What Is A 10/3 Wire?

With thousands of wires available in the market, one can easily get confused, and that is why in this article, I will be answering the question What is a 10/3 wire?

First, a 10/3 wire is an electrical wire popularly used in residential applications, and 10, in this case, represents the gauge while 3 is the number of conductor wires that the cable possesses excluding the ground wire.

Some of the appliances where you can find this wire include small kitchen ranges, air conditioners, and power clothes dryers.

Going forward, I will take you on all that you need to know about the 10/3 wire as well as answer numerous questions about this wire.

Before Running A 10/3 Wire – Things To Note

To avoid making mistakes, and achieve your desired results, it’s important you take note of these points about 10/3 wire:

1. It is a common option when wiring 220-volt outlets (four-pronged outlets in the US).

2. A 10/3 cable comes with two hot wires that are colored red and black, and while the white one is the neutral wire, the green one is the ground wire.

Please note that sometimes, the ground wire may not come with green insulation, you may get a bare copper wire.

3. 10/3 wire is made up of three 10-gauge conducting wires and one 10-gauge ground wire.

4. A 10/3 wire can comfortably serve appliances that pull up to 30 amps, however, you will need wires heavier than 10/3 for appliances that require more than 30 amps.

Please note that sometimes, the ground wire may not come with green insulation, you may get a bare copper wire.

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Frequently Asked Questions About 10/3 Wire

1. Can I Run A 10/3 Wire Underground?

Are you wondering if you can run 10/3 wire underground? The answer is yes, you can, in fact, it’s a suitable choice. 

However, you need to run the cable through a conduit although there are building codes that allow for cables to be run underground if they are buried deeply enough, nevertheless, your best bet would be to use a conduit so as to protect any exterior and underground cable runs.

Additionally, if you are running 10/3 cable underground to an outbuilding or other outlet, I recommend that you employ the expertise of an experienced electrician. 

Please, also note that long cable runs can lead to voltage drops which will affect the delivery of sufficient power, therefore, a larger size wire is needed for a longer cable run.

That being said, if you plan to bury the wire, you need a few conduits as well as wires that are tailor-made for underground use (10/3 wire that has underground feeder capabilities). 

Important factors to consider while burying the 10/3 UF wire include:

1. The voltage drop, and it shouldn’t be less than 3%.

2. If you are using conduits to bury the wire, bury them at least 18 inches, however, if you are burying the wire directly, bury it at least 24 inches.

2. What is the Diameter of 10/3 Wire?

The total diameter for most 10/3 cables is 0.66 inches, however, note that certain factors like materials used, the manufacturer of the cable, and whether or not the ground wire is insulated determine the actual diameter. 

Furthermore, each individual 10-gauge copper wire within your 10/3 cable has a diameter of 0.1019 inches.

Although the 3 conductor wires must be insulated, some 10/3 cables contain an insulated ground wire while other types contain an uninsulated copper wire for the ground. 

This can affect the total size of your 10/3 cable.

3. What Is The Difference Between 10/3 and 10/2 Cable?

While 10/3 cable has four wires, 10/2 cable only has three wires consisting of a white neutral wire, green ground wire, and a black hot wire.  

Although the sizes of the wires are the same, the diameter differs. 

Conclusion

It’s safe to consider this guide to be an expository one as I have dealt with everything you need to know about 10/3 wire.

Do well to follow the instructions in this guide when purchasing and running this wire so as to get your desired results.

Was this guide useful to you? Kindly share your thoughts with me in the comment section.