ppilotmike
Well Known Member
Ok. I've asked this question once before, but I've been getting conflicting answers. I am just starting to plan & pull wires down my wing conduits, and I plan to have all grounds go back to the forest of tabs (FOT) to avoid a "noisy" airplane, electrically speaking.
Here's the question: When sizing wires, based on expected amperage, continuous vs. intermittent, voltage drop, etc., what is the wire length? Is it A) the length of the wire from the power source to the unit (i.e. batt to wingtip = 25') or is it B) the length of the entire circuit (i.e. batt to wingtip, then back to batt ground = 50')?
Secondary question: If the charts are considered conservative, is there another way to test the actual wire run for resistance to see if the size is correct? If so, how would one go about doing this?
As you can imagine, with a 14V electrical system, if the length doubles when using the sizing chart, the wire size (and weight) can really add up, especially if planning not to ground things locally...
P.S. Please don't drift this thread into the pros/cons of a 14V vs. a 28V electrical system. Thanks everyone.
Here's the question: When sizing wires, based on expected amperage, continuous vs. intermittent, voltage drop, etc., what is the wire length? Is it A) the length of the wire from the power source to the unit (i.e. batt to wingtip = 25') or is it B) the length of the entire circuit (i.e. batt to wingtip, then back to batt ground = 50')?
Secondary question: If the charts are considered conservative, is there another way to test the actual wire run for resistance to see if the size is correct? If so, how would one go about doing this?
As you can imagine, with a 14V electrical system, if the length doubles when using the sizing chart, the wire size (and weight) can really add up, especially if planning not to ground things locally...
P.S. Please don't drift this thread into the pros/cons of a 14V vs. a 28V electrical system. Thanks everyone.
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