beginner: max amps for a 1oz/ft^2 trace?

[nyoo]

Hi,

Beginner question.

I'm using veroboard: the parallel plating traces are a little less than .100" wide running the entire length of the board. As far as I can tell, this manufacturer uses 35 µm, or 1 oz/ft^2 of copper. I'd like to run 4A through the traces, pretty continuously for 6-8 hours a day.

The calculator at The CircuitCalculator.com Blog PCB Trace Width Calculator tells me that such a trace will carry 2A. With a 10°C rise in a "potted" circuit. I guess I'm potted, I'm using a project enclosure.

But then, https://www.electro-tech-online.com/custompdfs/2009/02/slup230.pdf says, "Consider a 0.1-inch wide, 1-ounce trace. For 10ºC rise, the conductor current carrying capacity is 4 A." They say this is conservative.

I'm trying to avoid bubble and smoke. Which source is accurate? Could I solder copper wire parallel to (that is, on top of) the traces to Vin and Gnd? Should I really add a relay to the circuit?

Could someone with actual experience of 1 oz/ft^2 copper traces please tell me if it handles 4 amps of current?

Thanks very much for your help.

 

[Speakerguy]

You are not potted. That's when you encapsulate it in plastic resin.

 

[nyoo]

You are not potted. That's when you encapsulate it in plastic resin.

So I'd use the "External Layers in Air" results from the calculator? And a 2 mm trace will not fry the board when carrying 4A?

Thanks.