How many #3 THHN fit in 4" Rigid?
533 AWG THHN/THWN-2 wires in 4" Rigid metal conduit (RMC, GRC)
12.882 sq in × 40 % = 5.1528 sq in allowed. ÷ 0.0973 sq in per wire = 52.96, which Note 7 rounds up to 53 because the decimal is 0.8 or more.
This pull in numbers
- 53 wires fill
- 40.0 % of 4" Rigid
- Limit for three or more
- 40 %
- For 54 or more
- 5" Rigid, up to 83
- Pipe to wire diameter
- 11.51 to 1
- In THW insulation
- 45 fit
- In XHHW-2 insulation
- 53 fit
Before you pull 53
- The ground counts. Every wire in the pipe counts toward fill, the green or bare ground and the neutrals too. 53 is the total, not the hots.
- Derating. If all 53 were current-carrying, each would be adjusted to 35 % of its ampacity (Table 310.15(C)(1)): a #3 THHN at 115 A in the 90 °C column becomes 40.3 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 4" conduit
| Conduit | Inside area | Most #3 THHN |
|---|---|---|
| Electrical metallic tubing | 14.753 | 60 |
| Intermediate metal conduit | 13.631 | 56 |
| Rigid metal conduit (RMC, GRC) | 12.882 | 53 |
| Rigid PVC conduit, Schedule 40 | 12.554 | 51 |
| Rigid PVC conduit, Schedule 80 | 11.258 | 46 |
| Flexible metal conduit (FMC, Greenfield) | 12.566 | 51 |
| Liquidtight flexible metal conduit (LFMC) | 12.692 | 52 |
#3 THHN in other Rigid sizes
Other wire sizes in 4" Rigid
#8: 140#6: 101#4: 62#3: 53#2: 44#1: 33#1/0: 27#2/0: 23#3/0: 19#4/0: 16250 kcmil: 13300 kcmil: 11350 kcmil: 10500 kcmil: 7