How many #3 THHN fit in 2-1/2" PVC Sch 80?
173 AWG THHN/THWN-2 wires in 2-1/2" Rigid PVC conduit, Schedule 80
4.119 sq in × 40 % = 1.6476 sq in allowed. ÷ 0.0973 sq in per wire = 16.93, which Note 7 rounds up to 17 because the decimal is 0.8 or more.
This pull in numbers
- 17 wires fill
- 40.2 % of 2-1/2" PVC Sch 80
- Limit for three or more
- 40 %
- For 18 or more
- 3" PVC Sch 80, up to 26
- Pipe to wire diameter
- 6.51 to 1
- In THW insulation
- 14 fit
- In XHHW-2 insulation
- 17 fit
Before you pull 17
- The ground counts. Every wire in the pipe counts toward fill, the green or bare ground and the neutrals too. 17 is the total, not the hots.
- Derating. If all 17 were current-carrying, each would be adjusted to 50 % of its ampacity (Table 310.15(C)(1)): a #3 THHN at 115 A in the 90 °C column becomes 57.5 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.
#3 THHN in other 2-1/2" conduit
| Conduit | Inside area | Most #3 THHN |
|---|---|---|
| Electrical metallic tubing | 5.858 | 24 |
| Intermediate metal conduit | 5.135 | 21 |
| Rigid metal conduit (RMC, GRC) | 4.866 | 20 |
| Rigid PVC conduit, Schedule 40 | 4.695 | 19 |
| Rigid PVC conduit, Schedule 80 | 4.119 | 17 |
| Flexible metal conduit (FMC, Greenfield) | 4.909 | 20 |
| Liquidtight flexible metal conduit (LFMC) | 4.881 | 20 |
#3 THHN in other PVC Sch 80 sizes
Other wire sizes in 2-1/2" PVC Sch 80
#14: 170#12: 124#10: 78#8: 45#6: 32#4: 20#3: 17#2: 14#1: 10#1/0: 9#2/0: 7#3/0: 6#4/0: 5250 kcmil: 4300 kcmil: 3350 kcmil: 3500 kcmil: 1