USB-C VBUS Trace Width Calculator
Copper needed for 3 A / 5 A USB-C VBUS — IPC-2221 with PD-aware presets, routing tips and an FAQ for Type-C power design.
Preset for this niche — adjust to your stack-up. IPC-2221 assumes still air; verify hot paths with a thermal camera.
USB-C VBUS Trace Width Calculator computes the copper width USB-C power paths need at 3 A and 5 A PD levels — free, instant and private in your browser. Designers adding USB-C power to boards that used to sip 500 mA use it to skip the datasheet algebra: type your numbers, read the answer with the substituted formula shown step by step, and share an exact permalink of the calculation.
About USB-C VBUS Trace Width Calculator
USB-C VBUS Trace Width Calculator computes the copper width USB-C power paths need at 3 A and 5 A PD levels using the standard engineering relation: IPC-2221 with USB-C presets: 3 A default, 10 °C rise, 1 oz outer copper. Worked live: 3 A on 1 oz copper wants ~1.4 mm — ten times a signal trace; PD 5 A doubles it or moves to 2 oz. The result recalculates on every keystroke, the worked-example panel shows your numbers substituted into the formula, and the Copy permalink button encodes the inputs in the URL so a colleague opens exactly your calculation. Everything runs client-side — nothing you type leaves your device.
How to use USB-C VBUS Trace Width Calculator
- 1Enter your values — the tool starts with realistic defaults for this exact use case, so the worked example is meaningful immediately.
- 2Read the live result and the worked-example panel, which substitutes your numbers into the formula step by step.
- 3Adjust any input to compare scenarios, then use Copy result or Copy permalink to share the calculation.
Why use USB-C VBUS Trace Width Calculator?
- ✓Implements the real formula — IPC-2221 with USB-C presets: 3 A default, 10 °C rise, 1 oz outer copper — with the substitution shown, not a black box
- ✓Built for designers adding USB-C power to boards that used to sip 500 mA
- ✓Copy result and permalink buttons — share the exact calculation in a README, forum answer or design review
- ✓100% free, no sign-up, runs entirely in your browser (works offline once loaded)
Frequently asked questions
How do you calculate usb-c vbus trace width?+
The copper width USB-C power paths need at 3 A and 5 A PD levels follows IPC-2221 with USB-C presets: 3 A default, 10 °C rise, 1 oz outer copper. For example, 3 A on 1 oz copper wants ~1.4 mm — ten times a signal trace; PD 5 A doubles it or moves to 2 oz. The calculator applies the same relation and shows the substituted arithmetic so you can verify every step.
Do all four VBUS pins of the receptacle share current?+
Yes — tie all A4/A9/B4/B9 pins into one pour so the connector's per-pin rating (1.25 A each on many parts) is respected. Single-pin VBUS routing is the hidden failure point on hobby Type-C boards, before the trace itself ever matters.
Does the CC pull-down/up choice affect power routing?+
Indirectly: CC resistors advertise what you may DRAW (5.1 kΩ Rd = sink up to 3 A from a 3 A source). Your VBUS copper must match what you advertise — advertising 3 A with a 0.3 mm trace is how connectors brown. Route power for the contract CC negotiates.
Is the USB-C VBUS Trace Width Calculator free and private?+
Yes — completely free with no sign-up or usage limits, and it runs entirely in your browser: the values you enter are never uploaded or stored on a server.
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