30 Amp Wire Size at 120 Feet (12V DC (Solar / Automotive / Marine))
Complete conductor sizing, Ohm's law voltage drop, $I^2R$ line power loss, and circuit breaker specification for a 30 A load over a 120 ft (36.6 m) one-way run.
Copper Wire (≤3% Drop)300 kcmil152.0 mm² · Drop: 2.57%
Aluminum Wire (≤3% Drop)500 kcmilDrop: 0.31V (2.55%)
Voltage at Load End11.7 VLoss: 0.31 V (9.3 W)
Power & Breaker (125%)0.36 kW40A Breaker Recommended
All AWG & kcmil Wire Gauges for 30 Amps at 120 Feet (12V)
| 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 | 22.58 V (188.16%) | 0.0 V | 37.24 V (310.37%) | 677.4 W | Drop/Amp High |
| 12 AWG | 3.31 mm² | 20 A | 14.19 V (118.24%) | 0.0 V | 23.4 V (195.04%) | 425.7 W | Drop/Amp High |
| 10 AWG | 5.26 mm² | 30 A | 8.93 V (74.4%) | 3.1 V | 14.73 V (122.73%) | 267.9 W | Drop/Amp High |
| 8 AWG | 8.37 mm² | 50 A | 5.61 V (46.76%) | 6.4 V | 9.26 V (77.13%) | 168.3 W | Drop/Amp High |
| 6 AWG | 13.3 mm² | 65 A | 3.53 V (29.43%) | 8.5 V | 5.82 V (48.54%) | 105.9 W | Drop/Amp High |
| 4 AWG | 21.15 mm² | 85 A | 2.22 V (18.5%) | 9.8 V | 3.66 V (30.52%) | 66.6 W | Drop/Amp High |
| 3 AWG | 26.67 mm² | 100 A | 1.76 V (14.67%) | 10.2 V | 2.9 V (24.21%) | 52.8 W | Drop/Amp High |
| 2 AWG | 33.62 mm² | 115 A | 1.4 V (11.64%) | 10.6 V | 2.3 V (19.2%) | 41.9 W | Drop/Amp High |
| 1 AWG | 42.41 mm² | 130 A | 1.11 V (9.23%) | 10.9 V | 1.83 V (15.22%) | 33.2 W | Drop/Amp High |
| 1/0 AWG | 53.49 mm² | 150 A | 0.88 V (7.32%) | 11.1 V | 1.45 V (12.07%) | 26.3 W | Drop/Amp High |
| 2/0 AWG | 67.43 mm² | 175 A | 0.7 V (5.8%) | 11.3 V | 1.15 V (9.57%) | 20.9 W | Drop/Amp High |
| 3/0 AWG | 85.01 mm² | 200 A | 0.55 V (4.6%) | 11.4 V | 0.91 V (7.59%) | 16.6 W | ~ ≤5% |
| 4/0 AWG | 107.2 mm² | 230 A | 0.44 V (3.65%) | 11.6 V | 0.72 V (6.02%) | 13.1 W | ~ ≤5% |
| 250 kcmil | 126.7 mm² | 255 A | 0.37 V (3.09%) | 11.6 V | 0.61 V (5.1%) | 11.1 W | ~ ≤5% |
| 300 kcmil | 152.0 mm² | 285 A | 0.31 V (2.57%) | 11.7 V | 0.51 V (4.25%) | 9.3 W | ✓ PASS (≤3%) |
| 350 kcmil | 177.3 mm² | 310 A | 0.26 V (2.21%) | 11.7 V | 0.44 V (3.64%) | 7.9 W | ✓ PASS (≤3%) |
| 400 kcmil | 202.7 mm² | 335 A | 0.23 V (1.93%) | 11.8 V | 0.38 V (3.18%) | 7.0 W | ✓ PASS (≤3%) |
| 500 kcmil | 253.4 mm² | 380 A | 0.19 V (1.54%) | 11.8 V | 0.31 V (2.55%) | 5.6 W | ✓ PASS (≤3%) |
| 600 kcmil | 304.0 mm² | 420 A | 0.15 V (1.29%) | 11.8 V | 0.25 V (2.12%) | 4.6 W | ✓ PASS (≤3%) |
| 750 kcmil | 380.0 mm² | 475 A | 0.12 V (1.03%) | 11.9 V | 0.2 V (1.7%) | 3.7 W | ✓ PASS (≤3%) |
| 1000 kcmil | 506.7 mm² | 545 A | 0.09 V (0.77%) | 11.9 V | 0.15 V (1.27%) | 2.8 W | ✓ PASS (≤3%) |
Frequently Asked Engineering Questions
What size copper wire do I need for 30 amps at 120 feet (12V)?
To stay within the NEC recommended 3% maximum voltage drop for a 30A load over 120 feet one-way at 12V (DC), you need 300 kcmil copper wire. This produces a voltage drop of 0.31V (2.57%) and delivers 11.7V at the load.
What size aluminum wire is required for 30 amps at 120 feet?
Using aluminum conductors (75°C rating), you should use 500 kcmil to maintain voltage drop at 0.31V (2.55%).
What breaker size is needed for a 30A continuous load?
Under NEC 210.20(A), continuous loads require a circuit breaker rated at 125% of the continuous current (30A × 1.25 = 37.5A), which corresponds to a standard 40A circuit breaker.
Compare Other Distances & Amperages
30 Amp Wire Size by Distance (12V)
30A at 20 ft (12V)30A at 30 ft (12V)30A at 40 ft (12V)30A at 50 ft (12V)30A at 60 ft (12V)30A at 75 ft (12V)30A at 80 ft (12V)30A at 100 ft (12V)30A at 125 ft (12V)30A at 150 ft (12V)30A at 175 ft (12V)