What is the minimum size of wire required for a 60amp circuit breaker?

To determine the minimum size of wire required for a 60 amp circuit breaker, it is essential to consider the ampacity of the wire, which refers to the maximum amount of electrical current a conductor or device can carry before sustaining immediate or progressive deterioration.

In practical applications, the American Wire Gauge (AWG) system or metric wire size, often denoted in square millimeters (mm²), is used to select the appropriate wire size based on the current load and installation conditions.

For a 60 amp circuit, the appropriate wire size often recommended is typically at least 6 mm² (which can correspond to sizes like AWG 10 or larger in other standards, depending on the insulation type and ambient temperature). Therefore, a wire size of 5.5 mm² wouldn't adequately handle the 60 amp load, as it does not meet the safety and performance requirements necessary for such an application.

The other options suggest larger wire sizes that are more suitable for a 60 amp load, with the 8 mm² and 14 mm² being more than adequate, and 22 mm² being an excessively large gauge for this application, although they provide extra safety and capacity. Thus, the more appropriate answer lies outside the provided answers,