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Objectives:
1. Define Ampacity on the perspective of electrical
design.
2. Familiarize the table of ampacities from the PEC.
EE 513 Electrical System Design 3. Choose the appropriate conductor size and
insulation for a specific occupancy.

Ampacity

Current carrying capacity of a

conductor

Table 3.10.1.16
Ampacities of Insulated Conductors Rated 0-2000 Volts
60o to 90o C(60o to 90o F)Note more Than Three
Conductors in Raceway or Cable or Earth (Directly
Buried)
Bases on Ambient Air Temperature of 30o (860o F)

Normal ampacities must be corrected if either

condition is present

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HEAT
 60o to 90o C  the greatest hazard that conductors must endure,
 maximum temperature that the insulation type is aside from mechanical abuse.
permitted to reach  excessive heat may damage the insulator
 maximum temperature reached by the conductor when  Insulator becomes soft, perhaps melt, and in extreme
loaded to its full ampacity at an ambient temperature of cases to burn.
30o C
TWO SOURCES OF HEAT
1. Ambient temperature
2. Current the conductors must carry

Insulation types Code Maximum

Operating
Example

Temperature
 RHW
No H 60oC TW
 R – rubber insulation UF
 H – indicates 75o C
 W – moisture resistant H 75oC RH
RHW
 THHN THW
 T- indicates thermoplastic insulation THWN

 HH – indicates 90o C maximum operating temperature HH 90oC THHN

THHW
 N – indicates nylon covering XHHW

LOCATION Temperature Minimum rating of

required What is the difference among the
Well Ventilated Normally 30oC *
heated buildings
Buildings with such major 40oC 75oC
three wires below?
heat sources ad power  5.5 mm2 THW wire
stations or inductrial
processes  5.5 mm2 THHN wire
Poorly ventilated spaces 45oC 75oC  5.5 mm2 TW wire
such as attics
Furnaces and Boiler
rooms
minimum 40oC 75oC
maximum 60oC 90oC
Outdoors in shade air 40oC 75oC
In thermal insulation 40oC 75oC
Direct solar exposure 45oC 75oC
Places above 60oC 110oC

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Adjustment Factors
 A conduit contains six 8.0 mm2 TW current caryiing
conductors. What is the adjusted ampacity of each
conductor?
 Applies to paralleling conductor
 Neutral conductor is counted in nonlinear loads (e.g.
discharge lighting (fluorescent, mercury, sodium),
data processing. Harmonic currents in nonlinear loads
can cause the neutral current to rise a little higher than
the line current.
 Grounding conductor is not counted