User Guide

AXlink Wiring Considerations
3
AXlink Wiring Considerations
Power Distribution
The following table lists the maximum cable lengths by electrical current and wire gauges (AWG).
These distances are based on a min. of 13.5 volts available at the Central Controller's power supply.
Calculating AXlink wiring distances
All AXlink devices require a minimum of 12 VDC power to operate properly. The power can be
supplied by the Central Controller's AXlink cable (remote power configuration) or with an optional
12 VDC power supply (local power configuration). The maximum wiring distance between the
power supply and AXlink device is determined by power consumption, supplied voltage, and the
wire gauge used for the cable. Use the three-step formula below to calculate the maximum wiring
lengths allowable between the Central Controller and external AXlink devices.
To calculate the AXlink wiring distance formula for data and power:
1. <Total current consumption of all device's on AXlink cable> *<wire resistance per foot> *
2 = <voltage drop per foot>. See tables below for the Wire Resistance/Foot values.
2. <Power supply voltage> - 12 VDC = <surplus voltage dissipation for cable run>.
3. <Surplus voltage dissipation for cable run> / < voltage drop per foot > =
Maximum distance in feet.
The following table lists the resistance factors used in the formula.
Maximum AXlink current and cable lengths by wire AWG
Maximum Current Cable length by wire AWG
Milliampere (mA) 18 AWG 20 AWG 22 AWG 24 AWG
50 2,347 1,485 926 584
100 1,174 743 463 292
250 469 297 185 117
500 235 149 93 58
1,000 117 74 46 29
Most power supplies are factory set to 13.5 VDC. Never use a power supply that exceeds 18 VDC
for remote or local power configurations. Contact AMX for a complete list of products and their
power consumption ratings.
Gauge/resistance factors - Solid Copper Wiring
Wire gauge Wire Resistance/foot
18 AWG .00639
20 AWG .0101
22 AWG .0162
24 AWG .0257
Gauge/resistance factors - Stranded Copper Wiring
Wire gauge Wire Resistance/foot
18 AWG .00692
20 AWG .01090
22 AWG .01690
24 AWG .02770