Voltage drop analysis for 6 AWG copper wire over a 50-foot one-way run. See whether this gauge is suitable for your circuit at various loads and voltages.
Single phase, copper conductor, one-way distance. ✅ = under 3%, ⚠️ = 3-5%, ❌ = over 5%
| Load | V-Drop | @ 120V | @ 240V |
|---|---|---|---|
| 15A | 0.59V | ✅ 0.5% | ✅ 0.2% |
| 20A | 0.79V | ✅ 0.7% | ✅ 0.3% |
| 30A | 1.19V | ✅ 1.0% | ✅ 0.5% |
| 40A | 1.58V | ✅ 1.3% | ✅ 0.7% |
| 50A | 1.98V | ✅ 1.6% | ✅ 0.8% |
Voltage drop for single-phase circuits: Vdrop = 2 × I × R × L
Where I = current in amps, R = resistance per foot (0.000395 Ω/ft for 6 AWG copper), and L = one-way distance (50 ft).
The factor of 2 accounts for both the supply and return conductors. NEC recommends a maximum 3% voltage drop for branch circuits and 5% for the total circuit (feeder + branch).
If voltage drop is too high: Use the next larger wire size. Going from 6 to 5 AWG roughly halves the voltage drop. Alternatively, for 120V loads, consider rewiring for 240V — same absolute drop but half the percentage.