Voltage Drop – Cable Sizing Calculator

Voltage Drop – Cable sizing Calculator.

When sizing cables there are two things to check. The Current carrying capacity (CCA) and voltage drop.

The CCA is an easy check, a cable will have a maximum current it can carry and you just need to ensure your maximum current (Amps, A) is less than this. Go to the blog on how to calculate current for more info. Voltage drop will be the determining factor for longer runs of cables. The cable CCA and other specifications can be found from the manufacturer specifications. Tycab are a well known Australian cable manufacturer and have their cable details here https://www.tycab.com.au/products/automotive/.

Input your values below to determine the minimum cable cross-sectional area (mm2) required. Remember the cable area is different to the industry name – 6mm is a 4.59mm2 cable.

Calc

Volts (V)

Amps (A)

Length, one way (m)

Acceptable voltage drop (%), (typically 3%)

Conductor Resistivity ohm/m/mm2

Output

Note: This is the actual area of the conductor not the industry naming convention. Ie industry equivalent ‘6mm’ cable has a cross section area of 4.59mm2.