Good way to omit and replace the fusible link? (1 Viewer)

[toyotaboy80]

Seeing as we're on the topic of length vs size and load.

Usually when I buy a relay and relay pigtail, the pig tail wire size isnt rated to run very far at the 30 amp relay rating. I bin the pigtail wiring and replace it with appropriate for the length/current.

Say I want to run 12ft at 20 amps. That puts me at using a 10gauge wire with 2% voltage drop. However, with 16gauge I can allegedly run 1.5ft at 20 amps with a 1% voltage drop.

Am I safe to use upto 1.5ft of 16gauge pigtail spliced into 12ft of 10 gauge, on a 20amp continuous circuit and experience no excessive heat build up or greater than 3% voltage drop?

The size, current, and length are pretty much all at their max in this example according to the internet calculator I use. But wondering if the wiring can be used in series like that.

 

[ntsqd]

2% V-D is pretty small. I use the AYBC specs of 3% and 10% in an engine bay (125°C ambient) depending on how tolerant the load is to low voltage.

The math says that you could use a short section of smaller gauge wire connected to a larger wire for the longer length. I think that's distorting the math sort of like how a good statistician can make the numbers say anything that they want them to (the only stats that I believe are those that I made up myself). I have done it and will do it again, but it is not my preference.

If that short run of smaller gauge wire is carefully selected for size and for insulation that won't burn then we have a fusible link.