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03-23-2013, 11:12 AM
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#1
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Junior Member
Name: Carla
Trailer: Casita Liberty Delux
Illinois
Posts: 24
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Wiring from 12v Batteries to Converter in Casita
After reading Handy Bob we want to hook up the 2 golf cart batteries and run to the back of the Casita to the converter. It was recommended to use #2 battery cable. the distance is 15 feet. Can't find the wire anywhere...or is there another option to hook the converter up? Is a 2/O or 4/O wire heavy enough to carry the voltage that distance?
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03-23-2013, 11:18 AM
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#2
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Senior Member
Trailer: No Trailer Yet (want 13 ft fiber glass
Posts: 2,316
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Quote:
Originally Posted by cozygirl
After reading Handy Bob we want to hook up the 2 golf cart batteries and run to the back of the Casita to the converter. It was recommended to use #2 battery cable. the distance is 15 feet. Can't find the wire anywhere...or is there another option to hook the converter up? Is a 2/O or 4/O wire heavy enough to carry the voltage that distance?
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Our local NAPA auto parts store makes custom wire by the foot, and crimps any style ends on it that you would like.
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03-23-2013, 11:21 AM
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#3
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Senior Member
Trailer: Scamp 19 ft 5th Wheel
Posts: 1,861
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Marine stores usually have a good selection of wires but you have to watch the price.
Eddie
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03-23-2013, 11:25 AM
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#4
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Junior Member
Name: Carla
Trailer: Casita Liberty Delux
Illinois
Posts: 24
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Is 2/O the way to go?
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03-23-2013, 11:36 AM
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#5
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Senior Member
Name: bob
Trailer: 1996 Casita 17 Spirit Deluxe; 1946 Modernistic teardrop
New York
Posts: 5,416
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2/0 should be plenty big. Is this wire to power some 12 volt lights and recharge the battery? Look at big trucks, they don't use that heavy a wire off a 80 amp alternator. Unless you are powering a 12 volt starter or liftgate motor, 2/0 is way oversize.
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03-23-2013, 11:40 AM
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#6
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Junior Member
Name: Carla
Trailer: Casita Liberty Delux
Illinois
Posts: 24
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We are running two 2volt batteries that we box on the front hitch to the converter - so does the 15ft distance matter on wire guage?
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03-23-2013, 11:53 AM
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#7
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Senior Member
Trailer: No Trailer Yet
Posts: 5,112
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Quote:
Originally Posted by cozygirl
We are running two 2volt batteries that we box on the front hitch to the converter - so does the 15ft distance matter on wire gauge?
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Do you mean converter or inverter? If you don't know the difference we need to restart the conversation, as it makes a huge difference.
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03-23-2013, 12:10 PM
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#8
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Junior Member
Name: Carla
Trailer: Casita Liberty Delux
Illinois
Posts: 24
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Running the wire under the camper from 2 12volt batteries on trailer hitch to the back converter.
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03-23-2013, 12:14 PM
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#9
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Senior Member
Name: Steve
Trailer: 2012 Escape 19' /2010 Honda Pilot 4WD TV
Escondido, California
Posts: 143
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Thomas G.
Do you mean converter or inverter? If you don't know the difference we need to restart the conversation, as it makes a huge difference.
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Yes it does! Inverters require large diameter wires to handle the large amp draws under worst-case conditions. I ran 3 gauge wire about 6 feet to my 2500 watt inverter as required in my owner's manual.
On the other hand, converters require much smaller wiring because they just keep the batteries charged while you are plugged in and sometimes provide the feed-wire from the battery to the trailer distribution panel. This wire from my batteries to the converter is I believe 10 or 12 gauge...no bigger.
Good luck!
__________________
"No Generators"
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03-23-2013, 12:23 PM
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#10
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Junior Member
Name: Carla
Trailer: Casita Liberty Delux
Illinois
Posts: 24
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Thomas,
I guess the #2 battery cable wire will be sufficient enough then?
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03-23-2013, 12:24 PM
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#11
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Senior Member
Trailer: No Trailer Yet
Posts: 5,112
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Quote:
Originally Posted by cozygirl
Thomas,
I guess the #2 battery cable wire will be sufficient enough then?
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It depends. Inverter or converter?
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03-23-2013, 12:26 PM
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#12
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Senior Member
Name: Dave W
Trailer: Trillium 4500 - 1976, 1978, 1979, 1300 - 1977, and a 1973
Alberta
Posts: 6,926
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2/0 would be good for a big inverter.
