Voltage loss in a wire is synonymous to divssure loss in a pipe. Electric current flows in a wire, just like water in a pipe, and creates a loss. The loss is a function of:
Voltage Loss is calculated using "OHM'S LAW", asfollows:
Where:
For single-phase circuits, the formula for Voltage Loss is:
For three-phase circuits, the formula for Voltage Loss is:
A controller in a city park will be installed 4,200 feet away (this is the total trench length) from the 115 VAC power source. What is the voltage loss using 14AWG wire? Is this size wire large enough?
Copper Wire Resistance (Ohms Per 1000' Of Wire) | ||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Wire Gauge (Awg) | ||||||||||||
18 | 16 | 14 | 14/12 | 14/10 | 12 | 10 | 8 | 6 | 4 | 2 | 1/0 | 2/0 |
6.385 | 4.016 | 2.525 | 2.057 | 1.762 | 1.588 | .999 | .628 | .395 | .249 | .156 | .098 | .078 |
Voltage Loss = Amps X Wire Resistance per 1,000 feet X Distance in thousands of feet X 2 Wires
Voltage Loss = 0.25 amps X 2.525 ohms/MFT X 4.2 MFT X 2 Wires
Voltage Loss = 5.3025 or approximately 5.3 volts
The same formula can be used to try other sizes of wire.
If you need help, please contact us.
Excellence and Responsibility
Paige has earned ISO 9001:2015 certification for its factories in Columbus, NE and Silao, Mexico. We are dedicated to ensuring customer satisfaction and continual improvement, while embracing sustainability practices.
You can view our latest ISO Certificates here.