View Full Version : Electrical questions
randamadee
Jul 17, 2012, 12:41 PM
Hi, I have a power drop to a power shed on a rural piece of land, 200 amps, and want to split from there taking one power cable to a cabin and another to a shop. It is 90 feet to the cabin and 230 feet to the shop. I am either going to do 100 amps to each, or 60 amps to the cabin and the rest to the shop. I want to use aluminum tek for sure. Wondering what size of cable I would need for these scenarios so that I can compare costs before ordering.
Thanks.
tkrussell
Jul 17, 2012, 01:59 PM
Run your numbers through this on line voltage drop calculator.
Voltage Drop Calculator (http://www.southwire.com/support/voltage-drop-calculator.htm)
randamadee
Jul 17, 2012, 08:11 PM
Thanks for the link. Just wondering from that folks, that if 3% is the typical drop in voltage what is the allowable one does not want to work past.
tkrussell
Jul 18, 2012, 05:19 AM
Maximum voltage drop is recommended to be a total of 5%.
By the way, I am referring to the National Electric Code and IEEE standards used in the USA.
We can use 3% for feeders and 2% for branch circuits served by that feeder, or use 2% for feeder and 3 % for branch circuit.
Generally 3% for feeder and 2% for branch circuits is used.
Depending on the type of load, you may allow the vD to be as high as you want. I provided IEEE receommendation.
Resisitve load may work fine with reduced voltage, inductive loads, such as motors, do not work well with reduced voltage, starting a motor is the issue.
Does this answer your question?
randamadee
Jul 18, 2012, 07:53 AM
I will definite be able to work with that, yes, thank you.