Found some electrical wiring resonably priced on craigslist but it says -----8 gauge (AWG), 3 wire, direct burry electrical cableDOES THAT MEAN ITS 3/0 WIRE? Because I need 3/0 wire direct burriedI am looking to buy some extra 3/0 wire and found some on craigslist for a reasonable price....
8AWG describes the size - way to small for you. 3 wire describes the number of individual conductors - 3. When you are shopping its important that you know for sure 1. what size you need (there is a big difference between copper and aluminum) 2. how many conductors you need (3 if it is for the utility service coming to your house - in almost all cases) 3. and insulation rating (to be buried, it MUST be rated as direct burial) Be sure of what you're buying off of something like craigs list because you'll have a hard time returning it, and it sounds like quite an investment you're about to make.
No this is 3 conductor #8 cable, (40A. /conductor). #3/0 is a LOT larger, (165A.). If you have to ask, you shouldn't be messing with cables that large.
8 guage wire will handle up to 40 amps. The 3/0 wire is used to run service entrance cable for a 200 amp service. If it is direct burial cable, it will have the letters UF on the sheathing.
No, it's not 3/0. 3/0 and 8 gauge are both measures of the conductor size. a 3/0 wire has about 10 times the cross-section area that an 8 gauge wire has. So what you're looking at on CL isn't even in the neighborhood of what you need.
It means the wire is #8 not #3/0. Also, be very leary of buying wire from unknown sources. A single pinhole in the insulation can lead to failure in a year or so underground.
