | 6.9 V (1.44%) | 1810.4 W | ✓ PASS (≤3%) |
| 750 kcmil | 380.0 mm² | 475 A | 3.34 V (0.7%) | 476.7 V | 5.52 V (1.15%) | 1448.3 W | ✓ PASS (≤3%) |
| 1000 kcmil | 506.7 mm² | 545 A | 2.51 V (0.52%) | 477.5 V | 4.14 V (0.86%) | 1086.2 W | ✓ PASS (≤3%) |
Frequently Asked Engineering Questions
What size copper wire do I need for 250 amps at 450 feet (480V)?
To stay within the NEC recommended 3% maximum voltage drop for a 250A load over 450 feet one-way at 480V (3-Phase), you need 250 kcmil copper wire. This produces a voltage drop of 10.03V (2.09%) and delivers 470.0V at the load.
What size aluminum wire is required for 250 amps at 450 feet?
Using aluminum conductors (75°C rating), you should use 350 kcmil to maintain voltage drop at 11.82V (2.46%).
What breaker size is needed for a 250A continuous load?
Under NEC 210.20(A), continuous loads require a circuit breaker rated at 125% of the continuous current (250A × 1.25 = 312.5A), which corresponds to a standard 350A circuit breaker.
Compare Other Distances & Amperages
250 Amp Wire Size by Distance (480V)
250A at 20 ft (480V)250A at 30 ft (480V)250A at 40 ft (480V)250A at 50 ft (480V)250A at 60 ft (480V)250A at 75 ft (480V)250A at 80 ft (480V)250A at 100 ft (480V)250A at 120 ft (480V)250A at 125 ft (480V)250A at 150 ft (480V)250A at 175 ft (480V)