What is the effect of using a conductor with insufficient current-carrying capacity in a low-voltage (LV) distribution system?
It causes overheating, voltage drop, and increased power losses
Every conductor has resistance proportional to its length and inversely proportional to its cross-sectional area, and it is rated for a maximum current it can carry without exceeding a safe temperature.
Choosing a conductor with insufficient current-carrying capacity means its cross-section is too small for the load, so the same current is forced through a higher resistance.
That higher resistance dissipates more heat, so the undersized conductor overheats, which can damage insulation and create a fire risk.
The extra resistance also causes a larger voltage drop along the feeder, so equipment at the far end receives a reduced voltage, and the wasted \(I^2R\) power losses rise.
The claim that it improves efficiency by reducing resistance is backwards, since a thinner conductor raises resistance and worsens losses.
It cannot increase feeder transmission capacity or hold voltage stable either; both actually deteriorate when the conductor is undersized.
Hence, the answer is It causes overheating, voltage drop, and increased power losses.
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