Understanding Voltage Loss in Wires
When electricity flows through a wire, some of the energy is lost as heat because the wire resists the flow of current. This shows up as a voltage drop between the power source and the device. If the voltage drop is too high, the device may not work properly, and the wire itself can get hot.
That’s why it’s important to choose the right wire gauge (thickness) and type of wire. Thicker wires (with lower gauge numbers) have less resistance, so they carry more current with less loss. If the wire is too thin, it can waste energy, reduce performance, and in extreme cases, even cause overheating or fire.
This calculator helps you estimate how much voltage is lost over a given length of wire, so you can make safe, efficient choices when setting up electrical systems.
Want to tweak this tool for your own site? The source code is available on GitHub.