Transcription of CURRENT CARRYING CAPACITY OF COPPER CONDUCTORS
1 TECHNICAL DATACURRENT CARRYING CAPACITY OF COPPER CONDUCTORS30 AWG2333428 AWG3445626 AWG4556724 AWG67781022 AWG8910111320 AWG101213141718 AWG151718202416 AWG 192224263214 AWG273033404512 AWG364045505510 AWG 47555870758 AWG657075901006 AWG951001051251354 AWG1251351451701802 AWG170180200225240 CURRENT CARRYING CAPACITY is defined as the amperage a conductor can carry before melting either the conductor or the insulation. Heat, caused byan electrical CURRENT flowing through the conductor , will determine the amount of CURRENT a wire will handle. Theoretically, the amount of currentthat can be passed through a single bare COPPER wire can be increased until the heat generated reaches the melting temperature of the are many factors which will limit the amount of CURRENT that can be passed through a wire.
2 These major determining factors are: conductor Size:The larger the circular mil area, the greater the CURRENT CARRYING amount of heat generated should never exceed the maximum temperature rating of the Temperature:The higher the ambient temperature, the less heat required to reach the maximum temperature rating of the Number:Heat dissipation is lessened as the number of individually insulated CONDUCTORS , bundled together, is CONDUCTORS :Restricting the heat dissipation by installing the CONDUCTORS in conduit, duct, trays or raceways lessens the CURRENT CARRYING CAPACITY . This restrictioncan be alleviated somewhat by using proper ventilation methods, forced air cooling, into account all the variables involved, no simple chart of CURRENT ratings can be developed and used as the final word when designing asystem where amperage ratings can become chart shows the CURRENT required to raise the temperatures of single insulated conductor in free air (30 C ambient) to the limits of variousinsulation types.
3 The following table gives a derating factor to be used when the CONDUCTORS are bundled. These charts should only be used as aguide when attempting to establish CURRENT ratings on conductor and FACTORS FOR BUNDLED CONDUCTORSS ingle conductor in Free Air 30 C Ambient CARRYING CAPACITY OF COPPER CONDUCTORS (Measured in Amperes)DERATINGBUNDLE #FACTOR (X AMPS)INSULATION MATERIALS AT GIVEN TEMPERATURESPOLYETHYLENEKYNARNEOPRENEPOL YETHYLENEPOLYURETHANEPOLYPROPYLENEPOLYVI NYLCHLORIDE(CROSSLINKED)KAPTONPOLYVINYLC HLORIDEPOLYETHYLENEPVC (IRRADIATED)THERMOPLASTICTEFLONCONDUCTOR (SEMI-RIGID)(HIGH DENSITY)NYLONELASTOMERSSILICONESIZEAT 80 CAT 90 CAT 105 CAT 125 CAT 200 C383 Web Site.
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