Cable and Wiring

Date : 26 November 2010

Ir. KF Cheung

A) Cable
C bl S
Selection
l ti

Factors to be considered in sizing of cable conductors

Conductor material
Insulating material
Method of installation
Installed environment

Ambient temperature
Thermal
The mal insulating
ins lating enclosure
enclos e
Adjacent cables

Type of protective device

Voltage drop
Minimum cross
cross--sectional area

Comparison
p
between Copper
pp
Conductor and Aluminum Conductor

A) Copper Conductor

High degree of electrical conductivity

Tough, slow to tarnish
Can be jointed without any special provision to prevent electrolytic
action
ti

B) Aluminum Conductor

Lower price & light in weight

Pliable, it can be used in solidsolid-core cables
E ll t resistance
Excellent
i t
to
t corrosion
i

I
Insulating
l ti M
Materials
t i l

B d off NonBends
Non
N -flexible
fl ibl C
Cable
bl

The minimum internal radius bend in cables for fixing

wiring are shown in the following table

C
Correction
ti F
Factor
t for
f Conductors
C d t

Factors which affect the ability of a cable to lose heat are:

Grouping (Cg or C1)

Ambient temperature (Ca or C2)
Thermal insulation (Ci or C3)
Semi--enclosed fuse to BS 3036 (0.725 or C4)
Semi
Type of installation (Table 4A)

C
Correction
ti F
Factor
t for
f Conductors
C d t

A) Grouping factor (Cg) - 1

IEE Table 4B1 gives correction factors to be applied to te tabulated

current--carrying capacities where cables or circuits are grouped.
current

Where the horizontal clearance s between adjacent cables exceed

two cable diameter (2D2), no correction factor need be applied.

C
Correction
ti F
Factor
t for
f Conductors
C d t

A) Grouping factor (Cg) - 2

If a cable is expected to carry not more than 30% of its grouped

rating, it may be ignored from
f
the rest off the group.

C
Correction
ti F
Factor
t for
f Conductors
C d t

B) Correction Factor for Ambient Temperature (Ca)

Correction factor for ambient temperature is shown in IEE Table

4C1. Where for
f semi
semi--enclosed fuses
f
are being used, see IEE Table
4C2.
It In / Ca

Typical data are shown in the following table for quick reference.

C
Correction
ti F
Factor
t for
f Conductors
C d t

C) Correction Factor for thermal Insulation (Ci)

The value of currentcurrent-carryingcarrying-capacity for various sizes of

conductors shown in Tables off Appendix 4 have been taken into
account of cables installed in a thermally insulated wall or ceiling
where one side of the cable is in contact with a thermally
conductive surface.
Where the cable is totallyy enclosed in thermal insulation, Ci=0.5
shall be used in absence of more precise information.
It In / Ci

Ci shall only be applied to the open and clipped direct column of

respective IEE Tables.

C
Correction
ti F
Factor
t for
f Conductors
C d t

D) factor for Semi

Semi--enlosed fuse to BS3036 (C4)

When semi
semi--enclosed fuse is used for protecting the conductor, a
derating factor
f
off 0.726 shall be applied.

C
Correction
ti F
Factor
t for
f Conductors
C d t

E) General Formula for Correction Factors Applied to Cable

Sizing
It In / Cg x Ca x Ci x C4

E
Example
l

E
Example
l

Protective device : BS 3036 fuses

Ambient temperature:
p
30oC
Cable use :PVC twin with cpc cable
Cabling conditions at:

1) Bunched and clipped direct

2) Passed through totally enclosed thermal insulation area
3) One side in contact with thermally insulated ceiling
4) Passed through a boiler house where ambient temperature of
45oC
5) Clipped direct

Ignore voltage drop

Select the appropriate size of cables?

V lt
Voltage
D
Drop

The overall voltage drop shall not exceed the value

appropriate to the safe functioning of the equipment in
normal service.
The voltage drop in any circuit from the origin of
installation to the currentcurrent-using equipment should not
exceed 4% of the nominal voltage.
Volt drop pre unit value in from of mv/A/m are shown on
IEE tables of Appendix 4. The values are based on the
circuit conductor working at the maximum permitted
operating temperature and at unity power factor.

V lt
Voltage
D
Drop

V lt
Voltage
D
Drop

V lt
Voltage
D
Drop

V lt
Voltage
D
Drop

Voltage drop (V.D.) can be calculated as follows:

V.D. = design
g current (Ib)
( ) x circuit length
g (L)
( ) x volt drop
p
per unit (mv/A/m)

E
Example
l

A PVC/SWA/PVC armoured cable is to be installed from an

HRC 100A fuse in a distribution board to a 33-phase 380V
motor, along with 5 other cables fixed to a perforated
metal cable tray where the cable sheaths will be touching,
if the
h cable
bl length
l
h is
i 125 meters and
d the
h power factor
f
off
the load is 0.89, what size of cable would be required to
satisfy
ti f voltage
lt
d
drop if th
the ambient
bi t ttemperature
t
iis 30oC
and the voltage drop in the 3 phase feeder cable up to the
distribution board is 3.7V
3 7V and the total voltage drop
allowed is 4%?

Thermal
Th
lC
Constraint
t i t

To protect conductor insulation against thermal damage

during short circuit conditions.
I2 t = K2 S2
t = K2 S2/ I2
t = duration in second
S = crosscross-sectional area in mm2
I = effective shortshort-circuit current in A
K = 115 for
f copper conductor
d
insulated
l d with
h PVC

Thermal
Th
lC
Constraint
t i t

Procedure
To check the p
prospective
p
short-circuit current at the
shortfarthest point of the circuit from the point where the
device is installed
To check the operation time of the device according to the
short--circuit current from the time// current characteristic
short
of the device
To check the adiabatic line of the conductor by
superimposing onto the characteristics of protective
devices.

C bl S
Cable
Selection
l ti P
Procedure
d

Select wiring system to be installed and type of cable

Calculate the equipment
q p
current demand using
g Table 4A
Calculate the circuit design current ((Ib
Ib)) and using diversity
allowance.
Determine the overcueent protective device (In) : type;
rating
Check Ib In
Determine correction factors for installation

Grouping (Cg)
Ambient temperature (Ca)
Thermal insulation (Ci
(Ci))
Semi--enclosed fuse (C4)
Semi

C bl S
Cable
Selection
l ti P
Procedure
d

Calculate the tabulated current carrying capacity of

conductor:
It (min) In x (1/ Cg) x (1/ Ca) x (1/ Ci) x (1/ C4)
Select cable size from Appendix
pp
4
Check Ib In Iz
Calculate volt drop at the farthest point of circuit

C bl S
Cable
Selection
l ti P
Procedure
d
Does it offer shock protection in accordance with table
41B1, 41B2 & 41D for Zs (max)?
Check Zs Zs (max) from the tables
If No :

Re-select device or reRere-select phase conductor size

Re--select cpc
Re
p size
Use alternative method as stated in Reg. 413413-02
02--12

Checked by calculation

Obtain Ze form supply authority

Calculate R1 + R2 using
g Table 17A & B
Determine actual Zs = Ze + (R1 + R2)

C bl S
Cable
Selection
l ti P
Procedure
d

Does the type and size of cpc offer protection?

Check : S {(I
{( 2t)}
)} / K
If No : rere-select type and/ or size of cpc
Check the adiabatic line of conductor against the
characteristic of overcurrent protective device.

The End