INTRODUCTION

The purpose of the calculator is to permit quick determination of a sound system’s available amplifier power after allowing for line
losses given different types and gauges of wire for a given distance. However, it is equally useful in determining the power
requirements of different types of speaker systems (i.e., 70 volt, 25 volt, 8 ohm, etc.).

Enter the type of wire (copper, gold, etc.), the gauge of the wire (AWG 16, 18, etc.), the power rating of the amplifier (50, 100,
etc.), the type of speaker system (8-ohm, 25-volt, 70.7 volt, etc.) and the length of the speaker wire run in feet.
The formulas and calculations used to derive the total wire line loss are shown below the Calculator if you wish to check the
values of each element such as current and impedance. In addition, the equations may be helpful in making calculations for
other purposes given different assumptions.
The formulas and tables used in the Calculator are taken from Glen Ballou's excellent Handbook for Sound Engineers (2nd Ed.)
published by Sams. See chapter 13 for a thorough discussion of line transmission.
 A B C D E F G H I J
1

2
3 Worksheet for Calculating Line Losses©
4
5 Wire Conductor Copper
6 Wire gauge 18
7 Length of run in feet 1000
8 Amplifier power rating in watts 100
9 Amplifier tap in volts 70.7 (For more accurate calculations,
10 Amplifier tap in ohms use 70.7 volts for "70 volts")
11
12 Available power to system in watts: 63.4
13
14 Compliments of: J. W. Davis & Company
15 www.jwd.com

16

23
24 Rw = System wire load resistance. Wire type: Copper 12.77 W
25 Rw=K(2*L)/d2
26 K = Resistance of wire per circular mill foot (See table) 10.4 W W
27 L = Length of wire run in feet times 2 (Out & Back) 1000 1000 1000
28 d = Diameter of wire gauge in mills (See table) 40.3 40.3
29
30 RL = Amplifier load impedance RL = Va2/Pa 50 W
31 Pa = Amplifier power rating 100 W
32 Va = Amplifier voltage 70.7 V
33
34 Va = Amplifier voltage Va2 = RL*Pa V
35 RL = Amplifier load impedance W
36 Pa = Amplifier power rating W
37
38 Ia = Amplifier current: I= P/R 1.41 A
39 Pa = Amplifier power rating 100 W
40 RL = Amplifier load impedance 50 W
41
42 Ps = Power taken from amplifier: Ps = Va2/(Ra+Rw) 79.7 W
43 Va = Amplifier tap 71 V
44 RL = Amplifier load impedance 50 W
45 Rw = Wire load 13 W
46
47 Is = Current through the system: I= P/R 1.13 A
48 Ps = Watts taken from amplifier 79.7 W
49 Rs = System load (Ra + Rw) 63 W
50
51 Ps = Available power to system load: P = I2Ra 63.44 W
52 Is = Current through the system 1.13 A
53 RL = Amplifier load impedance 50 W

