Battery Cable Lengths

[foxontherun]

Good evening,
Trying to make sure I understand battery cable length. Posing this scenario in the attached picture:


Total length of the positive cable "train" is 29". Total length of the negative cable train is 34.5". Would the correct thing to do be to add an additional 5.5" to the positive train so that the total lengths equal? Want to make sure I do this correctly. Using 1/0 wire.

Thanks
Harry

[Tom&Shelly]

Wow! That's a thick wire! Maybe you've mentioned this before, but how much current are your running? I used 10 gauge and it works just fine.

No, no need to make the lengths equal.

Tom

[foxontherun]

Tom, I tend to overbuild for some reason; doesn't matter what it is, ha! I have 600 Ah batteries,1000w(2000 peak) Inverter, currently 45amp DC if everything was on, 6000 btu window shaker and 4.5 CF refrigerator/freezer (AC). I am building the system to add on if I decide I want more. Obviously, bigger inverter if I add more than what I have as we boondock mostly in areas that tend to be in the shade as far as solar goes. Right now I don't have solar but do plan to incorporate that at some point. Will charge batteries off AC, generator, and DC to DC when needed for now. Most of the time we stick a few nights in with hookups here and there. I hoping the 600 ah will last around two weeks as long as I don't use the window shaker.

My guess is the 1/0 is overkill but better to put it in now than have to change it out later if needed.

Thanks,
Harry
Build: viewtopic.php?f=42&t=72881

[featherliteCT1]

1/0 copper wire with 105C rated insulation, at 11v, can carry 180 amps over a 6 feet long combined wire run, pos and neg wires, with a 1% voltage drop.

The wire would be about .5 inches in diameter.

[swoody126]

justa personal point of view

i ran both my 27' & 29' full blown 30 amp RV's on a 25' extension cord(store boughten) made out of 10/3 stranded copper cable

that is in addition to the factory power cable which was also 10/3 stranded copper

this was across the south west frum Big Bend to the Texas Gulf Coast and many many points in between

included times were below freezing deer camp and triple digit's in the summer

no cable/plug issues

sw

[tony.latham]

My guess is the 1/0 is overkill but

For a 200 amp residential service, the National Electrical Code (NEC) requires a minimum of 2/0 AWG for copper wire or 4/0 AWG for aluminum or copper-clad wire.

No doubt, your 1/0 cable will work.

Tony

[TCJ]

My guess is the 1/0 is overkill but

For a 200 amp residential service, the National Electrical Code (NEC) requires a minimum of 2/0 AWG for copper wire or 4/0 AWG for aluminum or copper-clad wire.

No doubt, your 1/0 cable will work.

Tony

To be fair, that's for 120/240V systems which carry less current for the same power draw.In a 12V system the wires need to be bigger, though I doubt 1/0 big unless you're using a really large charger or inverter.

[foxontherun]

All,thanks for the feedback, I really appreciate it.

[quote="TCJ" ...though I doubt 1/0 big unless you're using a really large charger or inverter.[/quote]
TCJ, right now my inverter is just a 1000W/2000 peak but I have a 60 amp charger; got a good deal I couldn't pass up.

Harry
Build: viewtopic.php?f=42&t=72881