Wire Size Calculator for South Dakota
NEC 2020 wire size math for EV charger installers working in South Dakota.
Wire sizing in South Dakota is governed by NEC 2020 Table 310.16, with the state's 92°F summer ambient driving a 0.88× correction factor at 75°C terminations per Table 310.15(B)(1).
Worked example for South Dakota
A 60 A continuous EV branch needs a conductor whose corrected ampacity meets or exceeds 60 A. In South Dakota's 0.88× correction, that means picking a conductor whose 30°C-rated ampacity is at least 69 A. For copper THWN-2 in EMT, that typically lands at #6 AWG; aluminum requires one to two sizes larger.
Code & Utilities
EV installations in South Dakota are governed by the 2020 National Electrical Code, in force since 2023. That includes Article 625 (Electric Vehicle Power Transfer System) requirements: 125% continuous-load sizing on EVSE branch circuits, GFCI protection at outdoor receptacles, and provisions for energy management systems on shared circuits.
In South Dakota, you'll most often interconnect with Black Hills Energy, Otter Tail Power, MidAmerican Energy SD. Their make-ready, time-of-use, and demand-charge structures vary widely; pull the specific tariff before sizing service equipment.
Climate & Ampacity
South Dakota's representative summer design ambient is around 92°F, which yields a 0.88× ampacity correction factor at 75°C terminations per NEC 310.15(B)(1). Because the correction is below 0.9, conductors that "look fine" on a 30°C ampacity table will not carry their nameplate current here — always derate explicitly.
South Dakota takeaway
Don't forget conduit-fill derating per NEC 310.15(C)(1) when more than three current-carrying conductors share a raceway — a common condition on multifamily and workplace EVSE home-run racks in South Dakota.