Current carrying capacity and associated voltage drop for single core

PVC insulated cables, non-armoured, with or without sheath

BS 6004
Conductor operating temperature: 70C
Reference method A - enclosed in
conduit in thermally insulating wall etc.

Ambient temperature: 30C

Reference method B - enclosed in

conduit on a wall or in trunking etc.

mm2

Current
carrying
capacity
A

1.0
1.5
2.5
4
6
10
16

11
14.5
20
26
34
46
61

25

80

35

99

50

119

70

151

C.S.A.

Voltage
drop
mV/A/m

2 cables, single
phase a.c. or d.c.

Current
carrying
capacity
A

mV/A/m

Current
carrying
capacity
A

10.5
13.5
18
24
31
42
56

38
25
15
9.5
6.4
3.8
2.4

13.5
17.5
24
32
41
57
76

73

1.55

101

89

1.10

125

108

0.85

151

136

0.61

192

164

0.48

232

188

0.41

269

216

0.36

300

245

0.32

341

286

0.29

400

328

0.27

458

Voltage
drop

Voltage
drop
mV/A/m

400

546

500

626

630

720

44
29
18
11
7.3
4.4
2.8
1.75d
1.80a
1.25d
1.30a
0.93d
1.00a
0.63d
0.72a
0.46d
0.56a
0.36d
0.47a
0.29d
0.41a
0.23d
0.37a
0.18d
0.37a
0.145d
0.31a
0.105d
0.29a
0.086d
0.28a
0.068d
0.27a

800

1000

95

182

120

210

150

240

185

273

240

321

300

367

44
29
18
11
7.3
4.4
2.8
1.75d
1.80a
1.25d
1.30a
0.93d
1.00a
0.63d
0.72a
0.46d
0.56a
0.36d
0.47a
0.29d
0.41a
0.23d
0.37a
0.18d
0.33a
0.145d
0.31a

3 or 4 cables,
three phase a.c.

3 or 4 cables,
three phase a.c.
Current
carrying
capacity
A
12
15.5
21
28
36
50
68

Reference method F - in free air or on a perforated cable tray horizontal or vertical

Reference method C - clipped direct

Conductor
2 cables, single
phase a.c. or d.c.

For installations required to comply with BS 7671

2 cables, single
phase a.c. or d.c.
flat and touching

3 or 4 cables, three
phase a.c. flat and
touching or trefoil

2 cables, single
phase a.c. or d.c. flat
Current
carrying
capacity
A
-

mV/A/m

Current
carrying
capacity
A

mV/A/m

Current
carrying
capacity
A

38
25
15
9.5
6.4
3.8
2.4

15.5
20
27
37
47
65
87

44
29
18
11
7.3
4.4
2.8

14
18
25
33
43
59
79

Voltage
drop

Voltage
drop

89

1.55

114

1.75

104

110

1.10

141

1.25

129

134

0.85

182

167

171

0.61

234

0.93d
0.95a
0.63d
0.66a
0.46d
0.50a
0.36d
0.41a
0.29d
0.34a
0.23d
0.29a
0.18d
0.25a
0.145d
0.22a
0.105d
0.20a
0.086d
0.185a
0.068d
0.175a
0.053d
0.165a
0.042d
0.16a

207

0.48

284

239

0.41

330

262

0.36

381

296

0.32

436

346

0.29

515

394

0.27

594

467

0.25

694

533

0.25

792

611

0.24

904

1030

1154

Where more precise calculations require the use of resistive and reactive components
of cable impedance, reference should be made to Table 4D1B of BS 7671.
Notes:
1 Where the conductor is to be protected by a semi-enclosed fuse to BS 3036,
see item 5.1 of the preface to Appendix 4 of BS 7671.
2 The current carrying capacities in columns 2 & 4 are also applicable to flexible
cables to BS 6004 Table 1 (c) where the cables are used in fixed installations.
3 Spacings larger than those specified in Method C (Table 4A) will result in a
larger voltage drop.

Touching

214
261
303
349
400
472
545
634
723
826
943
1058

Voltage
drop
mV/A/m
38
25
15
9.5
6.4
3.8
2.4
1.55f
1.50t
1.10f
1.10t
0.84f
0.82t
0.60f
0.57t
0.47f
0.43t
0.40f
0.36t
0.34f
0.30t
0.31f
0.26t
0.27f
0.22t
0.25f
0.19t
0.24f
0.175t
0.23f
0.16t
0.22f
0.15t
0.22f
0.145t
0.21f
0.14t

3 cables, three
phase a.c. flat

mV/A/m

Current
carrying
capacity
A

131

1.75

162

1.25

196

0.93d
0.95a
0.63d
0.66a
0.46d
0.50a
0.36d
0.41a
0.29d
0.34a
0.23d
0.29a
0.18d
0.25a
0.145d
0.22a
0.105d
0.20a
0.086d
0.185a
0.068d
0.175a
0.053d
0.165a
0.042d
0.16a

251
304
352
406
463
546
629
754
868
1005
1086
1216

Voltage
drop

Spaced by one diameter

3 cables, three
phase a.c. trefoil

2 cables, single phase a.c. or d.c.

or 3 cables three phase a.c. flat
Horiz

Vert

Single
phase

Three
phase

Current
carrying
capacity
A

Voltage
drop

Voltage
drop

mV/A/m

mV/A/m

1.75d
1.80a
1.25d
1.30a
0.93d
0.97a
0.63d
0.69a
0.46d
0.54a
0.36d
0.45a
0.29d
0.39a
0.23d
0.35a
0.18d
0.31a
0.145
0.29
0.105
0.27
0.086
0.26
0.068
0.25
0.053
0.25
0.042
0.24

mV/A/m

Current
carrying
capacity
A

mV/A/m

Current
carrying
capacity
A

114

1.55

110

1.50

146

130

143

1.10

137

1.10

181

162

174

0.84

167

0.82

219

197

225

0.60

216

0.57

281

254

Voltage
drop

Voltage
drop

275

0.47

264

0.43

341

311

321

0.40

308

0.36

396

362

372

0.34

356

0.30

456

419

427

0.31

409

0.26

521

480

507

0.27

485

0.22

615

569

587

0.25

561

0.19

709

659

689

0.24

656

0.175

852

795

789

0.23

749

0.16

982

920

905

0.22

855

0.15

1138

1070

1020

0.22

971

0.145

1265

1188

1149

0.21

1079

0.14

1420

1337

Correction Factors
For Ambient Temperature
Ambient Temperature 25C 30C 35C 40C 45C 50C 55C 60C 65C
Correction Factor

1.03 1.0

0.94 0.87 0.79 0.71 0.61 0.50 0.35

For Grouping Refer to Table 4C1 of BS 7671

E. & O.E.

1.55
1.15
0.86
0.63
0.51
0.44
0.40
0.36
0.34
0.32
0.31
0.30
0.29
0.29
0.28