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Cable current rating advice

Former Community Member
Former Community Member
Hi all, I would like to verify something with respect to current carrying capacity of cable. Specifically vehicle single core DC circuits.


Looking at 16mm wire not worrying about voltage drop. manufacturers are ratting this at 110A and on a forum I subscribe to people have been advised 125A is ok.


The cable is rated at 70 deg as shown on the suppliers site linked below.

16mm supplier


Am I wright that this comes under 

Table 4D1A


Single-core 70°C Thermoplastic Insulated Cables, Non-Armoured, with or without Sheath


Reference Method C (clipped direct) This will be between battery to battery not in any conduit or insulation


So is rated as 87A


I would be interested in your advice as it has been several years since I used these tables
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  • Former Community Member
    0 Former Community Member
    Mike thank you for this information, very interesting. From what I am reading and looking at your chart the original IEE charts I was looking at are a good indication of safe current capacity of a cable if it was intended for long periods of use. I expect shops selling this cable at 110A rating are doing this as a starter cable like Roger said for short burst this would be fine. The issue with advertising like this, it can be taken the wrong way and can lead to serious damage to vehicles.


    So if we do pull 100A through 16mm cable the cable would get up to 50 deg if I am read this correct. Yes this would be too hot to touch and may cause issues with anything near it. May even run hotter as it will be within a battery bay. Cable it rated at max 70 deg so getting near to breakdown temperature of insulation. Also I would be a bit worried about running this hot next to a Lithium battery bank. All hypothetical as you would wonder what you would be running at this current.
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  • Former Community Member
    0 Former Community Member
    Mike thank you for this information, very interesting. From what I am reading and looking at your chart the original IEE charts I was looking at are a good indication of safe current capacity of a cable if it was intended for long periods of use. I expect shops selling this cable at 110A rating are doing this as a starter cable like Roger said for short burst this would be fine. The issue with advertising like this, it can be taken the wrong way and can lead to serious damage to vehicles.


    So if we do pull 100A through 16mm cable the cable would get up to 50 deg if I am read this correct. Yes this would be too hot to touch and may cause issues with anything near it. May even run hotter as it will be within a battery bay. Cable it rated at max 70 deg so getting near to breakdown temperature of insulation. Also I would be a bit worried about running this hot next to a Lithium battery bank. All hypothetical as you would wonder what you would be running at this current.
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