calculate wire size for electrical circuit
So how do you calculate what wire sizes to use when wiring up your house, shed or cabin? As I have said in previous posts you have to consider not only the current capacity or ampacity of the cable but also the length of the cable. The lower voltage systems are considerably more susceptible to voltage drop.
Some excelent charts and calculators and information of the formulas are:
- From Rainbow Power Company’s WIRE CHART 12Volt 24Volt TheFormula
- From Killowatt.vom.au, a Voltage Drop and Cable Size Calculator
- From Electronic Security Devices a AN-2 Wire Size, length table for 12 and 24 volts AC and DC
For my system have used and are planning to use from my circuit breaker box to my distribution points for ower a back-bone cable of 13 square mm, and then 6 square mm from the power points. For my lights I am using 6 sqare mm for the backbone and 2.5 sqare mm for between the actual lights and distribution points. I am putting a bigger inverter in the laundry for the washing machine and the power requirements will be greater so I am going to the expense of putting a longer length of battery starter cable in for that.
Tags: cable sizing, calculate wire size for electrical circuit
