Voltage Drop on Neutral Service Conductor

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Cletis

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Greetings fellow Sparkys,

I'm running a 200 amp service 500 ft underground for a single phase 120/240v panel. The current calculated load is around 50 amps. Over half of that is 240V items so basically there won't be much unbalanced load on the neutral. I'm going to run 250MCM for the ungrounded conductors to account for VD just in case he starts adding things down the road. My plan is either a 1/0 or 2/0 neutral to be safe. My question is does the sizing of the neutral AFFECT VD at all in this situation or future situation if he starts maxing out the 200 amp panel.

Thank you in advance fellow sparky's
 
Cletis said:
Greetings fellow Sparkys,

I'm running a 200 amp service 500 ft underground for a single phase 120/240v panel. The current calculated load is around 50 amps. Over half of that is 240V items so basically there won't be much unbalanced load on the neutral. I'm going to run 250MCM for the ungrounded conductors to account for VD just in case he starts adding things down the road. My plan is either a 1/0 or 2/0 neutral to be safe. My question is does the sizing of the neutral AFFECT VD at all in this situation or future situation if he starts maxing out the 200 amp panel.

Thank you in advance fellow sparky's
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Yes, it is a portion of the total resistance on 120v loads.

Series the the 500’ of 1/0 and 500’ of the 250mcm. What is the total resistance of the circuit?
Again for the 2/0 and again for 1000’ of the 250 for a full sized neutral. What is the VD for each at 120 volts 100 amps? We both know 100 is unlikely, but you get the drift.

The URD triplex we use it is common for reduced neutral of about two sizes. 500’ might make me inclined to full sized. How deep is the customers pocket and are they willing? Ask.
 
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Do you have a link or url of a good formula to break it down to the nitty gritty? I think the basic online VD calculators don't really break it down using both ungrounded and one grounded conductor to get average VD am I not right? From clamping on several hundred 200 amp residential facilities and commercial I rarely ever see more than 20 or 30 amps on the neutral even when the 200 amp is maxing out.
 
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