How many 500 kcmil THHN fit in 3-1/2" IMC?
6500 kcmil THHN/THWN-2 wires in 3-1/2" Intermediate metal conduit
10.584 sq in × 40 % = 4.2336 sq in allowed. ÷ 0.7073 sq in per wire = 5.99, which Note 7 rounds up to 6 because the decimal is 0.8 or more.
This pull in numbers
- 6 wires fill
- 40.1 % of 3-1/2" IMC
- Limit for three or more
- 40 %
- For 7 or more
- 4" IMC, up to 7
- Pipe to wire diameter
- 3.87 to 1
- In THW insulation
- 5 fit
- In XHHW-2 insulation
- 6 fit
Before you pull 6
- The ground counts. Every wire in the pipe counts toward fill, the green or bare ground and the neutrals too. 6 is the total, not the hots.
- Derating. If all 6 were current-carrying, each would be adjusted to 80 % of its ampacity (Table 310.15(C)(1)): a 500 kcmil THHN at 430 A in the 90 °C column becomes 344 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.
500 kcmil THHN in other 3-1/2" conduit
| Conduit | Inside area | Most 500 kcmil THHN |
|---|---|---|
| Electrical metallic tubing | 11.545 | 6 |
| Intermediate metal conduit | 10.584 | 6 |
| Rigid metal conduit (RMC, GRC) | 10.010 | 5 |
| Rigid PVC conduit, Schedule 40 | 9.737 | 5 |
| Rigid PVC conduit, Schedule 80 | 8.688 | 5 |
| Flexible metal conduit (FMC, Greenfield) | 9.621 | 5 |
| Liquidtight flexible metal conduit (LFMC) | 9.731 | 5 |
500 kcmil THHN in other IMC sizes
Other wire sizes in 3-1/2" IMC
#10: 200#8: 115#6: 83#4: 51#3: 43#2: 36#1: 27#1/0: 23#2/0: 19#3/0: 16#4/0: 13250 kcmil: 10300 kcmil: 9350 kcmil: 8500 kcmil: 6