I agree with Mike...its not to code, and I am still discussing with the client on what he wants. He is going to do some measurements on the current draw for me, and from what he has stated the normal draw is around 8A so thats within 16AWG wire. However the concern is also the stall current that he said was around 25A but is going to confirm for me. If it spikes at 25A, and I shut it down after a second or two (using a current sensor) the wire should still be OK then. I was planning on using THHN, and it will be 'open' to the extent that it will be 4 wires in an open bundle. Harold Hallikainen wrote: To me, there are two issues in determining the wire size required to carry a certain current. These are the voltage drop and the temperature rise. Short runs, of course, have less resistance, so you can get away with a smaller wire size without excessive voltage drop. The temperature rise, though, is pretty much determined by the I2R loss per unit length of the wire and how well the wire can radiate or conduct the heat away. You CAN run a higher current through a wire if the insulation is rated for a higher temperature. Here in the US, for residential/industrial wiring, TW insulation has a lower temperature rating than THHN, so THHN is rated to carry more current. Another issue is the wire environment. Wire in open air is rated to carry more current than wire in a bundle in conduit. Harold -- FCC Rules Updated Daily at http://www.hallikainen.com - Advertising opportunities available! -- http://www.piclist.com PIC/SX FAQ & list archive View/change your membership options at http://mailman.mit.edu/mailman/listinfo/piclist --------------------------------- Do you Yahoo!? Get on board. You're invited to try the new Yahoo! Mail. -- http://www.piclist.com PIC/SX FAQ & list archive View/change your membership options at http://mailman.mit.edu/mailman/listinfo/piclist