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When in doubt, go bigger. But don't guess—calculate.
But don't worry. Calculating the correct cable size is straightforward once you understand the four key factors: calculate cable size
"Great for office work, but double-check your inputs. This is my go-to web calculator when working from my laptop. It breaks the calculation down into layman's terms, explaining why a specific gauge is recommended. It handles the 'Voltage Drop' factor very clearly, which many cheap calculators ignore. When in doubt, go bigger
| Condition | Derating Factor | | :--- | :--- | | Ambient 30-40°C (normal) | 1.00 | | Ambient 40-50°C (hot attic) | 0.87 | | 3-6 cables bundled | 0.80 | | 7-9 cables bundled | 0.70 | When in doubt