CSE cables - Voltage Drop Calculations Page 1

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Belden Cables
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Tri-rated cable
C tri-rated super flexible cable
SY Steel Wire Braid Cable
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3183Y flexible mains cable
318B LSZH control cable
Instrumentation and Control
C tri-rated super flexible cable
Metal Clad Cable
YY PVC Control Cable
2491B / 6701B Cable
Flex JB / OB
CY JB copper screened cable
CY JZ Number Coded cable
SY Steel Wire Braid Cable
PU CY copper screened cable
LIYCY copper data cable
LIYCY Paired data cable
PU EF CY cable
PUR control cable
Flexible PUR EF cable
CY Screened Cable
CY LSZH Control Cable
YY LSZH Control Cable
Defence Cable
BS5308 cables
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The voltage drop of any insulated cable is dependent upon the route length under corrina@cse-
consideration (in meters), the required current rating (in amperes) and the relevant total distributors.co.uk
impedance per unit length of the cable. The maximum impedance and voltage drop
applicable to each cable at maximum conductor temperature and under a.c. conditions is
given in the tables. For cables operating under dc conditions, the appropriate voltage Click for printer
friendly version
drops may be calculated using the formula:
2 x route length x current x resistance x 10¯³.
The values detailed in the tables are given in m/V/Am, (volts/100 per ampere per metre), and the nominal
maximum acceptable volt drop specified by the IEE Regulations is 2.5% of the system voltage, i.e. 0.025 x 415
= 10.5 volts for 3 phase working or 0.025 x 240 = 6.0 volts for single phase working.
Consider a 3 phase system
The requirement may be for a load of 100A to be transmitted over a route length of 150m, the cable to be
clipped to the wall and close protection provided. The rating tables in the IEE Regulations indicate that a
35mm copper conductor PVC SWA PVC cable would be suitable for the loading required, but the voltage drop
must be checked.
Volt drop = Y x current x length
= 1.1 x 100 x 150 millivolts
= 1.1 x 100 x 150 volts/1000
= 16.5 volts
where Y = value from tables in mV/A/m Unless a particular value of voltage drop, acceptable to the user, is
specified, the IEE Regulations figure of 10.5 volts must be adhered to.
Thus: total volt drop = 10.5 volts
10.5 = Y x 100 x 150
Therefore Y = 10.5/100 x 150
= 0.7/1000 volts/ampere/meters
Reference to the voltage drop tables indicates that the cable size with a voltage drop of 0.7/1000 V/A/m
(0.7mV/A/m) OR LESS is a 70mm copper conductor.
Therefore, in order to transmit a 3 phase current of 100A per phase over a route length of 150m, with a total
voltage drop equal to or less than the statutory maximum 10.5 volts, the use would require a
70mm (cu.) multicore PVC.
Conversely
The user may have 150m of 35mm (Cu.) multicore PVC cable and require to know what maximum current
rating can be applied without exceeding the allowable voltage drop. The method is exactly the same as above,
viz:total drop = 16.6
= YxAxM
= 1.1 x A x 150/1000
from the tables Y = 1.1mV/A/m
=1.1/1000V/A/m
therefore A = 10.5 x 1000/1.1.x 150
=64 amperes
From the foregoing, it is apparent that knowing any two values of Y, A or m, the remaining, unknown value can
readily be calculated.
The advice is always available to check, clarify or suggest the most suitable size and type of cable for any particular,
specified requirements.

3182Y flexible mains cable Voltage Drop for Single Core LV Cables (mV / amp / metre)
3183Y flexible mains cable Copper Flat Trefoil Aluminium Flat Trefoil
3192Y / 2192Y mains cable Conductor Arrangement arrangement conductor arrangement arrangement
4 7.83 7.770 16 3.343 3.283
2182Y / 2183Y mains cable 6 5.287 5.226 25 2.161 2.100
H05RR-F Cable 10 3.184 3.124 35 1.602 1.542
XLPE Unarmoured PVC cable 16 2.086 2.008 50 1.222 1.162
25 1.357 1.297 70 0.890 0.830
XLPE Aluminium Armoured 35 1.034 0.971 95 0.686 0.623
6491X Cable 50 0.793 0.732 120 0.569 0.509
70 0.595 0.534 150 0.490 0.430
6491B Cable
95 0.469 0.408 185 0.420 0.360
318TQ Cable 120 0.410 0.349 240 0.353 0.293
NYY Cable 150 0.354 0.294 300 0.312 0.252
185 0.312 0.252 400 0.274 0.214
NYCY Cable 240 0.272 0.211 400 0.245 0.185
External Cables 300 0.247 0.187 630 0.222 0.162
400 0.224 0.164
SWA Cable
500 0.208 0.148
Underground Power Cable 630 0.194 0.134

