DISTRIBUTION STANDARD

TITLE: DISTRIBUTION STANDARD

PART 1: PLANNING GUIDELINES
SECTION 28: BOOK LV FEEDER
VOLTAGE DROP CALCULATION
METHODS

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DATE: FEBRUARY 2000
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REVISION DATE:
FEBRUARY 2003

COMPILED BY

TESCOD APPROVED
FUNCTIONAL RESP. APPROVED BY

AUTHORIZED BY

Signed

Signed

Signed

Signed

............................
I A Ferguson

..............................
H J Geldenhuys
TDM

.............................
P Crowdy
for TESCOD

.............................
M N Bailey
DTM for ED (D)

Contents
Page
1 Voltage drop Policy Note................................ ................................ ................................ ......

2 Technology options for voltage drop comparisons................................ ................................

3 Voltage drop calculation methods................................ ................................ .........................

4 Statistical calculations ................................ ................................ ................................ ..........

5 Transformer voltage drop calculations................................ ................................ ..................

6 Service cable voltage drop calculation ................................ ................................ .................

MGMlm/as-1/May00

DISTRIBUTION STANDARD
PART 1: PLANNING GUIDELINES
SECTION 28: BOOK LV FEEDER VOLTAGE
DROP CALCULATION METHODS

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1 Voltage drop Policy Note

Eskom is adopting the Herman Beta method as the preferred method for all LV domestic voltage drop
calculations. All software tools shall be designed to accommodate this method. It is envisaged that:
a) ADMD,
b) spread; and
c) maximum current
will be selected to produce an easy transition to the statistical parameters:
1) Alpha,
2) Beta, and
3) Imax.
Voltage drop is a function of ADMD, diversity, unbalance and network impedances. Domestic loads
are stochastic and it is preferred that they are modelled as such. This document uses high level
comparisons, to highlight the difference in voltage drop between three-phase, single-phase and dualphase LV networks. Diversity is therefore excluded and the voltage drop is calculated for a single
instant in time.

2 Technology options for voltage drop comparisons

For a totally balanced system with equal neutral and phase impedances the following relationships
exist:
Dual Phase System

Three Phase System

I1 = 1pu
In = 0pu
I2 = 1pu
I3 = 1pu

Load = 3pu
V = 1pu

phase

I2 = 1.5pu
V= 1pu

Load = 3pu
V = 1pu
Iphase = 1.5pu
Vphase = 1.5pu

= 1pu

Two phases of three phase system

In = 1.5cos (60) pu

I2 = 1.5pu

Iphase = 1pu
V

I1 = 1.5pu

I1 = 1.5pu
In = 0pu

Load = 3pu
V = 1pu

Single Phase System

I1 = 3pu
In = 3pu

Load = 3pu
V = 1pu

Iphase = 1.5pu

Iphase = 3pu

Vphase = 1.5 + 1.5cos(60) = 2.25pu

V phase = 3 x 2 = 6pu

To supply the same load using different technologies, the current and voltage drop increases, when
the technology is reduced from a three-phase system to a dual-phase or single-phase system, are
given in table 1.

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DISTRIBUTION STANDARD
PART 1: PLANNING GUIDELINES
SECTION 28: BOOK LV FEEDER VOLTAGE
DROP CALCULATION METHODS

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Table 1 Balanced systems voltage drop comparisons

Three-phase
LV (4-wire)
Current comparison
Volt drop comparison

Dual-phase
LV (3-wire)

1 (base case)
1 (base case)

