4.3.

11 - 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.
The volt drop may be calculated using the basic Ohm's
law formula
U=IxR
where

U is the cable volt drop (V

I is the circuit current
(A), and
R is the circuit resistance W(Ohms)

Unfortunately, this simple formula is seldom of use in this case, because the cable resistance
under load conditions is not easy to calculate.
[525-01-03] indicates that the voltage at any load must never fall so low as to impair the safe
working of that load, or fall below the level indicated by the relevant British Standard where
one applies.
[525-01-02] indicates that these requirements will he met if the voltage drop does not exceed
4% 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 4% of 240 V which is 9.6 V, giving (in simple terms) a
load voltage as low as 230.4 V. For a 415 V three-phase system, allowable volt drop will be
16.6 V with a line load voltage as low as 398.4 V.
It should be borne in mind that European Agreement RD 472 S2 allows the declared
supply voltage of 230 V to vary by +10% or -6%. Assuming that the supply voltage of 240 V
is 6% low, and allowing a 4% volt drop, this gives permissible load voltages of 216.6 V for a
single-phase supply, or 374.5 V (line) for a 415 V three-phase supply.
To calculate the volt drop for a particular cable we use {Tables 4.6, 4.7 and 4.9}. Each current
rating table has an associated volt drop column or table. For example, multicore sheathed
non-armoured P.V.C. insulated cables are covered by {Table 4.7} for current ratings, and volt
drops. The exception in the Regulations to this layout is for mineral insulated cables where
there are separate volt drop tables for single- and three-phase operation, which are
combined here as {Table 4.9}.
Each cable rating in the Tables of [Appendix 4] has a corresponding volt drop figure in
millivolts per ampere per metre of run (mV/A/m). Strictly this should be mV/(A m), but here
we shall follow the pattern adopted by BS 7671: 1992. 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 mm 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 thus:

From {Table 4.7},

the volt drop figure for 4 mm two-core cable is 11 mV/A/m.

Cable current is calculated from

Volt drop is then

I=

P = 6000 A
U 240-----

11 x 25 x 16 V
1000

= 25 A

= 4.4 V

Since the permissible volt drop is 4% of 240 V, which is 9.6 V, the cable in question meets
volt drop requirements. The following examples will make the method clear.
Example 4.5
Calculate the volt drop for the case of Example 4.1. What maximum length of cable would allow
the installation to comply with the volt drop regulations?
The table concerned here is {4.7}, which shows a figure of 7.3 mV/A/m for 6 mm twin with
protective conductor pvc insulated and sheathed cable. The actual circuit current is 12.5 A,
and the length of run is 14 m.
Volt drop =

7.3 x

12.5 x 14 V
1000

Maximum permissible volt drop is

= 1.28 V

4% of 240 V =

If a 14 m run gives a volt drop of 1.28 V,

the length of run for a 9.6 V drop will be:

4 of 240 V
100

9.6 x 14m
1.28

= 9.6 V

= 105m

Example 4.6
Calculate the volt drop for the case of {Example 4.2}. What maximum length of cable would
allow the installation to comply with the volt drop regulations?
The Table concerned here is {4.7} which shows a volt drop figure for 4.0 mm cable of
11mV/A/m, with the current and the length of run remaining at 12.5 A. and 14 m respectively.
Volt drop =

11 x 12.5 x 14 V
1000

Maximum permissible volt drop is

If a 14 m run gives a volt drop of 1.93 V,

the length of run for a 9.6 V drop will be:

= 1.93 V

4% of 240 V =

4 of 240 V
100

9.6 x 14m
1.93

= 9.6 V

= 70m

Example 4.7
Calculate the volt drop for the cases of {Example 4.3} for each of the alternative installations.

What maximum length of cable would allow the installation to comply with the volt drop
regulations in each case?
In neither case is there any change in cable sizes, the selected cables being 6 mm in the
first case and 4 mm in the second. Solutions are thus the same as those in { Examples 4.5 and
4.6} respectively.
Example 4.8
Calculate the volt drop and maximum length of run for the motor circuit of {Example 4.4}.
This time we have a mineral insulated p.v.c. sheathed cable, so volt drop figures will come
from {Table 4.9}. This shows 9.1 mV/A/m for the 4 mm cable selected, which must be used
with the circuit current of 15.3 A and the length of run which is 20 m.
Volt drop =

9.1 x 15.3 x 20 V
1000

Maximum permissible volt drop is

= 2.78 V

4% of 415 V =

Maximum length of run for this circuit

with the same cable size and type will be:

4 of 415V
100

16.6 x 20m
2.78

= 16.6 V

= 119m

The 'length of run' calculations carried out in these examples are often useful to the
electrician when installing equipment at greater distances from the mains position.
It is important to appreciate that the allowable volt drop of 4% of the supply voltage applies to
the whole of an installation. If an installation has mains, sub-mains and final circuits, for
instance, the volt drop in each must be calculated and added to give the total volt drop as
indicated in {Fig 4.10}.
All of our work in this sub-section so far has assumed that cable resistance is the only factor
responsible for volt drop. In fact, larger cables have significant self inductance as well as
resistance. As we shall see in Chapter 5 there is also an effect called impedance which is
made up of resistance and inductive reactance (see {Fig 5.8(a)}).
Inductive reactance

XL

2(pi)fL

where

XL

inductive reactance in Wohms

(pi)

the mathematical constant 3.142

the system frequency in hertz (Hz)

circuit self inductance in henrys (H)

It is clear that inductive reactance increases with frequency, and for this reason the volt drop
tables apply only to systems with a frequency lying between 49 Hz and 61 Hz.

Fig 4.10 Total volt drop in large installations

For small cables, the self inductance is such that the inductive reactance, is small compared
with the resistance. Only with cables of cross-sectional area 25 mm and greater need
reactance be considered. Since cables as large as this are seldom used on work which has
not been designed by a qualified engineer, the subject of reactive volt drop component will
not be further considered here.
If the actual current carried by the cable (the design current) is less than the rated
value, the cable will not become as warm as the calculations used to produce the volt drop
tables have assumed, The Regulations include (in [Appendix 4]) a very complicated formula
to be applied to cables of cross-sectional area 16 mm and less which may show that the
actual volt drop is less than that obtained from the tables. This possibility is again seldom of
interest to the electrician, and is not considered here.