How many #2 THHN fit in 3" Rigid?
262 AWG THHN/THWN-2 wires in 3" Rigid metal conduit (RMC, GRC)
7.499 sq in × 40 % = 2.9996 sq in allowed. ÷ 0.1158 sq in per wire = 25.90, which Note 7 rounds up to 26 because the decimal is 0.8 or more.
This pull in numbers
- 26 wires fill
- 40.1 % of 3" Rigid
- Limit for three or more
- 40 %
- For 27 or more
- 3-1/2" Rigid, up to 34
- Pipe to wire diameter
- 8.05 to 1
- In THW insulation
- 22 fit
- In XHHW-2 insulation
- 26 fit
Before you pull 26
- The ground counts. Every wire in the pipe counts toward fill, the green or bare ground and the neutrals too. 26 is the total, not the hots.
- Derating. If all 26 were current-carrying, each would be adjusted to 45 % of its ampacity (Table 310.15(C)(1)): a #2 THHN at 130 A in the 90 °C column becomes 58.5 A. Grounds don't count as current-carrying. How derating works
- Bends. A full pipe pulls hard. Keep to 360° of bends between pull points, less for a tight fill.
#2 THHN in other 3" conduit
| Conduit | Inside area | Most #2 THHN |
|---|---|---|
| Electrical metallic tubing | 8.846 | 30 |
| Intermediate metal conduit | 7.922 | 27 |
| Rigid metal conduit (RMC, GRC) | 7.499 | 26 |
| Rigid PVC conduit, Schedule 40 | 7.268 | 25 |
| Rigid PVC conduit, Schedule 80 | 6.442 | 22 |
| Flexible metal conduit (FMC, Greenfield) | 7.069 | 24 |
| Liquidtight flexible metal conduit (LFMC) | 7.475 | 26 |
#2 THHN in other Rigid sizes
Other wire sizes in 3" Rigid
#10: 142#8: 82#6: 59#4: 36#3: 31#2: 26#1: 19#1/0: 16#2/0: 13#3/0: 11#4/0: 9250 kcmil: 7300 kcmil: 6350 kcmil: 5500 kcmil: 4