If you search for the wire types, you will end up having various kinds of wire in the market. One of them is 12 gauge wire—however, more, including 8, 10, 12, and more.
But the question is which one is for which purpose, and how will you decide the perfect match wire for your electronic devices? If you have these queries, you are most welcome to read our entire write-up.
Mainly, there are different AMPS for different appliances. Some come with 30 amps; others may come with 20 or 40 amps. Here the AMPS is the short form of Amperes. It refers to the unit of the electric devices.
That’s why people ask if a 12-gauge wire can handle 30 amps. To get the answers and other related information, keep on reading. We will give you every detail about the wire and amps.
Can 12 gauge wire handle 30 amps?
12 gauge wire cannot handle 30 amps. The 30 amps require a 10-gauge wire. The circuit breaker will fail to protect the circuit as well as the device if you use 12 gauge wires for 30 amps. However, the 10-gauge wire can successfully handle the 30 amps. Therefore, you should not use that.
Table of Contents
In a nutshell, a 12-gauge wire is not suitable for 30 amps. It will fail to serve the purpose. Instead, you will get a short circuit or another electrical risk. A 30-amp breaker comes with the requirement of 10-gauge wire.
You can either use 10/2 or 10/3 wire in that case. Both of them can support your 30-amp breaker.
On the other hand, 12 AWG wire is made for the 20 and 25 amps’ breaker. So, if you have 12 AWG wires, you need to buy the 20 or 25 amps’ breakers. Then you can safely use the wire on those devices.
On the other hand, the 10 gauge wire is designed for the 30 amps and 35 amps breakers. That’s why you should not apply 12 gauge wire on a 30 amps breaker. It will entirely fail to backup the bigger size breakers like 30 or 40 amps.
What happens if you use 12 gauge wire for a 30 amp breaker?
If you use the 12 gauge wire for a 30 amp breaker, many things will happen. They all are electric accidents.
Short-Circuit:
When you use 12 gauge wire on a 30, it might create a short circuit due to its wire capacity. It will fail to control the 30 amps voltages.
Damage the thinner wire:
IF you use 12 gauge wire on 30 or more amps circuit breakers. It will damage the thinner wire with lots of currents. The thinner wire will not bear the current or electric flow that the 12 gauge will push.
Fire:
The higher current or electric flow might lead to an electric fire. It will be dangerous to control and solve. Mainly, your circuit breaker will fail to protect the wire from high currents. That will ultimately turn into fire.
Melting Insulation:
12 gauge wire on a 30 amps circuit breaker will damage the insulation. If you use the inappropriate wire, the insulation will melt soon.
Can 12 gauge wire handle 20, 25, 40 amps?
Not all wires can handle all amp’s breakers. Check the section below to know more about them.
20 amps:
The 12 gauge wire can handle 20 amps circuit breaker. It is the ideal capacity and uses 12 gauge wire. You cannot use 10 or 8 gauge wire in your 20 amps circuit breaker. That’s why you have to go for a 12 gauge wire and install it in your 20 amps breaker.
20 amps breakers are the most helpful circuit breaker. You can use it in outlets, bedrooms, and most of your appliances. There the 12 gauge wire will fit the most. It will be able to control 10 electric devices at a time.
25 amps:
A 12 gauge wire can also handle a 25 amps breaker. It is ideal for 20 and 25 amps. You can safely use the wire in your outlets, bedroom, lighting, and other similar purposes. However, you should not use 10 or 8 gauge wire in a 25 amps breaker. 12 gauge will meet the needs perfectly.
25 amps and 20 amps are mostly similar. They don’t require 10 or 8 gauge wire. You can surely use the 12/2 or 12/3 gauge here. You need to insert the wire ideally and tighten the screws of the breaker. That’s it. It will be secure and ready to use.
40 amps:
12 gauge cannot handle 40 amps breaker. It will be a mess, and you will face electric risks now and then. In that case, 8 gauge wire will be an excellent choice here. The 8 gauge wire can handle the 40 amps breaker easily and perfectly. It will be safe too.
The 40 amps circuit breaker requires either 6 gauge or 8 gauge wire. Bit 8 gauge is more appropriate. However, the 6 gauge wire can be used for future-proofing. If you have options, you should go for an 8 gauge wire.
Among these three different amps, 20 and 25 amps go with 12 gauge wire. Anything higher than 25 will look for another gauge. That’s why we added a 40 amps circuit requirement.
From the section above, you know that 12 gauge cannot handle a 40 amps circuit breaker. The same goes for the 30 and 35 amps as well. You need to use different gauges for them too.
How many amps can a 12 gauge wire hold?
A 12 gauge wire can hold 20 amps. It’s the best match for 12 gauge. If you have 25 amps, you can also use the 12 gauge wire. It can hold up to 25 amps. But the 20 amps would be an excellent fit.
However, if you search how many amps can 12 gauge wire hold, you need to ensure the volt requirement. Since amps and wire combinations mostly depend on the voltages.
In that case, we have come up with both 240 volts and 120 volts. Keep on reading to know if your 12 gauge will hold that voltage or not.
At 240 volts:
A 12 gauge wire can hold 20 amps circuit breaker at 240 volts. It’s the primary requirement; in fact, people find it as the best combination. Moreover, if you have different amps, you may need different gauges in that case.
At 120 volts:
A 12 gauge wire can also hold 20 amps circuit breaker at 120 volts. The highest volt is 240. That’s the limit of a 12 gauge wire and 20 amps circuit breaker. There will be no issues at all.
What size wire do I need for a 30 amp?
You need a 10 gauge wire size for a 30 amp circuit breaker. It can be used for both 220v and 240 dryers. But the requirement will change if you have a 220v generator.
A 220v generator will ask you to use a 10 gauge wire.
In that case, 12 gauge wire will fail to handle the electric load, and it will be a risky decision to use 12 gauge wire.
On the other hand, for 240 volts, you can use both 10 gauge wire and 12 gauge wire. But it will depend on the capacity of the appliance. In general, 10 gauge wire is the best match wire size for the circuit breaker.
So, 12 gauge wire has some limitations. You cannot use it for every amp or in every appliance. You have to have a requirement. To meet your queries, you better check the user manual of your electric devices.
Apart from all these things, you should know that 12 gauge is not the ideal preference for most bigger-sized appliances. If you have a dryer, generator or other laundry appliances, you should go for 10 gauge wire size.
How far can you run 10 gauge wire for 30 amps?
You can run 10 gauge wire for 30 amps about 500-600 feet. 600 feet is the maximum distance you can cover using a 10 gauge wire. If you need more, you have to go for other wires and amps.
However, 10 gauge wire is the best match wire size. It goes with most appliances, including a generator, dryer, washing machine, and more. If you have a laundry room, you should use 10 gauge wire.
On the other hand, 12 gauge wire is only better for indoor use. You can use that in lighting, fan, bedroom, outlets, and sockets. That means 12 gauge is for small electrical devices.
Final thoughts
A 12 gauge wire cannot handle a 30 amps circuit breaker. You would better use 10 gauge for a 30 or 35 amps’ breaker. On the other hand, if you have a 20 or 25 amps’ breaker, you can surely go for the 12 gauge wire. It will be the best fit in this regard.