Wire Sizing Engineerdog
Wire Sizing Engineerdog
Wire Sizing Engineerdog
Disclaimer: Calculations are for approximate use only. I assume no liability for the u
*AC or DC doesn’t matter (up to ~2000 volts).
*Wire ampacity decreases if: room temperature increases, multiple conductors are b
*Calculations are intended for standard electrical wire. "Welding wire" is treated a b
*Stranded wire has the same ampacity as solid wire for all practical intents and purp
*Ampacity based on data from 2008 NEC, Table 310.16.
Input Wire D
(these dime
copper 120 18
Wire Charac
Wire Diameter Wire Cross-Section Area
(in) (in^2) (circular mils)
Expected Maximum
Current Voltage Drop/Loss
10 72.0 22.22
Wire Characteristics
Wire Weight Resistance Rated Ampacity
(lb) (W) (amp)
Power Loss
(heat generated) Distance before 3% voltage drop
(w) (ft)
7.27 53
Number of Bundled Rated Wire
Wires in Sheath Temperature
(60 °C is normal)
3 60
Rated Wattage
(Watts)
1273
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Ref # 22
33.63 66370 95 6
4.172 8234 27 15 8 40 50 55 30 40
3.309 6530 23 16 6 55 65 75 40 50
2.624 5178 20 17 4 70 85 95 55 65
0.5176 1022 7 24
0.4105 810.1 6 25
0.3256 642.4 6 26
0.2582 509.5
0.2047 404
0.1624 320.4 Factor
0.1288 254.1 CU AL
0.1021 201.5 60 75 90 60 75
0.08098 159.8 1 1.204 1.359 1 1.212
0.06422 126.7
0.05093 100.5 1.08 1.26 1.41 1.08 1.27
0.04039 79.7 Ambient 1.08 1.05 1.04 1.08 1.05
0.03023 63.21 6 1.32 1.2 1.16 1.32 1.2
0.02545 50.22 7 1.32 1.2 1.16 1.32 1.2
0.02014 39.75 8 1.32 1.2 1.16 1.32 1.2
0.01597 31.52 9 1.32 1.2 1.16 1.32 1.2
0.01267 25 10 1.32 1.2 1.16 1.32 1.2
0.01005 19.83 11 1.32 1.2 1.16 1.32 1.2
0.00797 15.72 12 1.24 1.15 1.12 1.24 1.15
0.00632 12.47 13 1.24 1.15 1.12 1.24 1.15
0.00501 9.888 14 1.24 1.15 1.12 1.24 1.15
0.00397 7.842 15 1.24 1.15 1.12 1.24 1.15
0.00315 6.219 16 1.16 1.1 1.08 1.16 1.1
0.0025 4.932 17 1.16 1.1 1.08 1.16 1.1
0.00198 3.911 18 1.16 1.1 1.08 1.16 1.1
0.00157 3.102 19 1.16 1.1 1.08 1.16 1.1
0.00125 2.46 20 1.16 1.1 1.08 1.16 1.1
0.00099 1.951 21 1.08 1.05 1.04 1.08 1.05
0.00078 1.547 22 1.08 1.05 1.04 1.08 1.05
0.00062 1.227 23 1.08 1.05 1.04 1.08 1.05
0.00049 0.973 24 1.08 1.05 1.04 1.08 1.05
25 1.08 1.05 1.04 1.08 1.05
26 1 1 1 1 1
27 1 1 1 1 1
28 1 1 1 1 1
29 1 1 1 1 1
30 1 1 1 1 1
31 0.91 0.94 0.96 0.91 0.94
32 0.91 0.94 0.96 0.91 0.94
33 0.91 0.94 0.96 0.91 0.94
34 0.91 0.94 0.96 0.91 0.94
35 0.91 0.94 0.96 0.91 0.94
36 0.82 0.88 0.91 0.82 0.88
37 0.82 0.88 0.91 0.82 0.88
38 0.82 0.88 0.91 0.82 0.88
39 0.82 0.88 0.91 0.82 0.88
40 0.82 0.88 0.91 0.82 0.88
