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Calculate Cable Size and Voltage Drop

FEBRUARY 8, 2014 22 COMMENTS (HTTP://ELECTRICALNOTES.WORDPRESS.COM

/2014/02/08/CALCULATE-CABLE-SIZE-AND-VOLTAGE-DROP-2/#COMMENTS)

Calculate Cable Size and Voltage Drop:

Calculate Voltage Drop and Size of Electrical cable forfollowing

data.

Electrical Details: Electrical Load of 80KW, Distance between Source and Load is 200 Meter,
System Voltage 415V Three Phase, Power Factor is 0.8,Permissible Voltage drop is 5%, Demand
Factor is 1,
Cable Laying Detail: Cable is directed buried in Ground in trench at the depth of 1 meter. Ground
Temperature is approximate 35 Deg. No of Cable per Trench is 1. No of Run of Cable is 1 Run.
Soil Details: Thermal Resistivity of Soil is not known. Nature of Soil is Damp Soil.

Calculation:

Consumed Load= Total Load x Demand Factor

Consumed Load in KW= 80 x 1 =80KW
Consumed Load in KVA= KW/P.F
Consumed Load in KVA =80/0.8=100KVA
Full Load Current= (KVAx1000) / (1.732xVoltage)
Full Load Current= (100×1000) / (1.732×415) = 139Amp.
Calculating Correction Factor of Cable from following data :
Temperature Correction Factor (K1) When Cable is in Air is

Ground Temperature
Temperature Correction
Correction Factor
Factor in Air(K2):
:K1

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Ground Temperature Correction Factor:K2

Insulation
Ground Temp©
PVC XLPE/EPR

10 1.1 1.07

15 1.05 1.04

20 0.95 0.96

25 0.89 0.93

35 0.77 0.89

40 0.71 0.85

45 0.63 0.8

50 0.55 0.76

55 0.45 0.71

60 0 0.65

65 0 0.6

70 0 0.53

75 0 0.46

80 0 0.38

Thermal Resistance Correction Factor (K4) for Soil (When Thermal Resistance of Soil is known):

Ther.Resi Correction Factor: K4

Soil Thermal Resistivity: 2.5 KM/W

Resistivity K3

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1 1.18

1.5 1.1

2 1.05

2.5 1

3 0.96

Soil Correction Factor(K4) of Soil (When Thermal Resistance of Soil is not known):

Soil Correction Factor:K4

Nature of Soil K3

Very Wet Soil 1.21

Wet Soil 1.13

Damp Soil 1.05

Dry Soil 1

Very Dry Soil 0.86

Cable Depth Correction Factor (K5):

Cable Depth Factor (K5)

Laying Depth(Meter) Rating Factor

0.5 1.1

0.7 1.05

0.9 1.01

1 1

1.2 0.98

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1.5 0.96

Cable Distance correction Factor (K6):

Cable Distance Correction Factor(K6)

No of Circuit Nil cable Diameter 0.125m 0.25m 0.5m

1 1 1 1 1 1

2 0.75 0.8 0.85 0.9 0.9

3 0.65 0.7 0.75 0.8 0.85

4 0.6 0.6 0.7 0.75 0.8

5 0.55 0.55 0.65 0.7 0.8

6 0.5 0.55 0.6 0.7 0.8

Cable Grouping Factor ( No of Tray Factor) (K7):

(Cable Grouping factor K7 )==No of Tray

No of
Cable/Tray
1 2 3 4 6 8

1 1 1 1 1 1 1

2 0.84 0.8 0.78 0.77 0.76 0.75

3 0.8 0.76 0.74 0.73 0.72 0.71

4 0.78 0.74 0.72 0.71 0.7 0.69

5 0.77 0.73 0.7 0.69 0.68 0.67

6 0.75 0.71 0.7 0.68 0.68 0.66

7 0.74 0.69 0.675 0.66 0.66 0.64

8 0.73 0.69 0.68 0.67 0.66 0.64

According to above Detail correction Factors are

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Ground Temperature Correction Factor (K2) =0.89

Soil Correction Factor (K4)=1.05
Cable Depth Correction Factor (K5)=1.0
Cable Distance correction Factor (K6)=1.0
Total De rating Factor= k1x k2 x k3 x K4 x K5 x K6 x K7
Total De rating Factor= 0.93

Selection of Cable:

For selection of Proper Cable following Conditions should be satisfied

(1) Cable De rating Amp should be higher than Full Load Current of Load.
(2) Cable Voltage Drop should be less than Defined Voltage drop.
(3) No of Run of Cable >= (Full Load current / Cable De rating Current).
(4) Cable Short Circuit Capacity should be higher than System S.C Capacity at that Point.

