Re: how to calculate cable size as per current load
04/18/2010 4:42 PM
In principle, you can calculate this. But in practice, you would typically look it up in a table in the NEC (U.S. National Electrical Code), or your local equivalent. The ampacity of a conductor depends primarily on its cross-sectional area, but other factors are also involved: type of insulation, location (in air, buried in earth, in conduit or not), presence of adjacent conductors, etc.
The formulas for this have been worked out by wire manufacturers and code agencies, and published in catalogs and regulations. You need to be sure to use the correct regulation that applies to your particular situation.
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Re: how to calculate cable size as per current load
04/18/2010 6:20 PM
That was a nicely organized table, and a good illustration of looking things up rather than calculating from scratch. If this is acceptable in the OP's jurisdiction, it seems like a perfect answer.
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