41 0.71 0.82 0.87 0.71 0.82
42 0.71 0.82 0.87 0.71 0.82
43 0.71 0.82 0.87 0.71 0.82
44 0.71 0.82 0.87 0.71 0.82
45 0.71 0.82 0.87 0.71 0.82
46 0.58 0.75 0.82 0.58 0.75
47 0.58 0.75 0.82 0.58 0.75
48 0.58 0.75 0.82 0.58 0.75
49 0.58 0.75 0.82 0.58 0.75
50 0.58 0.75 0.82 0.58 0.75
51 0.41 0.67 0.76 0.41 0.67
52 0.41 0.67 0.76 0.41 0.67
53 0.41 0.67 0.76 0.41 0.67
54 0.41 0.67 0.76 0.41 0.67
55 0.41 0.67 0.76 0.41 0.67
56 0 0.58 0.71 0 0.58
57 0 0.58 0.71 0 0.58
58 0 0.58 0.71 0 0.58
59 0 0.58 0.71 0 0.58
60 0 0.58 0.71 0 0.58
61 0 0.33 0.58 0 0.33
62 0 0.33 0.58 0 0.33
63 0 0.33 0.58 0 0.33
64 0 0.33 0.58 0 0.33
65 0 0.33 0.58 0 0.33
66 0 0.33 0.58 0 0.33
67 0 0.33 0.58 0 0.33
68 0 0.33 0.58 0 0.33
69 0 0.33 0.58 0 0.33
70 0 0.33 0.58 0 0.33
71 0 0 0.41 0 0
72 0 0 0.41 0 0
73 0 0 0.41 0 0
74 0 0 0.41 0 0
75 0 0 0.41 0 0
76 0 0 0.41 0 0
77 0 0 0.41 0 0
78 0 0 0.41 0 0
79 0 0 0.41 0 0
80 0 0 0.41 0 0
extrapolated
250
copper
aluminu
200
m
150
Ampacity
100
50 Multiple Conductor
Correction Factors
0
0 50000 100000 150000 200000 Number of
wire area Conductors
4-6
Resistan
7-9
ce wire
(ohms) ft in volume 10-20
(ohms) 31-40
1.5561 41+
6.40359
copper 0.3240
(ohms) density
lb/in^3
Aluminu
0.6276 m 0.0980 lb/in^3
6.40359 Density
known
250
200
f(x) = 0.110000304521133 x^0.608891505190569
Ampacity
150 R² = 0.999373592628404
100
50
ALUMINUM 0
0 50000 100000 150000 200000 250000
Allowable
Conduc
number oder
tor
http://www.safecoelectric.com/images/resources_pdf/NEC2008%20Table%20310.16.pdf
AL
90 cu al
1.380 60 1.08 0.84
75 1.26 0.99
1.43 matched & multplied b 4 90 1.41 1.12
1.04 matched 3
1.16 22.0 rounded 1 SUM table 5
1.16 17 indexed 2 1.08 0
1.16 0 0
1.16 0 0
1.16
1.16 1.08 6
1.12 final factor (accoutns for material, temp rating,
1.12 and ambent temp)
1.12
1.12
1.08
1.08
1.08
1.08
1.08
1.04
1.04
1.04
1.04
1.04
1
1
1
1
1
0.96
0.96
0.96
0.96
0.96
0.91
0.91
0.91
0.91
0.91
0.87
0.87
0.87
0.87
0.87
0.82
0.82
0.82
0.82
0.82
0.76
0.76
0.76
0.76
0.76
0.71
0.71
0.71
0.71
0.71
0.58
0.58
0.58
0.58
0.58
0.58
0.58
0.58
0.58
0.58
0.41
0.41
0.41
0.41
0.41
0.41
0.41
0.41
0.41
0.41
tiple Conductor
rection Factors
1 1 match the right factor
Multiply
ampacity
by factor 2 1 3 1
0.8
3 1 accounts for bundles of wire
0.7 4 0.8
0.5 5 0.8
0.45
6 0.8
0.4
7 0.7
0.35
8 0.7
9 0.7
10 0.5
11 0.5
12 0.5
13 0.5
14 0.5
15 0.5
200000 250000
16 0.5
0.780124260358383 18 0.5
19 0.5
29 0.45
30 0.45
31 0.4
32 0.4
33 0.4
34 0.4
35 0.4
36 0.4
37 0.4
38 0.4
39 0.4
40 0.4
41 0.35
42 0.35
43 0.35
44 0.35
45 0.35
46 0.35
aterial, temp rating, 47 0.35
emp) 48 0.35
49 0.35
50 0.35