NEC says 14ga is acceptable for 15amp. Don't know what code book they got down there, but NEC is pretty much the law everywhere I've built. All that aside, I don't use it. You just never know what some moron will do somewhere further on down the line, and I don't like to see things I've built burn down.

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On some nights I still believe that a car with the fuel gauge on empty can run about fifty more miles if you have the right music very loud on the radio. - HST

1983 300SD - 305000
1984 Toyota Landcruiser - 190000
1994 GMC Jimmy - 203000

https://media.giphy.com/media/X3nnss8PAj5aU/giphy.gif

The rule I've seen my electricians use for conduit runs is nothing over a total of 360° worth of bends or you need another pull-box.

When pulling the underground stuff, if you can put the bends on AFTER you've pulled the cable through the long run, that would be the way to go.

I had to pull 3 sets of paired 4/0 through 45 feet of 3" conduit, from a new power transformer's location to the to-be-installed CT Panel's location on the outside of the building...wrestling with that crap was fun (25° F). But, after the wire was pulled and enough leader was left on both ends, we then threaded the elbows on, and stubbed up the excess...the new transformer platform and transformer dropped right over the tails and the CT cabinet stubbed right on top of the three threaded ends of the 3" tubes coming up at the building...thank you GOD we didn't pull the cable with those elbows and stub-ups on!

You'll never hurt yourself going up one guage size in wire from what's initially mentioned...particularly on long runs and when you're looking at higher amperage. The less loss you experience in the run also translates in lower electrical costs. Whether you use the juice or heat up the conduit with the smaller guage wire, you'll still pay for anything (including the heating of the conduit) down-wire from the meter. We went that extra guage up when we did the new service for our transmitter plant...a small investment that won't come back and bite us in the @55 later on...

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M. G. Burg
'10 - Dakota SXT - Daily Ride / ≈ 172.5K
.'76 - 450SLC - 107.024.12 / < .89.20 K
..'77 - 280E - 123.033.12 / > 128.20 K
...'67 - El Camino - 283ci / > 207.00 K
....'75 - Yamaha - 650XS / < 21.00 K
.....'87 - G20 Sportvan / > 206.00 K
......'85 - 4WINNS 160 I.O. / 140hp
.......'74 - Honda CT70 / Real 125
.
“I didn’t really say everything I said.”
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ~ Yogi Berra ~

Yep. New codes are now being implemented to protect us from ourselves. Now all receptacles shall be tamper resistant and pretty soon all single pole circuits will be arc faults combination type. That raises the price from bout $3.5 a breaker to about 32 each. 14 g is used outside the city all over to keep costs down, but SA wont allow it. Not sure I understand why they require the use of 12 ga wire, 20A breakers and only 15A receptacles?

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1984 300SD Orient Red/ Palomino
1989 560SEC
2016 Mazda 6 6 speed manual
1995 Ford F-150 reg cab 4.9 5speed manual

* - First, the receptacle should be able to inhibit the insertion of a 20Amp. appliance. Should that fail...

* - 2nd, the 20A breaker should pop before the...

* - 3rd item, the 12 ga., wire heats up to the point of melting down and starting a fire in the wall/ceiling where it's laid/stuffed/hiding.

Personally, I'd rather replace the outlet or breaker...burnt wiring sucks...I had the fun job of removing melted wiring from the wall of a "Wausau Home" one time...the only thing that kept that pile of tinder from going up (as it should have) was the idiot that did the wiring (Improperly...he went down in guage size, not UP! ) was the fact that when he stuffed the insulation back in, he also hermetically sealed the plywood back on the studs and effectively smothered the flames due to lack of oxygen getting behind the wall and feeding the burning plastic and insulation (Yes, the insulation burned/melted too!).

I don't know if he's killed anyone yet...the guy was an idiot then and I don't think he's much changed...TG I haven't see him in over 25 years to find out...

__________________

M. G. Burg
'10 - Dakota SXT - Daily Ride / ≈ 172.5K
.'76 - 450SLC - 107.024.12 / < .89.20 K
..'77 - 280E - 123.033.12 / > 128.20 K
...'67 - El Camino - 283ci / > 207.00 K
....'75 - Yamaha - 650XS / < 21.00 K
.....'87 - G20 Sportvan / > 206.00 K
......'85 - 4WINNS 160 I.O. / 140hp
.......'74 - Honda CT70 / Real 125
.
“I didn’t really say everything I said.”
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ~ Yogi Berra ~

you wont believe the amount of people that seem to wake up and go." I think I'll be an electrician today." or the people that come in and are building a house and they hire their friends to wire the house to save money. They come in and ask what wire size this and what that, and I tell them the best thing to do would be to ask their electrician. They tell me "Oh we hired our dump truck driver to do it because the electricians cost too much." I am no electrician. I cannot give advice to them even if I knew. The home Depot dudes will tell you all day long, but I can't.

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1984 300SD Orient Red/ Palomino
1989 560SEC
2016 Mazda 6 6 speed manual
1995 Ford F-150 reg cab 4.9 5speed manual

I asked one electrician and he suggested using 3/0 copper at least.

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1984 300SD Orient Red/ Palomino
1989 560SEC
2016 Mazda 6 6 speed manual
1995 Ford F-150 reg cab 4.9 5speed manual

Thanks all for the insight and advice! The electrician who's helped us out here before called back a minute ago and recommended this:

250MCM URD w/full size neutral
at least 2 1/2" PVC conduit

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Never a dull moment at Berry Hill Farm.

URD? Huh. sounds good. You could skip on the conduit then.

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1984 300SD Orient Red/ Palomino
1989 560SEC
2016 Mazda 6 6 speed manual
1995 Ford F-150 reg cab 4.9 5speed manual