Wiring – 4 awg wire too large for circuit breakers

circuit breakerwiring

I need to run a long circuit out to a stock tank heater in a pasture. This is a 120V, 20 Amp line. Due to length, 4 AWG is called for to hold voltage drop within 3%.

The panel where the circuit will originate is a Siemens G2040. It appears that the 15A and 20A circuit breakers for this panel only accept a maximum size of 6 AWG.

Is it safe to run a short 2 to 4 ft length of 6 AWG wire and connect that to the 4 AWG wire?

— Update – please see my answer below.

Best Answer

Why not bring the 4 AWG all the way into the panel and splice it there. If you are using a 20-A breaker, then you could use 6, 10 or 12 AWG to go to the breaker. The neutral and ground of the 4 AWG cable could be connected without splices if the neutral and ground bars would accept 4 AWG.