Shoutout to the guy at the supply house in Omaha who told me to use a 22/4 wire for long runs

I was wiring a big house out in the country last month and had a 150 foot run for a door sensor. The guy at the counter said to use 22/4 instead of my usual 22/2 to avoid voltage drop, and he was totally right. The sensor reads perfectly every time now, no false alarms. Anyone else have a go-to wire gauge for those super long distances?

3 comments

3 Comments

blair_green862mo ago

Honestly, "super long distances" makes it sound like you're wiring a castle, not just a country house. Tbh, I'm just impressed you found a supply house guy who gives advice that actually works. Usually they just stare at you like you asked for a left-handed hammer.

mark7312d ago

Nah, I gotta disagree a little. Country houses can be way bigger than people think, especially if they have an older addition or a barn conversion you're running power out to. My buddy had to pull wire like 400 feet for his shop and the voltage drop calculators were screaming at him. Those extra conductors aren't for show, they actually let you run a saw or a welder without dimming the lights across the whole property. That counter guy might know his stuff if he's dealt with rural electricians who actually do this kind of work.

willowc602mo ago

Know the feeling of getting good advice from those counter guys, it's like finding gold. Blair's right, most of them just shrug. That tip about using the extra conductors for long runs is a solid one.