CONDUCTORS

AND INSULATORS
UNIT II

Lesson 1: Function of Conductors

Lesson 2: Standard Wire Gage Sizes
Lesson 3: Type of Wire Conductors
Lesson 4: Connectors
Lesson 5: Printed Wiring
Lesson 6: Switches
Lesson 7: Fuses
Lesson 8: Wire Resistance
Lesson 9: Insulators

BANCOROTLE102020
Introduction
Conductors have very low
resistance. An R of 0.1 Ω or less for 10 ft of
copper wire is a typical value. The function
of the wire conductor is to connect a source
of applied voltage to a load with minimum IR
voltage drop in the conductor. Then
practically all the applied voltage can
produce current in the load.
At the opposite extreme, materials
having a very high resistance of many
megaohms are insulators. Some common
examples are air, paper, plastics, rubber,
mica, glass, cotton, shellac or varnish, and
wood. And insulator provides the equivalent
of an open circuit with almost infinite R and
practically zero I.
Between the extremes of
conductors and insulators are
semiconductor materials such as carbon
(C), silicon (Si), and germanium (Ge).
Carbon is used in the manufacture of carbon
composition resistor. Si and Ge are used for
transistors. Just about all semiconductor
devices are made with silicon. It should be
noted, though, that the medium resistance of
Si and Ge is not so important as the fact their
electrical characteristics can be altered to
provide free charges to be controlled by a
small applied voltage.
In a class by itself is the category
of super-conductors. As the name says,
these materials have the superb
characteristic of zero resistance. However,
this very desirable feature can be provided
only with special low-temperature
conditions or unique ceramic materials.
BANCOROTLE102020
FUNCTION OF THE
CONDUCTOR
LESSON 1

BANCOROTLE102020
Function of the Conductor
In Fig. 1.1, the resistance of
the two 10-ft lengths of copper-wire
conductor is 0.08 Ω. This R is
negligibly small compared with the
144-Ω R for the tungsten filament in
the light bulb. When the current of
0.833 A flows in the bulb and the
series conductors, the IR voltage
drop of the conductors is only 0.07 V,
with 119.93 V across the bulb.
Practically all the applied voltage is
across the bulb filament. Since the
(a)
bulb then has its rated voltage of 120
V, approximately, it will dissipate the
rated power of 100 W and light with
full brilliance.

The current in the wire

conductors and the bulb is the same,
since they are in series. However, the
IR voltage drop in the conductor is
practically zero because its R is
almost zero.

(b)

Fig. 1.1 The conductors should have

minimum resistance to light the bulb
with full brilliance. (a) Wiring diagram.
(b) Schematic diagram. 𝑅1 and 𝑅2
represent the very small resistance of
the wire conductors. BANCOROTLE102020
Function of the Conductor
Also, the 𝐼 2 𝑅 power
dissipated in the conductor is
negligibly small, allowing the
conductor to operate without
becoming hot. Therefore, the
conductor delivers energy from the
source of the load with minimum
loss, by means of electron flow in the
copper wires.

Although the resistance of (a)

wire conductors is very small, for
some cases of high current the
resultant IR drop can be appreciable.
The complaint that the size of a
television picture shrinks at night is
one example. When many lights and
possibly other appliances are on, the
high value of current can produce
too much voltage drop in the power
line. A 30-V IR drop results in only
90 V at the load, which is low enough
to reduce the picture size. As
additional examples, excessive IR
drop in the line and low voltage at
the load can be cause of a toaster not
heating quickly or an electric motor
not starting or running properly. (b)

Fig. 1.1 The conductors should have

minimum resistance to light the bulb
with full brilliance. (a) Wiring diagram.
(b) Schematic diagram. 𝑅1 and 𝑅2
represent the very small resistance of
the wire conductors. BANCOROTLE102020
Function of the Conductor
C A L C U L AT E V O LT A G E D R O P

How to calculate voltage drop in a copper wire

To calculate voltage drop in a copper wire, use the following formula:

𝐿𝑒𝑛𝑔𝑡ℎ 𝑥 𝐶𝑢𝑟𝑟𝑒𝑛𝑡 𝑥 0.017

𝑉𝑜𝑙𝑡𝑠 =
𝐴𝑟𝑒𝑎
Volts = Voltage Drop
Length = Total Length of wire in meters (including any earth return wire)
Current = Current (amps) through wire
Area = Cross sectional area of copper in square ,milimeters.

Notes:
• This formula only applies to copper 25 degrees Celsius, voltage drop
increases with temperature, at approximately 0.4% per degree Celsius.
• 0.017 – This figure only applies to copper wire.
• Area is in square millimeters of copper, there can be confusion on how
cable size is rated, with some manufacturers stating wire diameter rather
than area, some even including the insulation.

BANCOROTLE102020
Function of the Conductor
Example
A trailer has 50 meters of 4 square millimeter wire so, how much is the
voltage drop at 20 amperes?

Given: Length = 50 meters

Current = 20 amperes
Area = 4 𝑚𝑚2

Required: Voltage Drop

𝐿𝑒𝑛𝑔𝑡ℎ 𝑥 𝐶𝑢𝑟𝑟𝑒𝑛𝑡 𝑥 0.017

Formula: 𝑉𝑜𝑙𝑡𝑠 = 𝐴𝑟𝑒𝑎

Solution:
50 𝑚 𝑥 20 𝐴 𝑥 0.017
𝑉𝑜𝑙𝑡𝑠 = 4 𝑚𝑚2
17
𝑉𝑜𝑙𝑡𝑠 = 4
𝑉𝑜𝑙𝑡𝑠 = 4.25 𝑉
Answer:
The voltage drop across 50 meters wire with 4 square millimeters
is 4.35 V at 20 amperes.

In this example, the drop is 4.25 V.. This would mean that if there was 12 V at
the front of the trailer, there would only be 7.75 V at the back – the lights
would be very dim.
This is when the wire temperature is 200 𝐶, if the wire temperature was 350 𝐶
there would be a 4.42 V drop, meaning only 7.37 V at the back of the trailer.

350 𝐶 − 250 𝐶 = 100 𝐶

10 x 0.4% = 4% or 0.04
4.25 V x 0.04 = 0.17
0.17 + 4.25V = 4.42 V

Therefore, it the temperature increases in 350 𝐶 the voltage drop will be 4.42
V. BANCOROTLE102020
Reference:

• Bernard Grob, et.al.,Grob Basic Electronics 7th Edition. McGraw-Hill Book

Company: 1993.

• The Power of REDARC

https://www.redarc.com.au/how-to/calculate-voltage-drop

BANCOROTLE102020