Cable Ampacity Chart
Maximum current-carrying capacity (ampacity) for copper and aluminium cables. Values at 30°C ambient temperature, reference installation method C (clipped direct). IEC 60364 / IEC 60228.
Material
Insulation
Category
Showing 19 of 19 conductor sizes
Copper values
Aluminium values
Not available / not applicable
|
Conductor Size |
Copper — PVC 70°C | Copper — XLPE 90°C | Aluminium — PVC 70°C | Aluminium — XLPE 90°C | Typical Application | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Single (A) | 3-Core (A) | Single (A) | 3-Core (A) | Single (A) | 3-Core (A) | Single (A) | 3-Core (A) | ||
Reference Conditions
Values are based on IEC 60364-5-52, reference installation method C (single cable clipped directly to a non-metallic surface) at 30°C ambient air temperature. For other installation methods, apply derating factors.
Temperature Derating
Nigerian ambient temperatures typically reach 40°C. Apply a derating factor of 0.87 to PVC cable values and 0.90 to XLPE cable values when designing for standard Nigerian outdoor installations.
Grouping Derating
When cables are grouped, further derating applies: 3 circuits = 0.70, 4–5 circuits = 0.60, 6–9 circuits = 0.53. Multiply the tabulated ampacity by the appropriate grouping factor.
Aluminium Conductors
Aluminium conductors are not generally used below 4 mm² due to mechanical and termination constraints. For the same cross-sectional area, aluminium has approximately 61% of the conductivity of copper.