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What is the cross-sectional area, in circular mils, of a copper conductor needed to supply a circuit 75 feet from the panel, with a load of 50 amperes and a voltage drop not to exceed 12 volts? (Use k=12)

User Davidbe
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1 Answer

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Final answer:

The question involves calculating the cross-sectional area in circular mils for a copper conductor, based on a specific load current, permissible voltage drop, and distance from the panel.

Step-by-step explanation:

The student is asking how to calculate the cross-sectional area in circular mils for a copper conductor. This calculation is necessary to determine the appropriate wire size for electrical power transmission, given specific constraints on circuit distance, load current, and permissible voltage drop. To find the cross-sectional area, we use the formula A = (2 × L × I)/(δ × V), where A is the area in circular mils, L is the one-way length of the wire in feet, I is the current in amperes, δ (delta) is the conductor resistivity in ohms-circular mils per foot (for copper it's usually around 10.37 at room temperature), and V is the voltage drop in volts. Given that the specified load is 50 amperes, the voltage drop should not exceed 12 volts, and the conductor needs to be 75 feet from the panel, we would substitute these values into the formula to calculate the required cross-sectional area.

User NRewik
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