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03-23-2013, 12:27 PM
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#13
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Senior Member
Trailer: No Trailer Yet
Posts: 5,112
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Quote:
Originally Posted by David Tilston
2/0 would be good for a big inverter.
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And if it is a converter, total overkill.
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03-23-2013, 12:29 PM
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#14
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Senior Member
Name: Jared
Trailer: 1984 19' scamp
Kansas
Posts: 1,610
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This is what you need to look at.
http://www.engineeringtoolbox.com/am...uge-d_730.html
You need to know the distance between your battery and converter, and converter amp output. I highly doubt 10 gauge is close to ok. With my new converter, I got 4 gauge wire from Greg's marine wire supply online. Remember, if you battery is fairly low, you can have a lot of current going to it.
I emailed progressive dynamics about it:
"Yes the wire should be rated for the full amperage of the converter and fuse (which should be close to the battery to protect the wire) whichever is higher.
I cannot recomend wire sizes due to liability issues.
Wires should be sized according to the RVIA / NEC codes.
For a rough guide see:
http://www.powerstream.com/Wire_Size.htm?nowritefs for voltage drops using different
gauges verses distance/load
Service Department
Progressive Dynamics"
P.S. 2/0 or 4/0 is much larger than the 2 gauge you mentioned. It starts with the higher the number, the thinner the wire. When you hit 0 and go to the x/0 sizes, the larger the number, the bigger.
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03-23-2013, 12:43 PM
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#15
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Senior Member
Name: Jack
Trailer: '98 BURRO 17WB
Delaware
Posts: 2,548
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I'm running about the same distance to a PD9245 converter with 6awg welding cable. I have a 4' run of 1/0 to a 1500/2000watt inverter.
jack
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03-23-2013, 12:51 PM
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#16
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Senior Member
Trailer: No Trailer Yet
Posts: 5,112
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Quote:
Originally Posted by rabbit
I'm running about the same distance to a PD9245 converter with 6awg welding cable. I have a 4' run of 1/0 to a 1500/2000watt inverter.
jack
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The OP won't say if it is an inverter or a converter, nor give any indication of the expected current to be carried.
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03-23-2013, 12:52 PM
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#17
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Senior Member
Name: Steve
Trailer: 2018, 21ft escape— 2019 Ram 1500 Laramie
NW Wisconsin
Posts: 4,500
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Go to a welding supply shop and get some welding lead. They have wire sizes #4 AWG to 3/0 AWG. The wire has a tough insulation and has extremely fine strands giving it great flexibility . Standard 3/0 building wire is not very flexible
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03-23-2013, 01:00 PM
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#18
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Senior Member
Name: Jared
Trailer: 1984 19' scamp
Kansas
Posts: 1,610
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Thomas G.
The OP won't say if it is an inverter or a converter, nor give any indication of the expected amp carried.
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They said converter. You're right on amps, but that's what the chart is for. For my pd4045, which is 45 amps on 15', it was borderline 6-4 gauge, depending on the chart, so I erred on the safe side with 4 gauge.
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03-23-2013, 01:03 PM
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#19
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Senior Member
Trailer: Escape 17 ft Plan B
Posts: 2,389
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While not inexpensive, you can get either boat cable or welding cable from GenuineDealZ. The advantage is they will make up cables to length with your choice of color, terminals (complete with heat shrink) etc. I used them for my inverter cables & was happy with the quality of the work.
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03-23-2013, 01:03 PM
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#20
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Senior Member
Name: Dave W
Trailer: Trillium 4500 - 1976, 1978, 1979, 1300 - 1977, and a 1973
Alberta
Posts: 6,926
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Jared J
I cannot recomend wire sizes due to liability issues.
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But being Canadian, I am less reluctant in this regard. According to this link
Ampacity of Copper & Aluminum Wire
It depends on how much heat you can tolerate, (insulation on the wire). At the lowest heat rating, you are good to 145A on 2/0. at 12VDC, this represents 1740W. I would use this on a 1500W inverter. The highest temperature rating gets you 195A. At 12VDC that would be good for 2340W, or a 2000W inverter. 1/0 would just barely work for a 2000W inverter if the wire was rated to 90°C, the highest rating. A 3000W inverter would require 4/0, high temp wire.
The longer the wire the higher the voltage loss, so keep your runs as short as possible on an inverter.
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