Wire Temperature Rise with Current increase

[dave1200]

I'm looking for a guide for expected thermal rise as a function of increasing amperage on 16 ga. multi-strand wire. This is a Automotive application (12.0 -13.5 V).

 

[TheTick]

A knuckle-dragger's thermo approach to EE:

I'm sure one can easily obtain the resistance per unit length of the copper wire. The heat power emitted is the power loss = I^2*R. If you have the temperature at one or two states, I'm sure you can calculate the rest. There would be a linear relationship between power and surface temperature when holding other conditions constant.

Someday, someone may kill you with your own gun, but they should have to beat you to death with it because it is empty.

 

[hacksaw]

such data is in a number of electrical handbooks. it is a function of how many wires are in the bundle and the type of insulation, etc. standard electrical stuff.