Amp David

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Mentor
Arms
When selecting the derating factor for a cable and the cable requires more than 1 factor to be applied, is it correct just to use the lowest factor, hence derating the cable by the most.

Been studying tonight and still not grasping the theory 100%:confused:

Thanks for any help offered:)
 
When selecting the derating factor for a cable and the cable requires more than 1 factor to be applied, is it correct just to use the lowest factor, hence derating the cable by the most.

Been studying tonight and still not grasping the theory 100%:confused:

Thanks for any help offered:)

no you derate with all factor
 
u multiply all the factors together and devide the circuit breaker current rating by this number. that will then tell you the amount of current the cable used must be able to carry safely
after multiplying the factors together you must round down the answer. eg. 0.398 would become 0.39 and not 0.40

the cable factor calc is as follows. design current (fuse or mcb rating) devided by, Cr (rewirable fuse (BS3036), times, Ca (ambient temp) times, Cg (grouping factor) times, Ci (insulation covering cable) equals the current the cable must be able to carry safely
 
Cheers guys for you help. It was the last part of this example that has sent me of track slightly. The text at the end in green.


When a number of correction factors applies

In some cases all the correction factors will need to be applied because there are parts of the cable which are subject to all of them. For example, if a mineral insulated cable with p.v.c. sheath protected by a circuit breaker and with a tabulated rated current of 34 A is run within the insulated ceiling of a boiler house with an ambient temperature of 45°C and forms part of a group of four circuits, derating will be applied as follows:
Actual current rating (lz)
= tabulated current (It) x ambient temperature factor(Ca) x group factor (Cg) x thermal
insulation factor (Ci)
= 34 x 0.77 x 0.65 x 0.5A = 8.5A


In this case, the current rating is only one quarter of its tabulated value due to the application of correction factors. A reduction of this sort will only occur when all the correction factors apply at the same time. There are many cases where this is not so. If, for example, the cable above were clipped to the ceiling of the boiler house and not buried in thermal insulation, the thermal insulation factor would not apply.
Then, Iz = It x Ca x Cg = 34 x 0.77 x 0.65 A = 17.0 A


The method is to calculate the overall factor for each set of cable conditions and then to use the lowest only. For example, if on the way to the boiler house the cable is buried in thermal insulation in the wall of a space where the temperature is only 20°C and runs on its own, not grouped with other circuits, only the correction factor for thermal insulation would apply. However, since the cable is then grouped with others, and is subject to a high ambient temperature, the factors are:
Ci = 0.5
Ca x Cg = 0.77 x 0.65 = 0.5


The two factors are the same, so either fbut not both) can be applied. Had they been different, the smaller would have been used.
 
Last edited:
What is being stated is quite correct David - but i can see why you may have been confused by it.

The last part is referring to a situation where the same cable passes through two distinctly different zones with differing installation conditions...

Quite righty it states a calculation for the 2 zones should be done seperately, including all rating factors applicable to that particular zone. The resulting It for each should then be compared and whichever one is least favourable (worst) should be used to ascertain the required cable.

I`m sure if you read it again, with that in mind, it`ll make perfect sense :)
 
So it is saying that you could class each section of the cable run as a zone, where each zone could contain any number of the derating factors.

This is where you do the seperate calcs and then only use the worst factor after working out each and every zone thats needs dereating.

Hope this makes sense.

Thanks
 
So it is saying that you could class each section of the cable run as a zone, where each zone could contain any number of the derating factors.

This is where you do the seperate calcs and then only use the worst factor after working out each and every zone thats needs dereating.

Hope this makes sense.

Thanks

You`ve got it :)
 
A cable leaves the CU, is grouped with the other circuits in trunking with an ambient temp of x. This would be my first calc.

Further along the cable runs into the loft space on its own and is covered by 600mm of insulation. This would be my second calc.

Take the lowest of the 2 calcs.

Just checking to make sure i've finally grasped the idea.

Cheers Guys.
 
A cable leaves the CU, is grouped with the other circuits in trunking with an ambient temp of x. This would be my first calc.

Further along the cable runs into the loft space on its own and is covered by 600mm of insulation. This would be my second calc.

Take the lowest of the 2 calcs.

Just checking to make sure i've finally grasped the idea.

Cheers Guys.


So your first calc will include factors for grouping (Cg) & ambient temperature (Ca)

whilst your second needs consideration for Ci

& you take the worst case scenario (to disambiguate your term `lowest`)

Sounds like you`ve grasped the concept :)
 
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Thread starter

Amp David

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Derating Calcs.
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