Commonly used copper wires in everyday life come in sizes of 1.5, 2.5, 4, 6, and 10 square meters. 2.5 square meters are used in many areas. For example, during home renovations, many households often use 2.5 square meters. Let's discuss the power rating of 2.5 square meters and the appliances they are suitable for.
What is the power rating of 2.5 square meters?
1. Generally, the safe current carrying capacity of 1 square millimeter for currents under 50A is 6A, 50-100A is 5A, and for currents above 100A, the safe current carrying capacity of 1 square millimeter is 2.5A. Using the copper cable's size, we can calculate the current. The formula for three-phase AC power is: P = 1.732 * U * I * cos φ, where cos φ is the power factor and 0.8 is the correct value. This is the formula for calculating three-phase power. For single-phase power, P = U * I * cos φ, where cos φ is the power factor. The power factor for resistive loads is 1, and for inductive loads, 0.8 is the correct value.
2. The national standard GB4706.1-2005 specifies the current load value for wires: A copper core wire with a cross-sectional area of 2.5 mm² allows for a long-term current of 16A to 25A. This translates to a power of 3500 to 5500W. The specific use depends on factors such as wire length, continuous use duration, and the method of use (e.g., piped or directly buried, which affects heat dissipation).
What appliances are 2.5 mm² wire commonly used for?
Appliances such as air conditioners, electric water heaters, rice cookers, refrigerators, induction cookers, and infrared heaters are common in everyday life. How many appliances can be powered by a 2.5 mm² copper wire? If we calculate based on a 2.5 mm² copper wire, the safe current that can flow is 2.5*8 = 20A. For example, the maximum starting current of a 1.5-horsepower air conditioner is 10A, the operating current of a typical electric water heater is around 5A, the operating current of an electric rice cooker is less than 5A, the operating current of an induction cooker is around 10A, and the current of an infrared heater is around 6A. These are all high-power appliances. Avoid running more than three of these high-power appliances simultaneously. Running two at once is acceptable. If you don't have air conditioning, running three appliances simultaneously is acceptable. Note that the air conditioner and induction cooker are the most power-hungry appliances, so try not to run them simultaneously. If you use an instantaneous electric water heater, separate wiring is required. Instantaneous water heaters draw up to 3000W, requiring a separate 4-square-meter copper wire. This type of appliance places very high demands on the wiring.
Single-core 2.5-square-meter copper wire is currently the most common type. Prices vary greatly depending on the brand of wire. Currently, standard national standard BV2.5 wire costs between 160 and 170 yuan per 100 meters. Better brands cost between 230 and 240 yuan per 100 meters, while cheaper options are available for 120 yuan per 100 meters, though the quality and quantity are often poor.
The above explains the power consumption of 2.5-square-meter wire and its suitability for electrical appliances. You may not need it often, but it's always helpful to know. At least we should know how many square feet of wires there are in our rooms, and then make reasonable arrangements when using home appliances.
