Cable Volt Drop
All cables have resistance, and when current flows in them this results in a volt drop. Hence, the voltage at the load is lower than the supply voltage by the amount of this volt drop.Volt drop may be calculated using the basic Ohm's law formulaV = I x R
Unfortunately, this simple formula is seldom of use in this case, because the cable resistance under load conditions is not easy to calculate.
The voltage at any load must never fall so low as to weaken the safe working of that load, or fall below the level indicated by the relevant British Standard where one applies.That these requirements will met if the voltage drop does not exceed 6% of the declared supply voltage. If the supply is single-phase at the usual level of 240 V, this means a maximum volt drop of 6% of 240 V which is 14.4 V, giving a load voltage as low as 225.6 V. For a 415 V three-phase system, allowable volt drop will be 24.9 V with a line load voltage as low as 390.1 V.
To calculate the volt drop for a particular cable we use tables that each current rating, has an associated volt drop column or table. In the tables each cable rating has a corresponding volt drop figure in millivolts per ampere per metre of run (mV/A/m).To calculate the cable volt drop:
1.-take the value from the volt drop table (mV/A/m)
2.-multiply by the actual current in the cable (NOT the current rating)
3.-multiply by the length of run in metres
4.-divide the result by one thousand (to convert millivolts to volts).
For example, if a 4 mm² p.v.c. sheathed circuit feeds a 6 kW shower and has a length of run of 16 m, we can find the volt drop as:
From the table, the volt drop figure for 4 mm² two-core cable is =11 mV/A/m.
Cable current is calculated from
Volt drop is then
Since the voltage drop1.83% is less than the permissible volt drop is 6%, (1.83%<6%), the cable in question meets volt drop requirements.
Fig. Total volt drop in large installations
The following examples will make the method more clear.
Example 1
An immersion heater rated at 240 V, 3 kW is to be installed using twin with protective conductor p.v.c. insulated and sheathed cable. The circuit will be fed from a 15 A miniature circuit breaker type 2, and will be run for much of its 14 m length in a roof space which is thermally insulated with glass fibre. The roof space temperature is expected to rise to 50°C in summer, and where it leaves the consumer unit and passes through a 50 mm insulation-filled cavity, the cable will be bunched with seven others. Calculate the cross-sectional area of the required cable.
Example 2
A 415 V 50 Hz three-phase motor with an output of 7,5 kW, power factor 0.8 and efficiency 85% is the be wired using 500 V light duty three-core standard insulated p.v.c. sheathed cable. If the length of run from the MCB protecting fuses is 40 m,calculate the size of the correct cable. (Hint: For the safe start of motor take the value of the line current as 2.5 times the calculated one.)