Electrical Engineering
DC Voltage Drop (24V / 48V Systems)
Calculate voltage drop in DC control circuits, PLC power supplies, 24V solenoids and battery systems.
Units:
In 24V DC control systems even 1V drop is 4.2% — sensors and solenoids can malfunction below 20V. Keep DC control cable voltage drop below 2% (0.48V at 24V). Use larger cross-sections for long runs.
Uv_DC = 2 × ρ × L × I / A [no power factor — DC has cos φ = 1]
Input
Cable length (one way) iOne-way cable length in metres. Return conductor is automatically included.
m
Current I iDC current in Ampères.
A
Conductor cross-section iConductor cross-section in mm². Standard: 0.34 | 0.5 | 0.75 | 1.0 | 1.5 | 2.5 mm².
mm²
DC supply voltage iDC supply voltage: typically 12V, 24V, 48V or 110V DC.
V
Result
Voltage drop [V]
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Residual voltage [V]
—
Percentage drop [%]
—
Assessment
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