AC-DC power supply powering multiple loads wire-guage AWG

Thread Starter

khrissicks

Joined Jul 20, 2022
7
I have a 15V 10A AC-DC power supply that I want to use to power 8 loads in parallel. Each load takes 15V 1A.

If I wire the 5 loads in parallel to the power supply, all 0.5ft apart. Will I need 22AWG cable for the loads that are rated to handle 15V 1A individually. Or would I need the combined Amp of 8A 20 AWG that is rated to handle 8.9 Amps?

For example, if multiple loads are drawing different currents. Do I pick the wire gauge according to the individual load. Or do I pick the wire gauge according to the parallel total load? For instance, running 4 22AWG and running 4 20AWG off the same power supply, vs making all 8 20AWG to account for the total parallel Amp.
 

Reloadron

Joined Jan 15, 2015
7,501
I have a 15V 10A AC-DC power supply that I want to use to power 8 loads in parallel. Each load takes 15V 1A.

If I wire the 5 loads in parallel to the power supply, all 0.5ft apart. Will I need 22AWG cable for the loads that are rated to handle 15V 1A individually. Or would I need the combined Amp of 8A 20 AWG that is rated to handle 8.9 Amps?
We went from 8 lo0ads to 5 loads? Did I miss something? Anyway each load is 1.0 Amp and if you have 8 loads a 10 amp supply is fine. Your total load is 8 amps. If you just have two wires off your supply I would look towards AWG 14 just for a nice margin but you could use AWG 20. Next if all the loads are individually connected to the power supply then I might consider AWG 22 for each load. Over kill isn't a bad thing. You may also want to fuse your loads depending on what they are.

Ron
 

Thread Starter

khrissicks

Joined Jul 20, 2022
7
We went from 8 lo0ads to 5 loads? Did I miss something? Anyway each load is 1.0 Amp and if you have 8 loads a 10 amp supply is fine. Your total load is 8 amps. If you just have two wires off your supply I would look towards AWG 14 just for a nice margin but you could use AWG 20. Next if all the loads are individually connected to the power supply then I might consider AWG 22 for each load. Over kill isn't a bad thing. You may also want to fuse your loads depending on what they are.

Ron
Yes, that was a typo. 8 loads. What do you mean by “each load individually connected to the supply”?

The 8 loads are Daisy chain together, with one wire positive to the power supply and one wire negative to the power supply.

22AWG would be ideal since I have some laying around, but definitely want to take the safe route.
Thank you
 

Reloadron

Joined Jan 15, 2015
7,501
Yes, that was a typo. 8 loads. What do you mean by “each load individually connected to the supply”?

The 8 loads are Daisy chain together, with one wire positive to the power supply and one wire negative to the power supply.

22AWG would be ideal since I have some laying around, but definitely want to take the safe route.
Thank you
OK 8 loads of 1 amp each. What I was getting at is if each load is individually connected to the power supply (8 leads positive and 8 leads negative to supply terminals) or two wires off the power supply (+ and -) with the loads branched off those two lines. Make sense?

OK you have a pile of AWG 22 and that will do fine for each load and the short distances you mention. This assumes each load is running AWG 22 to the supply source. Since you have it may as well use it and yes, it will be fine.

Ron
 

Thread Starter

khrissicks

Joined Jul 20, 2022
7
OK 8 loads of 1 amp each. What I was getting at is if each load is individually connected to the power supply (8 leads positive and 8 leads negative to supply terminals) or two wires off the power supply (+ and -) with the loads branched off those two lines. Make sense?

OK you have a pile of AWG 22 and that will do fine for each load and the short distances you mention. This assumes each load is running AWG 22 to the supply source. Since you have it may as well use it and yes, it will be fine.

Ron
It’ll be two wires off the power supply with the loads branched off those two lines.

Thank you
 

Reloadron

Joined Jan 15, 2015
7,501
Then as I suggested previously. You need a main line capable of handling 8 amps plus a margin so call it 10 amps. AWG 20 with AWG 18 preferred. Branch circuits AWG 22.

Ron
 
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