Help with wiring

[smackdown]

I need to wire my building for my Lincoln AC 225 stick welder. I am using a 60 amp breaker in my 200 amp service panal in my house, wired to a subpanal in my building. I know I need a 50 amp breaker for my welder, and some smaller breakers for hand tools and lights. I have a roll of 4 awg wire that was giving to me. I need to run about 50 feet of wire to my building. Will this wire handle the welder?

Thank you in advance

[MAC702]

That wire is way overkill. It probably won't even fit inside the breaker or receptacle. Even #8 wire is overrated for that application, though would certainly give you the full output of the circuit for future upgrades of machines with higher duty cycles.

You could certainly make the #4 wire work, but I'd hate to see it wasted on something that small.

You were asking about this as the wire for a subpanel or the wire to just the welder?

Is this a detached building? Does it already have any circuits out to it? A detached building can only have one circuit to it, so it's usually the subpanel. You can't run another circuit to it from the main.

[smackdown]

Building is detached. No power to it right now. Just trying to under stand what I need to do.

Thank you

[MAC702]

Then use the #4 to the subpanel and put in on a 70A breaker (commonly available.) It can carry up to 85A with the typical 75-degree-C connections that most panels are rated with.

You'll have plenty of available power out there for one man, even if your compressor was running at the same time you were welding under the lights.

You'll want three #4 conductors and a #8 ground to the subpanel for best results, plus a ground rod at the building, too.

[Sandy]

That #4 should make a nice 'no worry' installation for your shop. Caution, depending on building size, don't undersize that sub-panel as far as breaker capacity. I've seen guys try and save a few pennies and end up wanting for slots at a later date. And as long as it's your money we're using :) think about the possibility of future exterior receptacles, yard lights, flood lights. etc.. I like working outside late evenings.

[smackdown]

Thank you fellas