Engineering & mechanics
Wire resistance & temperature
Calculate conductor resistance and apply a supplied linear temperature coefficient.
A clear answer. Here’s how.
Reference resistance=ρL/A; temperature-adjusted resistance=Rref[1+α(T−Tref)]. Length must include the complete current path you intend to model. Resistivity and alpha are supplied example material properties, not certified values for a named grade. Rejects a negative extrapolated resistance. Excludes contact resistance, AC skin effects and self-heating.
See a worked example
Worked example
A fixed demonstration, separate from the values you enter above.
- Resistivity at reference temperature (Ω·m)
- 1.724e-8
- Total current-path length (m)
- 10
- Conductor cross-section (mm²)
- 2.5
- Reference temperature (°C)
- 20
- Target temperature (°C)
- 60
- Linear temperature coefficient (1/K)
- 0.00393
Example result
- Resistance at reference temperature (Ω)
- 0.06896
- Resistance at target temperature (Ω)
- 0.079800512
- Temperature multiplier
- 1.1572