wirenco 6/2 Metal Clad (MC) Cable with Ground, Aluminum Armored, Stranded Copper Conductor

Why I Reached for 6/2 MC in the Garage

I needed a clean, code-compliant way to run a short 240V branch circuit from a main panel to two loads: a 48A EVSE and a 50A welder receptacle in a finished garage. Conduit would have added time and hardware, and NM-B wasn’t an option for the exposed sections. A 6/2 MC cable with an integral ground offered the right mix of mechanical protection and speed. I chose this 6/2 MC and put 50 feet of it through a couple of real-world installs. It did exactly what I hoped: simplified the job without compromising durability or compliance.

Build and Specification Notes

This is a 6 AWG, two-conductor MC cable with an included equipment grounding conductor. The conductors are soft-annealed stranded copper (to ASTM B3), which matters when you’re trying to land big wire in breaker lugs and device terminals—stranded behaves better than solid at this gauge. The cable is wrapped in interlocked metallic armor and is listed to UL 1569 for MC cable.

A few practical details I appreciated:
- The ground is a dedicated conductor inside the armor. You’re not relying on the jacket or a bonding strip for equipment grounding.
- The armor is robust enough for exposed runs in a garage or utility room (subject to local code and protection from physical damage), yet not so oversized that it becomes unmanageable.
- Markings are clear and legible on the conductors once stripped, which helps confirm phasing at terminations.

This is a 50-foot cut. Expect a tight factory coil—easy to manage without turning into a springy mess.

Installation Experience

I used this cable for two circuits:
- A 60A, 240V feed to a 48A EVSE (continuous load, 80% rule observed).
- A 50A 6-50R welder receptacle that doesn’t require a neutral.

6/2 was the right choice for both because neither load needed a neutral. If you’re wiring a 14-50 receptacle or any appliance requiring a neutral, you’ll want 6/3 MC instead.

Here’s how the cable behaved and what I learned along the way:

• Handling and bending: For 6 AWG copper inside armor, it’s reasonably cooperative. It holds shape once formed, so you can create neat sweeps along a wall. Observe the minimum bend radius and avoid sharp kinks. Plan runs so you aren’t forcing tight turns around framing.

• Stripping and prep: A rotary MC cutter (the “Roto-Split” style) made clean work of the armor. I used anti-short bushings out of habit; they aren’t always required for MC, but I like the added protection at the cut edge. The stranded copper insulators stripped cleanly with a calibrated tool—no nicking and no odd filler to fight.

• Connectors and knockouts: Use 1/2-inch trade-size MC connectors for this cable. They seated well in standard 1/2-inch knockouts and clamped the armor snugly. I tried a 3/4-inch connector as a test and it was excessive. Stick with 1/2-inch straight or 90-degree MC fittings matched to your route.

• Support and straps: Secure it within 12 inches of any box and at proper intervals down the run (check your local code; 6 feet is a common rule for MC). One-hole straps marketed for 3/4-inch often left too much play around this cable. I got a better fit using MC-specific straps or cushioned clamps sized to the actual outside diameter. If the cable rattles in the strap, downsize.

• Length realities: The armor length matched the ordered cut, but the conductors sit slightly recessed inside the jacket at each end. Between that and the length you lose to stripping and terminations, plan a bit of slack. I recommend ordering at least 5–10% more than your measured path, especially if you have a couple of long rises to panels or devices.

• Terminations: The stranded copper landed easily under 60A breaker lugs and on the EVSE’s terminals. I torqued to spec and checked for cold flow after the first thermal cycle. Everything stayed tight. If you use lugs with small barrels, ferrules can tidy up a fine-strand situation, but they weren’t necessary here.

• Safety and finish: Armor edges can be sharp—gloves are your friend. Take the time to deburr your cuts and use bushings or connectors with integral liners to protect insulation at entries.

Performance and Compliance Considerations

After installation, the EVSE has lived at 48A continuous without the cable getting more than mildly warm near the terminations (where all the heat lives anyway). The welder circuit is intermittent duty, and the cable shrugged off those runs too. No buzz, no creep, no movement in straps.

A few code and application notes I kept in mind:
- Location: MC is appropriate for dry locations and exposed residential runs where allowed by your AHJ. If it’s subject to physical damage, provide additional protection. For wet or corrosive locations, you’d need cable specifically rated for that environment (jacketed MC or other options).
- Ampacity: With two current-carrying conductors and 75°C terminations, 6 AWG copper is right where it needs to be for a 60A circuit, supporting a 48A continuous EVSE.
- Neutral vs. no neutral: 6/2 is perfect for two-pole loads like many EVSEs and 6-50 welder outlets. If you need a 120/240V receptacle with a neutral (14-50, ranges, some RV setups), choose 6/3.
- Inspection: Label your circuits clearly, torque to manufacturer specs, and follow support spacing rules. I also like to leave a couple of inches of extra armor and conductor in panels for future service.

What Stood Out

Strengths:
- Time saver vs. conduit and THHN for short, exposed runs. Fewer parts to stage, and fewer points of failure.
- Stranded copper makes big-wire terminations easier and cleaner.
- Interlocked armor is tough and provides solid mechanical protection.
- Integrated ground conductor solves equipment grounding neatly.
- UL 1569 listing and standard construction inspire confidence with inspectors.

Tradeoffs:
- It’s still 6 AWG copper in armor—expect weight and stiffness compared to NM-B. Long pulls through cluttered spaces can be tiring.
- You need the right connectors and strap sizes. Generic “3/4-inch” accessories can be sloppy for this cable; size components to the actual OD.
- Plan extra length. Conductor recess and strip losses can eat the last inch you thought you had.
- Not a wet-location solution. If your route crosses outdoors or damp spaces, choose the correct cable variant.

Who It’s For

• Homeowners and pros running short to medium 240V circuits in garages, shops, and utility rooms who want the protection of a metallic cable without the overhead of installing conduit.
• EVSE and welder installs where no neutral is required, and where a 60A or 50A circuit is the target.
• Light commercial and multi-residential jobs that need branch or feeder runs with good mechanical protection and straightforward inspection.

If you’re pulling multiple parallel circuits, or working in a plant with uniform conduit standards, stick with EMT and THHN for consistency. But for a one-off or small cluster of heavy branch circuits, 6/2 MC is hard to beat for speed and neatness.

Bottom Line

This 6/2 MC cable did what I needed: it made a stout, code-friendly 240V branch circuit simple and efficient to install. The stranded copper is easy to work with, the armor is durable, and the inclusion of a dedicated ground keeps terminations straightforward. With the right 1/2-inch MC connectors, properly sized straps, and a bit of extra length planned, the installation is predictable and tidy.

Recommendation: I recommend it for short to medium 240V runs that don’t require a neutral—especially EVSEs up to 48A and 6-50 welder outlets. It saves time over conduit, provides real mechanical protection, and has the right listings and materials to satisfy both the installer and the inspector. Just match your accessories carefully, keep it to dry locations, and order a little extra length to avoid a last-minute stretch.