06/06/2023
670616638.xls
Wire Loss Calculator
 Wire Material and Size Table

A B C D E F G H I J K L M
1 AWG No. Line Loss Current Carrying Capacity (amperes) Nearest
(B&S)
2 Diam mils* Cir Diam Ohms per At 1000 C.M. At 1500 C.M. British Resistivity
mils mm 1000 ft per amp per amp S.W.G. Symbol Conductor (W/cir mil ft)
3
5 1 289.3 83,690 7.348 0.1260 83.7 55.7 1 Ni-AI-Mn-Si Alumel 203.0
6 2 257.6 66,370 6.544 0.1592 66.4 44.1 3 Al Aluminum 16.1
7 3 229.4 52,640 5.827 0.2004 52.6 35.0 4 As Arsenic 214.0
8 4 204.3 41,740 5.189 0.2536 41.7 27.7 5 Cr-Ni-Fe Chromax 610.0
9 5 181.9 33,100 4.621 0.3192 33.1 22.0 7 Ni-Cr Chrome 427.0
10 6 162.0 26,250 4.115 0.4028 26.3 17.5 8 Cr Chromium 15.9
11 7 144.3 20,820 3.665 0.5080 20.8 13.8 9 Cu-Ni Constantan 270.0
12 8 128.5 16,510 3.264 0.6045 16.5 11.0 10 Cu Copper 10.4
13 9 114.4 13,090 2.906 0.8077 13.1 8.7 11 Au Gold 14.6
14 10 101.9 10,380 2.588 1.018 10.4 6.9 12 Cu-Zn High-brass 50.0
15 11 90.74 8,234 2.305 1.284 8.2 5.5 13 Fe Iron 60.1
16 12 80.81 6,530 2.053 1.619 6.5 4.4 14 Ni-Co-Mn-Fe Kovar A 1,732.0
17 13 71.96 5,178 1.828 2.042 5.2 3.5 15 Pb Lead
Manganese- 134.0
18 14 64.08 4,107 1.628 2.575 4.1 2.7 16 Ni-Mn nickel 85.0
19 15 57.07 3,257 1.450 3.247 3.3 2.2 17 Cu-Mn-Ni Manganin 268.0
20 16 50.82 2,583 1.291 4.094 2.6 1.7 17-18 Mo Molybdenum 34.3
21 17 45.26 2,048 1.150 5.163 2.0 1.3 18 Ni-Cu-Fe-Mn Monel 256.0
22 18 40.30 1,624 1.024 6.510 1.6 1.1 19 Ni-Fe-Cr Nichrome 675.0
23 19 35.89 1,288 0.9116 8.210 1.3 0.86 20 Ni-Cr Nichrome V 650.0
24 20 31.96 1,022 0.8118 10.35 1.0 0.68 21 Ni Nickel, pure 60.0
25 21 28.46 810.1 0.7230 13.05 0.81 0.54 22 Cu-Zn-Ni Nickel-silver 171.0
26 22 25.35 642.4 0.6438 16.46 0.64 0.43 23 Pd Palladium
Phosphor- 65.9
27 23 22.57 509.5 0.5733 20.76 0.51 0.34 24 Sn-P-Cu bronze 57.4
28 24 20.10 404.0 0.5106 26.17 0.41 0.27 25 Pt Platinum 63.8
29 25 17.90 320.4 0.4547 33.00 0.32 0.21 26 K Potassium 42.7 a
30 26 15.94 254.1 0.4049 41.62 0.25 0.17 27-28 Rh Rhodium 31.0
31 27 14.20 201.5 0.3606 52.48 0.20 0.13 29 Se Selenium 7.3
32 28 12.64 159.8 0.3211 66.17 0.16 0.11 30 Ag Silver 9.7
33 29 11.26 126.7 0.2859 83.44 0.13 0.084 31-32 C-Fe Steel
Steel, 103.0
34 30 10.03 100.5 0.2546 105.20 0.10 0.067 33 Mn-C-Fe manganese
Steel, 427.0
35 31 8.928 79.7 0.2268 132.70 0.079 0.053 34-35 C-Cr-Ni-Fe stainless 549.0
36 32 7.950 63.2 0.2019 167.30 0.063 0.042 36 Ta Tantalum 79.9
37 33 7.080 50.1 0.1798 211.00 0.050 0.033 36-37 Sn Tin 69.5 I
38 34 6.305 39.8 0.1601 266.00 0.039 0.026 37-38 Ti Titanium 292.0 v
39 35 5.615 31.5 0.1426 335.00 0.032 0.021 38-39 Ni-Cr Tophet A 659.0
40 36 5.000 25.0 0.1270 423.00 0.025 0.017 39-40 W Tungsten 33.2
41 37 4.453 19.8 0.1131 533.40 0.020 0.013 41
42 38 3.965 15.7 0.1007 672.60 0.016 0.010 42-43
43 39 3.531 12.5 0.0897 848.10 0.012 0.008 43
44 40 3.134 9.9 0.0799 1069.00 0.009 0.006 44
45 41 2.75 7.8 0.0711 1323.00 0.008 0.005 45
46 42 2.50 6.2 0.0633 1667.00 0.006 0.004 45-46
47 43 2.25 4.9 0.0564 2105.00 0.005 0.003 46-47
48 44 2.00 3.9 0.0502 2655.00 0.004 0.0025 47
 A B C D E F G H I
1 Power Available to System in Watts Run (ft) 100 500
2
3 Run (ft) 500 1000 1500 2000 16 ga 70V 96.86 85.68
4 70 Volt Systems 18 ga 70V 95.08 78.63
5 16 ga 85.68 74.23 64.93 57.28 22 ga 70V 88.24 57.15
6 18ga 78.63 63.44 52.27 43.80 16 ga 25V 78.52 37.07
7 22ga 57.15 36.92 25.81 19.05 18 ga 25V 68.95 24.47
8 25 Volt Systems 22 ga 25V 43.49 7.79
9 16 ga 37.07 19.15 11.67 7.85 16 ga 8 Ohms 82.59 44.33
10 18ga 24.47 10.80 6.05 3.87 18 ga 8 Ohms 74.36 30.93
11 22ga 7.79 2.63 1.31 0.78 22 ga 8 Ohms 50.77 10.99
12 8 Ohm Systems 16 ga 4 Ohms 69.36 24.91
13 16 ga 44.33 24.91 15.93 11.05 18 ga 4 Ohms 57.46 14.84
14 18ga 30.93 14.84 8.68 5.69 22 ga 4 Ohms 30.63 3.95
15 22ga 10.99 3.95 2.01 1.22
16 4 Ohm Systems
17 16 ga 24.91 11.05 6.21 3.98
18 18ga 14.84 5.69 2.98 1.83
19 22ga 3.95 1.22 0.58 0.34
 J K L
1 1000 1500 2000
2
3 74.23 64.93 57.28
4 63.44 52.27 43.80
5 36.92 25.81 19.05
6 19.15 11.67 7.85
7 10.80 6.05 3.87
8 2.63 1.31 0.78
9 24.91 15.93 11.05
10 14.84 8.68 5.69
11 3.95 2.01 1.22
12 11.05 6.21 3.98
13 5.69 2.98 1.83
14 1.22 0.58 0.34
15
16
17
18
19
 Percent System Power Loss due to Wire Line Losses

100
16 ga
70V
90 18 ga
70V
80 22 ga
70V
16 ga
70 25V
Available Power to System

18 ga
25V
60
22 ga
Percentage

25V
50 16 ga
8
Ohm
40 s
18 ga
8
30
Ohm
s
20 22 ga
8
Ohm
10 s
16 ga
4
0 Ohm
100 500 1,000 1,500 2,000 s
Line Distance (ft) 18 ga
4
Ohm
s