Upgrading 230V 50A outlet to 60A

[Michael Shaffer]

Hi, I currently have a 50A 220v breaker installed in my carport, which I would like to upgrade to a 60A. The reason for this is the compressor I'm looking at is 10HP and uses 44 amps. I guess I thought I was putting in the biggest outlet I could when I put it in a few years ago, but I was wrong. Anyways, would it be as simple as swapping out the 50 amp breaker in the main fuse panel and the 50 amp in the subpanel outside for 60 amp breakers? Would I have to change the wire also? I believe I have 6/3G wire right now.

Thanks, Michael

[RBM]

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[Eric in North TX]

I'd try the 50 amp breaker, & see if it will carry the load. One chart I found, rated 6-3 at 55 amps. If that is correct, with a 60 amp breaker, the wire would be rated lower than the breaker, which is a no no. As to the socket, from a common sense perspective (if not code); Say you move & leave it that way, the next resident would have good reason to suspect it was a 60 amp circuit.

[RBM]

href="

"> href=""> href=""> href=""> href=""> I'd try the 50 amp breaker, & see if it will carry the load. One chart I found, rated 6-3 at 55 amps. If that is correct, with a 60 amp breaker, the wire would be rated lower than the breaker, which is a no no.

Because there is no standard 55 amp breaker, the NEC allows you to round up to the nearest standard size breaker 60 amp

As to the socket, from a common sense perspective (if not code); Say you move & leave it that way, the next resident would have good reason to suspect it was a 60 amp circuit.