# conductor derating



## wildleg (Apr 12, 2009)

Coach529 said:


> I am too lazy to figure it out today. :biggrin:
> 
> What is the braking point on labor and material?
> 
> ...


not enough info provided to determine.

last time I checked, price was 2/3 for #12 thhn cu vs #10 on the spool.

so, depends on the difficulty of installing the pipe (wide open clg vs nightwork in an already stocked store are 2 different beasts).

you need to check your prices and do the labor for each (including terminations), and decide.


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## Coach529 (Sep 20, 2016)

Brand new build.


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## UnlimitedCurrent (Sep 14, 2018)

Stop being lazy and look up. In the time it took to start thread you could have looked up and had answer.


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## Dennis Alwon (May 9, 2009)

With 9 current carrying conductor's you can derate #12 and still be at 21 amps...Use 10's only if you have a vd issue


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## splatz (May 23, 2015)

By far I see more people just use 3/4" for everything but I think the cost per CCC comes out a little cheaper with 1/2". 

The labor costs are harder to nail down. More bends but easier bends with 1/2", in many cases the calculations / layout are the same amount of time either way; cheaper scrap pile with 1/2". The anchoring ... in some situations I could see it making a difference, not in others.


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## Cow (Jan 16, 2008)

SOP for us, is 3/4" with 9 or less #12's usually.


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## eddy current (Feb 28, 2009)

splatz said:


> By far I see more people just use 3/4" for everything but I think the cost per CCC comes out a little cheaper with 1/2".
> 
> The labor costs are harder to nail down. More bends but easier bends with 1/2", in many cases the calculations / layout are the same amount of time either way; cheaper scrap pile with 1/2". The anchoring ... in some situations I could see it making a difference, not in others.


3/4” was the smallest I ran. 1/2” is useless except for short runs or only a couple of wires. 

Is the cost really that different ?


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