Wiring upgrade help

[Al killian]

just givin a mid 70's BS . Now for the bad news, I onlys have two line running to the shop in the basement and both are 20Amp 12-2 wire. My new saw comes with a 10 gauge 220 line . Here is where I need help. I have my apartment upstairs from a resturant, so the wiring has to run from the second floor to the basement. The building is around 60'x40' so the wire would run the length(60') plus down two floors. I want to add a subpanel down there which I have no problems with wiring. Just not sure what size wire I should use for such a long run. The of tools that I have, three of them including the bs will get put over to 220. I am hopeing that this upgrade will help the with the struggling tools on start up. Any ideas?
Al

[Marty Walsh]

Al,

The wire size is dependant on the amps you'll be pulling through it, as well as the length of the run. You need to add up the draw of each of your planned machines, (plus any other load you plan to pull of your subpanel). Then figure out your actual run length.

I don't have a specific answer for your situation, but I'd start by plugging some numbers into one of the many online wire size calculators. Here's a link to an easy-to-use one. There are many others out there.

Hope that helps...
- Marty -

[Travis Porter]

For my shop, I ran number 4 copper to get 100 amps. Per the NEC , and the inspectors, this was what was required. Distance does have an effect, but IIRC, I think if it was 100 ft you were ok.

It wasn't cheap, and it was some stiff wire. I put mine in conduit as I was going underground.

To give perspective, I have a heat pump, and 7 220V single phase tools on it and have never had a problem.

[John Dow]

Check the HP of the bandsaw motor, 10 awg sounds like overkill to me for a typical 14" bandsaw (but then, I'm just assuming thats what it is). The existing wires are estimated to be 60'?

[Al killian]

Thanks guys, I will add up the amps and measure the exact distance need to travel. I am treing to do this as cheap as possible, this is only my tempory shop. Hopefully I will have the the building where my new shop cleaned up and running in no more then a year.