The cross-section of conductors is not an empty phrase, a lot depends on it, including the safety of the whole house. Do not connect electrical appliances to the first cable that comes along. If the conductor is of the wrong diameter, overheating of the wiring, insulation melting, short circuit and, in the worst case, fire will occur.
Power ratings for 1.5, 2.5, and 4 mm cables
To accurately determine the working load of the cable, you can resort to the following rule: a millimeter copper wire withstands about 10 Amperes of current. Now you need to translate this data into amperes and kilowatts.
10 Amperes is approximately equal to 2 kW. It turns out that a 1.5 mm cable will withstand about 3.5 kW. Similarly, we calculate the working power of other conductors.
Also remember that a 3-phase network passes 380 V through itself, and therefore the current value and power will be different. Cable materials are of great importance. Conductors made of aluminum and copper, even if they are of the same cross-section, withstand different loads (copper is more "hardy").
How to calculate the load for copper cables?
- 1.5mm conductor (mm²) able to withstand - up to 3.3 kW,
- 2.5mm (mm²) - up to 4.5 kW,
- a 4mm (mm²), respectively, - up to 6 kW.
Please note that the values shown are only valid for a standard network. with 1 phase and 220 Volts.
For ease of perception, below I have given a table that should be saved somewhere and used on occasion.
If the network has 3 phases, then you need to turn to the capacity table that you see above for help.
What to look for when choosing conductors?
When choosing cables, be sure to take into account two main parameters. First, we are talking about the load that you intend to transfer to the cable. Count how many electrical appliances will be "powered" by this cable. Then select a circuit breaker so that its rating is close to the maximum permissible current strength of the conductor.
If the house has ordinary sockets, a 2.5 mm copper cable is sufficient. You can turn on an iron and an electric heater in such sockets, the main thing is that the total power of the devices does not exceed 3.5 kW (about 16 Amperes).
If the sockets are for lighting only, a 1.5mm cable is sufficient. Electric stoves are the most powerful. As a rule, a 4 or 6 mm cable is taken to connect them.
It turns out that if you know the maximum permissible load of the conductor, you can easily understand for which outlets it is suitable and for which not. Also, do not forget that the material of the cable, the ways of its laying and other working nuances matter. The choice of conductors must be approached competently!
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