Cable Parameters

Select the type of current for your circuit
Different materials have different resistivity values
Supply voltage at the source
The current that will flow through the cable
The cross-sectional area of the conductor
Maximum acceptable voltage drop percentage

Results

Cable Length and Performance:

Max Cable Length: 0 m
Resistance: 0 Ω
Voltage Drop: 0 V
End Voltage: 0 V
Power Loss: 0 W

Enter your parameters and click Calculate to see results.

Electrical Reference Data

Resistivity Values (Ω·mm²/m)

  • Copper: 0.0171
  • Aluminum: 0.0282
  • Silver: 0.0159
  • Gold: 0.0244

Standard Voltage Drops

  • Lighting circuits: 3%
  • Power circuits: 5%
  • Motor starting: 10%

Current Ratings (Approx.)

  • 1.5 mm²: up to 16A
  • 2.5 mm²: up to 20A
  • 4.0 mm²: up to 25A
  • 6.0 mm²: up to 32A

Why DC Allows Longer Cables

DC circuits typically allow for longer cable runs than AC circuits because:

  • DC only has a single direction of current flow
  • AC requires both live and neutral wires (doubling resistance)
  • AC experiences skin effect (current flows on conductor surface)
  • AC has power factor losses (typically 0.9)
  • AC is affected by inductive and capacitive reactance

For the same parameters, DC cables can be about 2× longer than single-phase AC, and even longer compared to 3-phase AC.