DIRECT-CURRENT-CARRYING CAPACITY From tests conducted by the National Physical Laboratory in Teddington, Engi the following formulae (Ref. 2) have been derived for copper con- ductors mounted horizontally under stable conditions in a draft-free atmosphere. The copper surface was normally tarnished and the temper ange was that Flat Bars on Edge: e (As Bar galt rears Hollow Round Bars: As Bat eat Mlraore Solid Round Bars: 7.05 amperes 1 amperes Ast ott 1-90.94 ASSO. amperes NO+sele oe (+) usually experienced in service. The formulae ar direct current only. ‘These values will be approximately 10% higher than those listed in most reference books. This is due to the laboratory conditions at which these tests were run. | Where: I =Current in Amperes ‘A ~Cross Sectional Area of the Conductor in Square P =Perimeter of the Conductor in Inches 4 =Resistance Temperature Coefficient of Copper per °C at the Ambient Temperature 9 = Temperature Difference between the Conductor and the Ambient Air in Degrees C »=Resistivity of Copper in Microhm—in. at the Ambient Temperature For the Standard 30°C Rise Above a 40°C Ambient Temperature, the formulae reduce to: Flat Bars on Edge: 2504 ats Pox amperes (2) Solid or Hollow Round Bars: 1 =510 Aes Pos? amperes (s) Solid Round Bars Only: Tos0a Asst amperes (7) Area Section |Current—Carrying Capacity | Resist. Bar Size "Sq. Inch] Circular Modulus + il Per Ft. Mil In. (on edge)| acamperes | d-c Petonets Yexi 125 159,200 0.0208 250 250 65.15 | xle 1875 238,700 0.0469 380 360 43.45 | x2 250 318,300 0.0833 450, 450 32.60__| axl 250 318,300 0.0417 370 370 32.60 x2 “500 636,600 0.1667 650 660 16.30 x3 750 955.000 0.3750 970 1020 10.88 x4 1,000 1,273,000 0.6667 1230 1300 8.15 x5 1250 1/592.000 1.982 1480 1590 6.52 x6 1500 1/910,000 1.500 1700.7 1850 5.43 x8 2.000 2,546,000 2.667 2050. 2300 4.08 He xl 3/5 477,000 0.0625, 500 505 21.73 x2 750 945,000 0.2500 850 885 10.88 x3 1125 1,432,000 015625 1150 1230 7.24 x4 1500 1,910,000 1.000 1450 1580 53 x6 2250 2'865.000 2250 1950 2200 3.62 x8 3.000 i 4000 2430 2760 272 ex 500 0.0833 4 615 16.30 4 1.000, 1040 3.15 x3 1500 ree 1440 543 2 |e BB |e x = 4 i xB 4.000 2750, 3300 | 2.06 “x10 5.000 “350 4000 | 163 = Based on 323810 ** Based on 8.1455 Microhmyft/in2, {, Bars on edge, 60 cycle, 30” Rise, 40°C Ambient, Bright Surface it Based on acc capacity & skin = Table 5. Properties of Copper Bus 8: