weirdarmadillo
Redneck
Does a small wire size ruduce volts or amps?
Does a small wire size reduce power?
- Thread starter weirdarmadillo
- Start date
- Status
lemegacool
got boost? :)
yes it will restrict amps and probably heat up ! on what application is the wire going?
weirdarmadillo
Redneck
It's on a razor e100 scooter I tore out the factory wiring and am going to add two more batteries for 48 volts. What's the smallest wiring I can use for this?
brendonv
New member
Smaller wire size means a higher resistance which means it will get hotter and less current can run through the wire. Thicker wire means less resistance so less heat and more current can run through.
Think of it as a big water pipe vs a small water pipe. If u have a smaller water pipe not as much water (current) can get through but u will have a higher pressure (resistance) where as if u have a larger diameter pipe u can get more water through (current) but it will have a lower pressure (resistance).
Theres a bit of a physics lesson for ya, actually i just learned this today. Doing circuits and stuff in physics atm. Hope that helps ya out.
Think of it as a big water pipe vs a small water pipe. If u have a smaller water pipe not as much water (current) can get through but u will have a higher pressure (resistance) where as if u have a larger diameter pipe u can get more water through (current) but it will have a lower pressure (resistance).
Theres a bit of a physics lesson for ya, actually i just learned this today. Doing circuits and stuff in physics atm. Hope that helps ya out.
frederic
The Junk Man
Wires only care about amps. If you double the voltage, but not the current, you can use the same gauge wire.
If the motor you have is going to draw more amps at the higher voltage, then you need to upgrade the wire as well.
Let's make this easy... how much current does your motor draw?
If the motor you have is going to draw more amps at the higher voltage, then you need to upgrade the wire as well.
Let's make this easy... how much current does your motor draw?
weirdarmadillo
Redneck
I don't know about the motor, all I know is it is originally a 24 volt.
frederic is right. When vehicles switched from 6 to 12 volts
they actually used thinner wires on the 12 volt. With more
volts the amperage needed is often less, therefore thinner wire.
This is why you can run a 6 volt starter on 12 volts but if you
try and run a 12 volt starter on 6 volts you'll burn it out.
they actually used thinner wires on the 12 volt. With more
volts the amperage needed is often less, therefore thinner wire.
This is why you can run a 6 volt starter on 12 volts but if you
try and run a 12 volt starter on 6 volts you'll burn it out.
weirdarmadillo
Redneck
I just found out it's a 100 watt motor, that's lame... I think that's only about 1/8 hp. The scooter has a 120 lb limit and I'm 130, it seems to do good. I wonder if it could pull about 200 pounds?
lemegacool
got boost? :)
yikes 48v on a 100w e100 lol you gonna blow it up! the rear wheel on the e100 is very weak... i once built a 800w razor rage scooter using this wheel and it was destroyed within a day 
jr dragster T
New member
Thats why in Europe where they run 240 VAC there wires are just about half the size of american living 120 VAC. The wires are like tiny.
weirdarmadillo
Redneck
That's what I needed to know, thanks for the help.
Ok, 100 watt motor at 24 volts, that will draw about 4.2 amps, however you can double that
when you start from a dead stop and accelerate with a large load (that's you). So let's say you
could draw 10 amps under large load.
As an example we'll pick 12 gauge wire which has 1.62 ohms of resistance per 1000 feet.
Let's say you have five feet of wire (2.5 ft to the motor and 2.5 ft back)
The math; 5 ft divided by 1000 ft = .005 then multiply .005 x 1.62 ohms and you get the
resistance of 5 ft of 12 gauge wire. That is .0081 ohms of resistance for 5 ft of 12 gauge wire.
Now, to calculate the voltage you will lose across your wire use ohms law.
Voltage = Current x Resistance (V=I x R) so 10 amps x .0081 ohms = .081 volts.
If you have a 24v battery you would end up with 23.919 volts after wire loss.
Some other wire resistances per 1000 ft;
#16 = 4.1 ohms
#15 = 3.25 ohms
#14 = 2.6 ohms
#13 = 2.0 ohms
You can calculate voltage drops for the others.
Note: #16 wire has a max current rating of 22 amps in open air.
But this assume 212 degree wire temp and 135 degree air temp. You don't want to run it that hot!
Oh, if you use #16 wire you lose about 0.2 volts on the wire.
Now if you use a 48 volt battery your currents will double and the voltage
drops on your wire will double.
You will however increase your horsepower by four times.
For as long as the motor lasts
For what it's worth I have a 2 hp, 28 volt motor running on 48 volts
on a gokart.
Mike
weirdarmadillo
Redneck
Isn't the 131e one of the first electric razor scooters?
motor_head
expert garbage picker
just make sure not to run too small of wire or you could burn out the motor
brendonv
New member
24 gauge??? Jeez, that stuff would melt in 5 seconds. Use like 8 or 10 gauge or something.
- Status