Selection of Cable Case (1):

Let’s Select 3.5Core 70 Sq.mm cable for Single run.

Current Capacity of 70 Sq.mm cable is 170Amp,Resistance=0.57Ω/Km and Reactance=0.077
mho/Km
Total De rating Current of 70 Sq.mm Cable= 170×0.93 =159 Amp.
Voltage Drop of Cable= (1.732x Current x (RcosǾ+jsinǾ) x Cable Lengthx100) / (Line Voltage x
No of Runx1000)
Voltage Drop of Cable= (1.732x139x(0.57×0.8+0.077×0.6)x200x100)/(415x1x1000)=5.8%
Voltage Drop of Cable=5.8%
Here Voltage drop for 70 Sq.mm Cable (5.8%) is higher than Define Voltage drop (5%) so either
select higher size of cable or Increase no of Cable Runs.
If we Select 2 No’s of Run than Voltage drop is 2.8% which is within limit (5%) but to use 2 no’s of
Run of cable of 70 Sq.mm Cable is not economical so It is necessary to use next higher size of Cable.

Selection of Cable Case (2):

Let’s Select 3.5Core 95 Sq.mm cable for Single run, S.C Capacity =8.2KA.
Current Capacity of 95 Sq.mm cable is 200Amp,Resistance=0.41Ω/Km and Reactance=0.074
mho/Km
Total De rating Current of 70 Sq.mm Cable= 200×0.93 =187 Amp.
Voltage Drop of Cable= (1.732x139x(0.41×0.8+0.074×0.6)x200x100)/(415x1x1000)=2.2%
Voltage Drop of Cable=2.2%

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To decide 95Sq.mm Cable, Cable selection condition should be checked.

(1) Cable De rating Amp (187 Amp) is higher than Full Load Current of Load (139 Amp) =O.K
(2) Cable Voltage Drop (2.2%) is less than Defined Voltage drop (5%) =O.K
(3)No of Run of Cable (1) >= (139A / 187A =0.78) =O.K
(4) Cable S.C Capacity (8.2KA) is higher than System S.C Capacity at that Point (6.0KA) =O.K
95 Sq.mm Cable satisfied all three condition so It is advisable to use 3.5 Core 95 Sq.mm cable

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About Jignesh.Parmar
Jignesh Parmar has completed his B.E(Electrical) from Gujarat University. He has more than 11 years
experience in Power Transmission-Power Distribution-Electrical energy theft detection-Electrical
Maintenance-Electrical Projects(Planning-Designing-coordination-Execution). He is Presently associate
with one of the leading business group as a Assistant Manager at Ahmedabad,India. He is Freelancer
Programmer of Advance Excel and design useful Excel Sheets of Electrical Engineering as per
IS,NEC,IEC,IEEE codes. He is technical Author for ʺElectrical Mirrorʺ and ʺElectrical Indiaʺ Magazines.
He is Technical Blogger and Familiar with English, Hindi, Gujarati, French languages. He wants to
Share his experience & knowledge and help technical enthusiasts to find suitable solutions and
updating themselves on various Engineering Topics.

22 Responses to Calculate Cable Size and Voltage Drop

Faizan ahmed.v says:

February 8, 2014 at 5:20 pm
dear sir,

thanks for all hard work u took for excellent work which u have undertook in educating and making
perfect electrical engineer like us. Dear sir i wanna purchase electrical notes in pdf form kindly let
me know how can i get it .

thanks and regards.

6 of 10 11/13/2014 4:06 PM
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Reply
Jignesh.Parmar says:
February 8, 2014 at 5:22 pm
You can buy at any time through ONLINE either in Indian Rupees or US$. Go to “Electrical
Notes” Page

Reply
Rajesh Harode says:
February 8, 2014 at 6:14 pm
Thanks to u & all the best

Reply
Muqtar says:
February 9, 2014 at 10:26 am
thanks for all your hard work, sir if you mention with references of electrical codes that could be
more useful.

thanks,

Reply
Jignesh.Parmar says:
February 9, 2014 at 6:16 pm
I always indicate Reference Code Where it is available or Applicable. Reset are from manuals or
Books.

Reply
tufail says:
February 9, 2014 at 12:15 pm
thank you sir for this good topic

Reply
murali sir says:
February 9, 2014 at 4:06 pm
EEE CPTC CHENNAI INDIA
LIKE

Reply
murali sir says:
February 9, 2014 at 4:10 pm
CPT ElectricalEngineers LIKE ALL EEP OUT PUTS

Reply
Vineet Dixena says:
February 10, 2014 at 4:42 am
Thanks for such a detailed description of cable selection guide. I was looking for such article from
long time. Each and every thing is explained properly and with examples.

