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jbthehut

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"This is not about crusaders b

"This is not about crusaders but this is a well versed group so I'm hoping for some guidance. I'm changing house batteries on my boat and increasing from two 6 volt to four 6 volt, and adding an inverter. I will be using 2/0 cable for the inverter (what the manufacture calls for). My question is this, should the inverter cables be the same length (pos/neg)the set up will allow for a 3 ft negative and a 4 ft positive, but I was wondering if they should be the same length. Next question is for the cables between the batteries for the series and parallel concections. What size should I use?

Thanks in advance for the help"
 
"Ayuh,....

I'd use the

"Ayuh,....

I'd use the Same cable for the Jumpers as well as the runs,....
And,....
The difference in the Length of runs is Irrevelant.........."
 
"To tell you the truth about i

"To tell you the truth about inverters, of which I have learned much, the size of the cables is not all that important. The batteries are! Until you drain a flock of batteries--powering things that you wouldn't consider a problem while at the slip--you come to realize how little energy a battery holds.


Jeff"
 
"Jeff,

I wish everyone unde

"Jeff,

I wish everyone understood that. People try installing an inverter as a substitute for a generator. They don't understand why they can't run their AC on it.

I won't install an inverter unless I have room for 2-8D, or 6-31 series batteries and even at that, people complain they don't last long enough.

We have become too fond of our creature comforts. Oh well I have to go, I'm in the middle of installing Trac-Vision in my motorhome (only kidding)

Rick"
 
"inverters are great for makin

"inverters are great for making that early morning cofee when you normally get up at 5-6 and do not want to wake up your other friends in boating with the generator.As Rick stated...it is not meant to run a boat for a weekend out in a cove unless you have stock in Interstate.I am with Rick in having 2-8D's onboard,and 2-31 series as I got tired of dead batteries 2 times.As for the question:never undersize wire as you might learn a new word called fire.Personally I put a perko on/off switch as close to the batteries as possible. You can never be safe enough and getting wires off in a melt-down is always a bad-hot time......turning a switch is much easier."
 
"I finished a complete AC re-w

"I finished a complete AC re-wire last fall with a 2500W inverter. Along with 7 gel cell grp 31's we added more 300A and 150A fuses within 18" to 40" of the batteries than I have seen in a while as well as battery on/off switches from the inverter batteries. Other than 2/0 wire between batteries and switches there are 4/0 leads out of the inverter. This system performs so well. engines have 4 of the 7 batteries for starting, 2 each engine. When combined, that inverter charger will restore all of those batteries in less than 2 hours. They do weigh about 70 lbs each. We also used a new 7kw Westerbeke and a new Paneltronics AC 3309 panel with lockout slides for the genny.

All summer long it worked fabulously. When trying to drill out the manifold bolts on the engine, I used AC inverter power instead of shore power on a 1/2" DeWalt drill. Battery gauge went from 100% to 91% in 3 hours of drilling.

Of all of the junk our boat can offer, the AC power system IS freakin' PERFECT....Of all the wiring I did, size and load are critical within certain lengths...Once you have the wire sized properly, EQUAL length means little, BUT the total loop length does matter. EX: 6' of power lead and 4' of neutral means 10 FEET of load length which needs proper sizing...Those ABYC specs are pretty easy to follow and mean a lot at insurance time"
 
"Thanks for all the info, I&#3

"Thanks for all the info, I'm not expecting to power a hole lot, mainly want to keep my refer going and occasionally run the micro wave. Not to interested in the tv or other items, if my wife and I can'r entertain each other than It's time for a new one."
 
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