1,5 (3/2)
1,5

Two phases of
three-phase
system
1,5 (3/2)
2,25

Single-phase
LV (2-wire)
3
6

3 Voltage drop calculation methods

3.1 Empirical calculation methodologies
The commonly used, simplified, approach to calculating the voltage drop on LV distributors is to
calculate the voltage drop assuming equal loading of each customer equal to the ADMD and
balanced loading along the distributor. Then two correction factors are applied to attempt to correct
for the statistically worst condition with some degree of confidence.
One factor is called the Unbalanced Voltage Correction Factor, UCF(N), which accounts for the
unbalanced physical connections to the LV distributor and the statistical variability of these demands
with time which causes a non-zero, non-constant neutral current with its associated voltage drop.
The other factor is called the Loss of Diversity Correction Factor DCF(N) which attempts to model the
effect of having less than 1000 customers and the associated higher ADMD(N).
Thus the voltage drop down an LV distributor can be estimated using the equation:
Vfinal = Vbalanced UCF(N) DCF(N )
Empirically the following equations for these two factors are frequently used, although there are
numerous others:
British methods:
4 .1 4
UCF ( N ) = 1 +
for U K . and
N
8
DCF ( N ) = 1 +
for A D M D 5
ADM D N
or
DCF ( N ) = 1 +

12
ADM D N

AMEU:
UCF ( N ) = 1 +
DCF ( N ) = 1 +

2.8

and

2
N

for A D M D 5

The present DT method uses the British DCF with current limiting, and the AMEU UCF limited to a
maximum value of 2. The preferred DCF = AMEU. The preferred UCF = NEUTRAL, which simply
uses the connection unbalance per phase to calculate neutral currents and their associated voltage
drops.

DISTRIBUTION STANDARD
PART 1: PLANNING GUIDELINES
SECTION 28: BOOK LV FEEDER VOLTAGE
DROP CALCULATION METHODS

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3.1.1 Why choose DCF = AME

Below are some analyses on the effect of changing the DCF from the DT (British) method to the
AMEU method.
DIVERSITY

ADMD = 0.4
DSP = 1.10
DCF _ AMEU ( N ) = 1 +

2
N

DCF _ BRITISH ( N , ADMD) = 1 +

8
ADMD N

25
22.5
20
17.5
DCF_AMEU ( DSP )
DCF_BRITISH ( DSP , 0.4 )

15
12.5
10
7.5
5
2.5
0
1

10
DSP

Notice that the British DCF is extremely sensitive to ADMD and must be clipped to reflect realistic
answers.
Approximate domestic current for 0.4 kVA ADMD for N=1 to N=5 DSPs:

N = 1.5
DCF _ AMEU ( N )

ADMD
N =
0.231

DCF _ BRITISH ( N , ADMD )

5.195
6.926
8.658
10.39
12.121

ADMD
N =
0.231

5.195
6.926
8.658
10.39
12.121

If 8A limits are imposed then for N=5 the current l = 8*5 = 40 Amprere.
This means that the DT or British curve has NO diversity for the first 5 households, which is
INCORRECT.
It is therefore recommended to use DCF = AMEU

DISTRIBUTION STANDARD
PART 1: PLANNING GUIDELINES
SECTION 28: BOOK LV FEEDER VOLTAGE
DROP CALCULATION METHODS

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3.1.2 Why choose UCF = NEUTRAL

UNBALANCE
Option 1 : UCF=AMEU

UCF( N )

2.8
N

3
UCF ( DSP )
2

1
1

10
DSP

For 1 household, or for service cables, or for single

phase networks UCF = 2 is correct (Phase-Neutral)

UCF (1) = 3.8

Error =

3.8
1
2

Error = 90%
At the end of a LV distributor, with 4 houses on one
phase, UCF = 2 is correct

UCF (4) = 2.4

Error =

2.4
1
2

Error = 20%
At say, any point of the network, the network has 4
houses per phase, therefore balanced for 12 houses
and UCF = 1 is then correct

UCF (12) = 1.808

Error =

1.8
1
1

Error = 80%

Using UCF = AMEU therefore has errors ranging from 20% to 100%
For netoworks with neutral conductors of different size to the phase conductors, the result would be
subjected to more errors.
Option 2: UCF = NEUTRAL
For one household UCF = 2

Error =

2
1
2

Error = 0%

For 4 houses on end of LV distributor UCF = 2

Error =

2
1
2

Error = 0%

At any point in the network then UCF = NEUTRAL uses the vector sum of the phase currents to
calculate a neutral current. The voltage drop in the neutral is then calculated using this neutral current
multiplied by the neutral impedance. For networks with neutral conductors of different size to the
phase conductors, the result would be correct.