Reply
Vivekanand Jha says:

7 of 10 11/13/2014 4:06 PM
Calculate Cable Size and Voltage Drop | Electrical Notes & Articles http://electricalnotes.wordpress.com/2014/02/08/calculate-cable-size-an...

February 10, 2014 at 6:03 am

Dear *Jignesh* Sir,

Thanks a lot to share your knowledge with us.

I need busbar calculation formula for control panels applications. I have tried more to find out exact
formula for it but i couldn’t get it, So Kindly help to get me out from this problem.

*How can I calculate busbar size on behalf of Fault Current in Control Panels???*

Kindly Expedite

*Regards,*

*VIVEKANAND JHA (**Design & Costing Engg.)*

Reply
nages war rao Atmuri says:
February 11, 2014 at 5:57 am
Thank you sir.

Reply
Balaji says:
February 13, 2014 at 10:54 am
Dear Jignesh , Thanks a lot …. Thanks for sharing valuable information in detail…

Reply
A.S.Y.RAJA says:
February 14, 2014 at 11:43 am
Thanks Mr jignesh for your good thinking of sharing the knowledge!, and it is very useful for
technicians like me! All the information and technical things has to be transparent and to be made
easy to understand, so that the beginners and technicians can enter easily into the subject to
explore new things and to make beYer & safe the existing! This can be done only by the experts like
you , which will make our country advance in all fields to become self sufficient !
I once again thank you for all your sincere efforts!

Rgds,

A.S.Y.RAJA..

Reply
PRASHANT SONI says:
February 16, 2014 at 3:36 am
Hi..
Thank you very much Jignesh sir for your all hard work and perseverance that you have put to make
all electrical engineers knowledgeable and aware about the practical Electrical enegry or power
sector…

I here by just want to make an appeal to you Sir to Upload I.S. STANDARDS FOR ELECTRICAL
POWER GENERATION, TRANSMISSION, DISTRIBUTION AND UTILIZATION..

8 of 10 11/13/2014 4:06 PM
Calculate Cable Size and Voltage Drop | Electrical Notes & Articles http://electricalnotes.wordpress.com/2014/02/08/calculate-cable-size-an...

IS STANDARDS will be more helpful and fruitful to the engineers like us to be a real Electrical
engineers..

Thanking you in anticipation and for your valuable knowledge..

Reply
Jignesh.Parmar says:
February 16, 2014 at 4:37 am
It is totally illegal to Put/ Upload/Share IS standard on net. we have to purchase IS code for
study.
that is the reason, I have upload some abstract of IS code.not IS code itself.

Reply
kshirod dash says:
February 19, 2014 at 10:02 am
thank you very much for your great support,

Reply
Brian Ray says:
March 5, 2014 at 7:45 pm
Thanks for the handy reference.

Reply
noel kari says:
May 4, 2014 at 6:19 am
Thanks a lot sir for your efforts to put us through. But please in this calculation of: Full Load
Current= (KVAx1000) / (1.732xVoltage). Please can you explain this (1.732) value stands for.

Reply
devaraj says:
August 18, 2014 at 9:15 pm
Sir.. its really nice blog to learn…

Reply
M.a.Hussain says:
September 27, 2014 at 6:30 am
Hello sir,
Myself M.a.Hussain, am an electrical engineer graduate i have a doubt in selection of cable section
where just wrote current carrying capacity for the 70 sq mm cable as 170 amps without any formula
or derication. i like to know how do you calculate cable current carrying of a cable

Thank You
Regards
M.a.Hussain

Reply
karthik says:
September 29, 2014 at 3:00 pm
Dear Jignesh sir,

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Calculate Cable Size and Voltage Drop | Electrical Notes & Articles http://electricalnotes.wordpress.com/2014/02/08/calculate-cable-size-an...

Can you pls explain how 100 in the nominator( next to cable length) & 1000 in the denominator
(next to no of runs ) arrives in the formula.
(1.732x Current x (RcosǾ+jsinǾ) x Cable Lengthx100) / (Line Voltage x No of Runx1000).

Reply
padmanaban says:
November 8, 2014 at 11:20 am
I SEARCH LOT OF PAGES FOR CABLE SELECTION. UR PAGE IS VERY VERY HIGHLY
SUPERB. I PROUD ABOUT UR KNOWLEDGE SIR .THANK U

Reply

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