http://www.csedistributors.co.uk/cable/voltage-drop.htm 15/12/2009 12:44:44 PM

CSE cables - Voltage Drop Calculations Page 2

638TQ Heavy Duty Cable VOLTAGE DROP PER AMPERE PER METER (mV). Conductor operating temperature: 70ºC
HO7RN-F Rubber Cable Conductor Cross Sectional Two Core Cable Two Core Cable SIngle Phase Three or Four Core Cable Three
Area D.C. A.C. phase A.C.
318TQ Cable
mm mV mV mV
0361TQ Welding Cable 1.5 29 29 25
658TQ Cable 2.5 18 18 15
4 11 11 905
Data Cables 6 7.3 7.3 604
Belden Equivalent Data Cables 10 4.4 4.4 308
PU CY copper screened cable 16 2.8 2.8 204
r x z r x z
SY Steel Wire Braid Cable 25 1.75 1.75 0.170 1.75 1.50 0.145 1.50
LIYCY copper data cable 35 1.25 1.25 0.165 1.25 1.10 0.145 1.10
50 0.93 0.93 0.165 0.94 0.80 0.140 0.81
LIYCY Paired data cable
70 0.63 0.63 0.160 0.65 0.55 0.140 0.57
EF data cable 95 0.46 0.47 0.155 0.50 0.41 0.135 0.43
EF CY data cable 120 0.36 0.38 0.155 0.41 0.33 0.135 0.35
150 0.29 0.30 0.155 0.34 0.26 0.130 0.29
Cat6 data cable 185 0.23 0.28 0.150 0.29 0.21 0.130 0.25
Cat5e data cable 240 0.180 0.190 0.150 0.24 0.165 0.130 0.21
300 0.145 0.155 0.145 0.21 0.136 0.130 0.185
Cat5e LSF data cable
400 0.105 0.115 0.145 0.185 0.100 0.125 0.160
Telephone cable
CW 1128 / CW 1198 cable VOLTAGE DROP PER AMPERE PER METRE (mV). Conductor operating temperature: 70ºc
Home automation cable Conductor Cross-Sectional Two Core Cable TWo Core Cable Single Three or Four Core Cable Three
Area D.C. Phase A.C. Phase A.C.
LIYY Flexible Data Cable
1 2 3 4
Belden Cable 9802 Mm Mv MV MV
Petrol Forecourt Data Cable 16 4.5 45 3.9
25 2.9 29 0.175 2.9 2.5 0.150 2.5
Entertainment Cables 35 2.1 2.1 0.170 2.1 1.80 0.150 1.80
Socapex Cable Connectors 50 1.55 1.55 0.170 1.55 1.35 0.145 1.35
70 1.05 1.05 0.165 1.05 0.90 0.140 0.92
Socapex Colour Coded
95 0.77 0.77 0.160 0.79 0.67 0.140 0.68
Socapex Number Coded 120 - - 0.53 0.135 0.55
HO7RN-F Rubber Cable 150 - - 0.42 0.135 0.44
185 - - 0.34 0.135 0.37
SIF cable 240 - - 0.26 0.130 0.30
SIHF cable 300 - - 0.21 0.130 0.25
Crane Cables
Tables derive from IEE copyright information
H05RR-F Cable
HO7RN-F PVC INSULATED 600/1000 VOLT CABLES WITH COPPER CONDUCTORS SUSTAINED
PVC Flatform Cable CURRENT RATING (AMP) (50Hz) PARAMETERS
NEO-Flatform Neoprene 600/100 VOLT
Normal Conductor Area
THREE-PHASE SINGLE CORE CABLES IN TREFOIL ARRANGEMENT
PVC Flatform Screened mm Direct Armoured Duct Armoured Air Unarmoured Air Armoured
NEO-Flatform Screened 50 203 199 184 193
70 248 241 233 249
NSHTou-j Cable
95 297 282 290 298
Neoprene Cable 120 337 311 338 347
H01N2-D / H01N2-E Cable 150 376 342 338 395
185 423 375 450 452
Zero Halogen / Fire Resistant 240 485 419 537 532
LSF SWA Cable 300 542 459 620 607
2491B 6701B LSHF Flexible 700 600 489 722 690
500 660 523 832 776
CY LSZH Control Cable 630 721 563 957 869
YY LSZH Control Cable 800 758 587 1083 937
1000 797 621 1260 1010
LSF Defence Cable
Halogen Free Cable APPROXIMATE CURRENT PER LINE OR PHASE TAKEN AT FULL RATED HP BY MOTORS OF
FP100 Cable
AVERAGE EFFICIENCY AND POWER FACTOR
Prysmian FP200 Gold Motor Rating Direct Current Alternating Current
Prysmian FP+ 110V 220V 550V 240V 380V 415V 550V
HP amp amp amp amp amp amp amp
FP400 Cable
0.5 5.7 2.8 1.1 3
Prysmian FP600 Cable 1 10 5 2 6 1.9 1.7 1.3
NX 200 Cable 2 18 9 3.6 10 3.6 3.3 2.5
3 26 13 5.2 15 5.1 4.6 3.5
NX 200 Cable + 5 42 21 8.4 24 8 7.3 5.5
Fire Proof Cable 7.5 60 30 12 35 11.6 10.6 8
10 80 40 16 46 15.1 13.8 10.4
FP Cable Standards
15 117 59 23 67 22 20 16
318B LSZH control cable 20 154 77 31 88 29 27 21
BS7917 Fire Resistant cable 25 190 95 38 110 37 34 26
30 227 114 46 130 43 40 30
High Temperature Cables 40 300 150 60 180 59 54 41
SIF cable 50 375 187 75 210 73 67 50
SIHF cable 50 445 223 89 253 87 80 60
60 520 260 104 291 102 94 70
SiHFP cable 80 600 300 120 332 117 107 81
SID cable 100 740 370 148 412 145 133 100
125 460 184 515 181 166 125
SIF glass fibre cable
150 220 217 199 150
Specialist Cables 175 256 253 232 175
PVC flatform cable 200 292 288 264 199
250 353 323 244
Neoprene flatform cable 300 421 385 291
TML Cable (drinking water)
TML Cable Flat

http://www.csedistributors.co.uk/cable/voltage-drop.htm 15/12/2009 12:44:44 PM