In the DIY LFP world I see people using (and referring to) the “Voltage drop calculator” in the 2024 Victron Toolkit app.
Those DIY-ers, not in this community, don’t understand the scope of the tool (“…preventing potential issues caused by incorrect voltage levels.“), and use the “Voltage drop calculator” to justify 200A DC continuous currents on 25 mm2 for short stretches, and other kinds of unsafe nonsense. I have a hard time explaining that they can’t use the tool as cable selector. They can’t grasp the factor temperature (because the Victron tool states …)
The voltage drop calculator is only a verification tool, to verify that (with help of other tools/methods) selected cable is not too thin. In other words the Victron tool should only be used to increase the conductor area (mm²), not to decrease the conductor area.
Shouldn’t the “Voltage drop calculator” calculator come with more warnings that the “voltage drop calculator” tool is not a cable selection tool?
F.e. let the voltage drop calculator also calculate the conductor temperature for a high 35 or 40ºC ambient, where cables are laid in plastic cable channels, with the return close by in the same “duct”, and thick double walled PVC insulation battery wires. Add a warning in the “voltage drop calc” when the conductor becomes warmer then the upper usage limit of LiFePo4 cells (55ºC), with more aggressive alerts for conductor temperatures in the 80+ºC region.
PS Maybe this better fits “Q&A and troubleshooting” as a feature request for the toolkit.app.