3.

8 Choosing Cable Size

Design procedure

The correct choice for any installation is dependent upon fundamental aspects of

(a) Environmental conditions and characteristics of protection

(b) Current-carrying capacity and
(c) Voltage drop

When current flows through a conductor, the resistance offered by the conductor
produces heat. The increase in heat is proportional to the cable resistance which in turn
depends upon the cross-sectional area of the cable. Since overheating damages the
insulation, the conductor size must be of adequate size to prevent this from occurring.

Plunging into calculations of cable size is of little value unless the type of cable and its
method of installation is known. This in turn will depend on the installation’s
environment. At the same time, we would need to know whether the supply was single
or three phases, the type of earthing arrangements, and so on. Here then is our starting
point.

Having ascertained all the necessary details, we can decide on an installation method,
the type of cable, and how we will protect against electric shock and over currents. We
would now be ready to begin the calculation part of the design procedure.

Basically there are eight stages in such a procedure. These are the same whatever the
type of installation, be it a cooker circuit or a sub main cable feeding a distribution
board in a factory. The eight basic steps in a simplified form are:

1. Determine the design current Ib.

2. Select the rating of the protection In
3. Select the relevant correction factors (CFs).
4. Divide In by the relevant CFs to give cable current-carrying capacity
5. Choose a cable size to suit Iz
6. Check the voltage drop
7. Cheek for shock risk constraints
8. Cheek for thermal constraints

Let us now examine each stage in detail.

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Design current

In many instances the design current Ib is quoted by the manufacturer, but there are
times when it is calculated. In this case there are two formulae involved, one for single
phase and one for three phase:

Single phase: Ib = P / V
Three phase: Ib =P / (√3 VL)

If an item of equipment has a power factor and/or has a moving part, efficiency (eff) will
have been taken into account. Hence:

Single phase: Ib = (Px100) / (V x PF x eff)

Three phase: Ib = (Px100) / (√3 x VL x PF x eff)

Nominal setting of protection

Having determined Ib we must now select the nominal setting of the protection In such
that In > Ib. This value may be taken from IEE regulations.

Correction factors

When a cable carries its full load current it can become warm. This is no problem unless
its temperature rises further due to other influences, in which case the insulation could
be damaged by over heating. These other influences are: high ambient temperature,
cable grouped together closely, uncleared over currents, and contact with thermal
insulation. For each of these conditions there is a correction factor (CF) which will be
respectively called Ca, Cg, Cf and Ci, and which derates cable current carrying capacity or
conversely increases cable size.

Derating = lower the rated electrical capability of electrical apparatus.

Ambient temperature Ca

The cable rating in the IEE regulations are on an ambient temperature of 30oC, and
hence it is only above this temperature that an adverse correction is needed.

Grouping Cg

When cables are grouped together they impart heat to each other. Therefore the more
cables there are the more heat they will generate, thus increasing the temperature of
each cable. IEE regulation also gives factors for such groupings of the same cable sizes.

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Protection by BS 3036 fuse Cf

Because of the high fusing factor of BS 3036 fuses, the rating of the fuse In, should be
less than or equal to 0.725Iz. Hence 0.725 is the correction factor to be used when BS
3036 fuses are used.

Thermal Insulation Ci

With the modern trend towards energy saving and the installation of thermal insulation,
there may be a need to derate cables to account for heat retention. IEE Regulation
gives these factors for situations when thermal insulation touches one side of a cable.
However, if a cable is totally surrounded by thermal insulation for more than 0.5 m, a
factor of 0.5 must be applied to the tabulated clipped direct ratings. For less than 0.5 m,
derating factors should be applied.

Application of correction factors

Some or all of the onerous conditions just outlined may affect a cable along its whole
length or parts of it, but not all may affect it at the same time. If all conditions are to
appear at the same time consider all correction factors, otherwise take the worst.
Having chosen the relevant correction factors, we now apply them to the nominal rating
of the protection In as divisors in order to calculate the current carrying capacity Iz of the
cable.

Current carrying capacity

The required formula for current carrying capacity Iz is Iz = In / (relevant CFs)

Choice of cable size

Having established the current carrying capacity Iz of the cable to be used, it now
remains to choose a cable to suit that value. The IEE regulation also list all the cable
sizes, current carrying capacity and voltage drops of varies types of cables.