DISTRIBUTION STANDARD
PART 1: PLANNING GUIDELINES
SECTION 28: BOOK LV FEEDER VOLTAGE
DROP CALCULATION METHODS

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4 Statistical calculations
4.1 Background
A statistical approach for voltage drop calculations is strongly believed to be far more appropriate
than traditional empirical methods since consumer load models with diversity can be modelled more
accurately.
A per-phase analysis using vector algebra in complex notation can be used to most accurately model
the network.
Loads can be modelled as a mixture of constant impedance, constant current and constant power
loads using variable power factors (a typical PF for constant power loads is 0,6 to 0,8 and for constant
impedance loads it is close to 1). For simplification a constant current load model is recommended.

4.2 Herman Beta method

A new analytical voltage drop calculation method was developed by Dr Ron Herman of Stellenbosch
University.
This method assumes that the beta distribution is an acceptable descriptor of domestic load
behaviour. The beta distribution requires 3 parameters for a full description: , and Imax Imax is the
maximum measured current for a single domestic consumer.
The analytical voltage drop calculation method is far superior to any empirical methods and is
recommended by NRS 034 for use in South Africa.

4.3 Mont Carlo simulation method

The calculation of voltage drop can arguably best be achieved by simulation, using measurements of
consumers representing the future network under consideration. Calculations are however time
consuming and should be used as a final check after the design has been completed using the
Herman-Beta method.
Loads derived from a probability density function (using measurement results) can randomly be
assigned to the various households connected to the typical representative network. Since a perphase calculation is preferred, the influence of unbalanced phase connections is automatically taken
into account. Voltage drop calculations can be done for the first set of randomly assigned loads. The
assignment of random loads and associated voltage drop calculation can be repeated in a simulation
until satisfactory confidence levels are achieved at each node of the representative network
(simulation repetitions could be as high as 10 000).

5 Transformer voltage drop calculations

Many planners ignore the voltage drop over MV/LV transformers which could lead to serious errors
especially if the transformer Reactance to Resistance ratio is low and the percentage impedance
high.
Transformer voltage drop = R cos( ) + X sin( )
For a 100 kVA transformer with impedance Z = 4 % and X/R = 2, at nominal rating:

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DISTRIBUTION STANDARD
PART 1: PLANNING GUIDELINES
SECTION 28: BOOK LV FEEDER VOLTAGE
DROP CALCULATION METHODS

Z b: =

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2
Z pc
Vb
Zb
Z sc: =
Sb
100

X sc: =

Z sc

1 + X to R 2

R sc: =

X sc
X to R

where:
Zb

= 400 /100 000 = 1,6

Zsc = 0,04 1,6 = 0,06

Xsc = 0,05 ,
Rsc = 0,03
Voltage drop = (0,03 + j0,05) 144 = 8,4 V = 2,1 % (PF = 1)

6 Service cable voltage drop calculation

For a service cable with a length of "L" m and a resistance of R in /km, the voltage drop, Vdrop is
given by:
Vdrop =

ADMD NCF(1)
R 2 L , (ADMD in amperes for this example)
Vreceive

The following figures compare the voltage drop over three service conductor sizes using 2,5 A and
20 A supplies.
2.5A Supply
0.70%

Voltage Drop

0.60%
0.50%
4mm

0.40%

10mm
0.30%

16mm

0.20%
0.10%
0.00%
0m

20m

40m

60m

80m

Service Conductor Distance

Figure 1 2,5 A service conductor V

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PART 1: PLANNING GUIDELINES
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DROP CALCULATION METHODS

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20A Supply
5.00%
Voltage Drop

4.00%
4mm

3.00%

10mm

2.00%

16mm

1.00%
0.00%
0m

20

40

60

80

Se rvice ConductorDistanc e

Figure 2 2,5 A service conductor V

The approximate relationship between current, before diversity maximum demand (BDMD) and after
diversity maximum demand (ADMD) is as follows:
Current

BDMD

ADMD

(A)

kVA)

(kVA)

2,5

0,6

0,2

20

4,6

1,5

60

13,8

4,6

With BDMD = ADMD DCF(1) and DCF(1) = 3 using the AMEU curve.