Electrical · Power Transmission & Distribution
Distribution Feeder Load Flow & Optimization
Intermediate 4 weeks 30-50 hours
Build a scaled distribution feeder on a breadboard with multiple tapped loads. Measure voltage drop along the feeder and test how conductor size (wire gauge) and load placement change losses.
Major
Electrical
Focus area
Power Transmission & Distribution
Total hours
30-50 hours
What you'll need
- Arduino Mega 2560 R3 microcontroller board
- INA219 DC current voltage power monitor sensor module 3 pack
- hookup wire assortment kit 22 AWG solid core
- high power resistor assortment kit
- adjustable DC bench power supply 30V 10A variable
- solderless breadboard 830 point pack
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Steps
- Design a scaled feeder with 3 or more resistor loads tapped along a length of wire.
- Build it on breadboards and power it from the bench supply.
- Place INA219 sensors at the source and at load points to measure voltage and current.
- Measure voltage drop and losses along the feeder at full load.
- Change wire gauge and load placement, then compare how losses and voltage drop change.
- Chart the results and document your recommendations for your portfolio.
What to photograph for your portfolio
- Feeder breadboard
- voltage-drop-along-line plots
- wire gauge comparison
- loss analysis
Resume bullet starters
Copy one, then swap in your own numbers.
Engineered a distribution feeder load flow & optimization using Distribution engineering, voltage drop measurement, Arduino
Applied circuit design to implement, test, and validate the analysis end-to-end
Skills you'll show off
Distribution engineeringvoltage drop measurementArduinocircuit design