For a single-phase, 230-volt branch circuit with a distance of 140 feet using 4 AWG copper conductors, what is the maximum current allowed if the voltage drop is limited to 4.6 volts?

To determine the maximum current allowed for a single-phase, 230-volt branch circuit while keeping the voltage drop to a maximum of 4.6 volts over a distance of 140 feet using 4 AWG copper conductors, we can use the voltage drop formula.

The voltage drop (V_drop) can be calculated using the formula:

[ V_{drop} = 2 \times I \times R ]

Where:

• ( V_{drop} ) is the allowed voltage drop (4.6 volts in this scenario).

• ( I ) is the current in amperes.

• ( R ) is the resistance of the conductor per foot.

For 4 AWG copper wire, the resistance is approximately 0.2485 ohms per 1000 feet, or 0.0002485 ohms per foot. Therefore, for 140 feet, the resistance would be:

[ R = 0.0002485 , \text{ohms/foot} \times 140 , \text{feet} = 0.03479 , \text{ohms} ]

Now substituting back into the voltage drop formula:

[ 4.6 = 2 \times