"Bingo. We didn't just fry the pump. We fried two thousand dollars' worth of buried copper, too."
Jack reached into the glove box and pulled out a crumpled, dog-eared piece of paper. On it was a hand-drawn table: voltage drop calculator au
"What is it, then?"
His apprentice, Maya, scrolled through her phone. "The spec sheet says the pump is 200 metres from the battery shed, Jack. We used 6mm² cable." "Bingo
The smell of eucalyptus and rain-soaked earth filled the ute as Jack, a grizzled solar installer, stared at the smoking remains of a water pump. "Third one this month," he grumbled, kicking a tuft of spinifex. On it was a hand-drawn table: "What is it, then
Maya frowned. "So the pump sees low voltage, draws more current to compensate, overheats, and dies?"
He flipped the paper over. On the back was a grid he'd been building for months. "Look," he said, pointing. "This is our new rule. For every 50 metres over 100, you don't just upsize the cable. You check the ambient temperature. In summer, the ground here hits 60°C. The copper's resistance goes through the roof."