Voltage drop

The resistance of a conductor increases as the length increases and/or the cross-
sectional area decreases. Associated with an increased resistance is a drop in voltage,
which means that a load at the end of a long thin cable will not have the full supply
voltage available. The IEE regulation requires that the voltage drop Vd should not be so
excessive that equipment does not function safely. They further indicate that a drop of
no more than 4% of the nominal voltage at the origin of the circuit will satisfy. The
voltage drop will be calculated using a formula (adopted by IEE regulation):
Vd = (mV x Ib x L) / 1000

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where mV-voltage drop in mV obtained from IEE table
L-length

Fundamental 3-phase Voltage-drop Calculations

These are all based on the basic formula.

R = (ρl) / A where ρ (rho) stands for resistivity

ρ= 1.72x10-8 – for copper conductor

ρ= 2.83x10-8 – for aluminum conductor

If resistance of a conductor at any temperature different from room temperature is

required it can be calculated using

RT= RO (1+ αΔT)

Where RT - resistance at the required temperature

RO = ρl/A resistance at room temperature
α - Expansion coefficient
= 0.00393 -for copper
= 0.0039 -for aluminum
ΔT-change in temperature

Resistivity is defined as the resistance between two opposite faces of a unit cube of the
conductor material. Many voltage-drop problems involve the determination of
resistance by this means and then multiplying by the current to obtain the IR drop. The
weakness of this method, as against that adopted by use of the I.E.E. Tables, is that the
Tables are much more realistic since they take into account the actual type of cable and
conditions of service.

Diversity Factor

The diversity factor has an important place in the design of an installation and its final
costing. Diversity factor is a factor which is applied to sub main and main cables and
their associated gears to reduce:

a) The cross sectional area of the cable conductor, and

b) The capacity of the switch gears

The factor is based on the assumption that the whole of the connected load will not be
turned on at the same time. For example, the total lighting load in a dwelling house is
rarely switched on at a time. Thus, it can be taken that if the total lighting load is 1000W

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during the life of the installation, only 66% of the load (660W) will be switched on at any
one time. The factor in this instance is 0.66. It is noted that the provision of an
allowance for diversity is a matter of calling for a special knowledge and experience.
Indeed, the application of the diversity should be decided by the engineer responsible
for designing each particular installation. The amount by which they are increased or
decreased for each installation is a matter for the installation engineer to decide.

There are ten types of final circuit fed from wiring to which diversity applies: lighting,
heating, cooking appliances which are permanently connected, motors (other than
lifting motors), instantaneous-type water heater, thermostatically controlled water
heater, floor-warming installation, thermal-storage space-heating installation, 13A fused
socket outlets and appliance, and other socket outlets such as 15A sockets.

In the case of lighting for each type of installation, it will be noticed that the more the
total lighting load is likely to switched on over definite periods, the smaller is the
allowance made for diversity.

In a domestic installation, it is estimated that some two-thirds (0.66) of the lighting load
will be on at any one time. In a hotel, the figure is 75% (0.75), and in a shop, where
virtually all the lights are on for most of the time when the shop is open, the figure is
90% (0.90). It should be noted that no diversity is allowable in the relevant wiring
supplying certain types of load.

More on demand factor

Demand factor: the ratio of the maximum demand of a system, or part of a system, to
the total connected load on the system, or part of the system under consideration.

Diversity factor: the ratio of the sum of the individual maximum demands of the various
subdivisions of a system, or part of a system under consideration.

Rules of calculating the lighting load on services and feeder circuits is given in the NEC.
The difference between calculating branch circuit loads and feeder circuit loads is that a
demand factor is not usually applied for a branch circuit but may be applied in the case
of a feeder circuit.

The load on a service or feeder is the sum of all of the branch loads subject to their
demand factor as permitted by the rules of the NEC.

Demand factor is a percentage by which the total connected load on a service or feeder
is multiplied to determine the greatest probable load that the feeder will be called upon
to carry. In hospitals, hotels, apartment complexes, and dwelling units, it is not likely

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that all of the lights and receptacles connected to every branch circuit served by a
service or feeder would be ON at the same time. Therefore, instead of sizing the feeder
to carry all of the loads on all of the branches, a percentage can be applied to this total
load and the components sized accordingly.

Radial and Ring-main systems of wiring

Ring circuit / ring final / ring main: An electrical wiring technique developed and
primarily used in the UK that provides two independent conductors for live, neutral, and
protective earth within a building for each connected load or socket.

Here a cable leaves the consumer unit (distribution board) and travels to each socket on
the main and when it reaches the last socket it then returns to the consumer unit, thus
creating a ring. The advantage of this system is that power can reach the sockets in the
circuit from both directions, which reduces the power load on the cables.

Radial circuit: with radial circuits the cable comes from the consumer unit and travels to
each socket, similar to the ring circuit. However, when the circuit reaches the last
socket the cable ends, whereas a ring main travels back to the consumer unit.

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