CalcaTools

Voltage Drop Calculator

A Voltage Drop Calculator is a free online tool that computes how to calculate voltage drop using how to calculate voltage drop, wire gauge calculator, NEC voltage drop. Tradespeople, planners, and curious owners use it to sanity-check estimates, plan projects, and answer everyday questions.

Last updated: June 2026 · Free · No sign-up required

Results

Enter values above and click Calculate to see your result instantly.

Quick reference

Copper resistance by wire size (approx, ohms/1000 ft):

AWGOhms/1000 ft
142.525
121.588
100.999
80.628
60.395

apps Small jobs, done in one click

Everyday calculators are the workshop drawer of the site — quick utilities for the moments when you need a number now and a phone calculator won't cut it. Age, date difference, GPA, fuel cost, time-to-decimal, password strength — pick a tool and you're one click from your answer.

speed Loads in under a second

Every tool is plain HTML + JavaScript with the calculation logic compiled in. No spinner, no "verifying browser" splash, no five-second wait while ads load. Hit the page, fill the form, get the answer. Slow tools waste your time and ours.

devices Works on every device

Responsive design tested down to a 320px-wide phone screen. The input fields use native number/date keyboards on iOS and Android, the calculate button is thumb-sized, and the result still reads big and bold on the smallest screen. No app to download, ever.

sentiment_satisfied No funny business

No newsletter pop-ups, no "create an account to see the answer", no fake countdown, no fake stock counter, no upsell. Two ad slots per page (clearly labelled as Advertisement) keep the site free — that's the whole business model.

Interpretation guide

Acceptable voltage drop:

GuidelineLimit
Branch circuit<= 3% recommended
Feeder + branch<= 5% total
Effect of long runsMore drop, may need larger wire
Effect of higher currentProportionally more drop

Formula & methodology

Formula: Vdrop = 2 x L x I x R / 1000 (single phase); % drop = Vdrop / Vsource x 100

Voltage drop is the loss along a conductor due to its resistance. The calculator multiplies the one-way distance by two (out and back for single phase), the current, and the wire's resistance per length to get the volts lost, then expresses it as a percentage of source voltage. Long runs and high current increase drop; upsizing the conductor (lower AWG number) reduces it. Codes typically recommend keeping drop at or below 3% on branch circuits.

Frequently asked questions

How do I calculate voltage drop?
For single phase: Vdrop = 2 x length x current x resistance-per-foot. Divide by source voltage for the percentage.
What is an acceptable voltage drop?
A common guideline is 3% or less on a branch circuit and 5% total for feeder plus branch.
How do I reduce voltage drop?
Use a larger (lower-gauge) conductor, shorten the run, raise the system voltage, or reduce the load current.
Why multiply length by two?
Current travels out and back, so a single-phase circuit's conductor length is twice the one-way run distance.
Does aluminum wire drop more voltage than copper?
Yes, for the same gauge — aluminum has higher resistance, so it needs upsizing to match copper's drop.