Journey with Confidence RV GPS App RV Trip Planner RV LIFE Campground Reviews RV Maintenance Take a Speed Test Free 7 Day Trial ×
Jayco RV Owners Forum
 


Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread Display Modes
 
Old 09-29-2014, 01:47 PM   #1
Senior Member
 
dennis b's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: Hartford
Posts: 2,619
wire thickness

I'm sure answers are on here somewhere but...Ihave 2 bats and an inverter. I plan on using #2 from inverter to 1st. bat.
Do I use #2 to connect 2 bats in parallel?
dennis b is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-29-2014, 02:36 PM   #2
Senior Member
 
David472's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: SW Ontario
Posts: 1,393
In short, yes.
__________________
2013 Jayco Eagle 31.5RLDS
2018 Silverado 2500 HD Duramax
David472 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-29-2014, 03:39 PM   #3
Lost in the Woods
 
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: N/A
Posts: 567
I bought two pre-made 3' long #2 invertor cables at a truck stop that already had the heavy duty copper eyes crimped in the ends to connect my two batteries together. I used a second set to connect my 1000w (2000w peak) invertor to them. These cables are braided flex and are able to handle more current with less voltage drop and have a super heavy duty jacket.
wwsmith111 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-29-2014, 08:47 PM   #4
Senior Member
 
Seann45's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: Saskatoon Sask Canada
Posts: 10,714
Depends on the size of your inverter Dennis.. I have a 2000 watt 4000 surge inverter and use 00 wire from the batteries to the inverter and 0 between the batteries..
__________________
Seann
2004 Chev Silverado Duramax optioned past the max. 2009 Jayco Eagle 308 RLS 900watts of solar, Lithium batteries (400amp hour), 2000 watt (4000 surge) whole house inverter.
145days boondockinig in2023 2022/151 2021[/COLOR]
93/2020,157/2019219/2018 206/2017,215/2016, 211/2015, 196/14, 247/13, 193/12

Seann45 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-29-2014, 09:24 PM   #5
Senior Member
 
dennis b's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: Hartford
Posts: 2,619
Quote:
Originally Posted by Seann45 View Post
Depends on the size of your inverter Dennis.. I have a 2000 watt 4000 surge inverter and use 00 wire from the batteries to the inverter and 0 between the batteries..
Understood as... whatever size wire thickness is used to inverter should be same between 2 batteries... right?
dennis b is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-29-2014, 10:11 PM   #6
Senior Member
 
Big Sky's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: Clinton, MT
Posts: 895
I have 4/0 welding cable from my inverter to the batteries & 2/0 in between the batteries for the series/parallel connection. My inverter though is 3,000 watt continuous, what is your inverter size?
__________________

2007 Jayco Jay Flight 26BHS
2016 GMC Duramax Sierra 3500 HD Denali
4 Crown CR-235 6-volt batteries - 470 AH bank
3000 watt Magnum Energy MSH-3012 Tri Metric 2025
Cummins generator
Winegard Traveler DirecTV slimline HD SK-3005
Big Sky is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-29-2014, 11:25 PM   #7
Senior Member
 
dennis b's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: Hartford
Posts: 2,619
Quote:
Originally Posted by Big Sky View Post
I have 4/0 welding cable from my inverter to the batteries & 2/0 in between the batteries for the series/parallel connection. My inverter though is 3,000 watt continuous, what is your inverter size?
Haven't got one yet. Looking at a 600watt pure sine but don't know
yet.
Any suggestions on brand?

Shouldn't that be the other way around? I would think you'd want the#2 going into inverter.
dennis b is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-30-2014, 05:23 AM   #8
Senior Member
 
Big Sky's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: Clinton, MT
Posts: 895
The most critical in terms of reducing the resistance, is the wire size between the inverter & the batteries. #4/0 is much larger than #2/0. #2 is smaller than those and is standard automotive battery cable size. I'm using custom length, made to order welding cables.
__________________

2007 Jayco Jay Flight 26BHS
2016 GMC Duramax Sierra 3500 HD Denali
4 Crown CR-235 6-volt batteries - 470 AH bank
3000 watt Magnum Energy MSH-3012 Tri Metric 2025
Cummins generator
Winegard Traveler DirecTV slimline HD SK-3005
Big Sky is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-30-2014, 12:39 PM   #9
Senior Member
 
Seann45's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: Saskatoon Sask Canada
Posts: 10,714
I have been very happy with my Magnum Energy inverter.. best advice I can give you is to get a bigger one than you think you will need.. it cost more to upgrade later on...
__________________
Seann
2004 Chev Silverado Duramax optioned past the max. 2009 Jayco Eagle 308 RLS 900watts of solar, Lithium batteries (400amp hour), 2000 watt (4000 surge) whole house inverter.
145days boondockinig in2023 2022/151 2021[/COLOR]
93/2020,157/2019219/2018 206/2017,215/2016, 211/2015, 196/14, 247/13, 193/12

Seann45 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-30-2014, 02:00 PM   #10
Senior Member
 
Big Sky's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: Clinton, MT
Posts: 895
I will say that Magnum Energy makes a very amazing product. They are seemingly bullet proof and their tech support team is extremely quick to respond and easy to work with. That said, I have a Xantrex 1,000 watt for sale.
__________________

2007 Jayco Jay Flight 26BHS
2016 GMC Duramax Sierra 3500 HD Denali
4 Crown CR-235 6-volt batteries - 470 AH bank
3000 watt Magnum Energy MSH-3012 Tri Metric 2025
Cummins generator
Winegard Traveler DirecTV slimline HD SK-3005
Big Sky is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-30-2014, 04:58 PM   #11
Site Team
 
Mustang65's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2012
Location: Clearwater, FL area
Posts: 5,196
What size wire to use...

Quote:
Originally Posted by dennis b View Post
I'm sure answers are on here somewhere but...Ihave 2 bats and an inverter. I plan on using #2 from inverter to 1st. bat.
Do I use #2 to connect 2 bats in parallel?
If you are looking at a 600watt inverter, that alone is 50Amps, if it has a 1,000 amp surge, then you have to design for an 83amp circuit. You also need to know how far your inverter will be from the batteries and compensate for that in wire size. The manufacture will have the minimum cable and 12VDC FUSE requirements in their documentation, or call tech support. My 1500 watt inverter requires (per mfr) a 300Amp ANL fuse between the battery and the inverter's 12 Volt input. I also used 2/0 between the batteries, fuse and inverter. Also 2/0 for ground. The inverter has between 3' and 4' of cable to the battery connection.

Have not maxed out the inverter/fuse, or had any major surges yet so I guess I am set up OK.

Just my thoughts,
Don
__________________
2013 Jayco Eagle 284BHS
2012 Ford F150XLT, EcoBoost w/3.73,Max Tow Pkg.
Our Solar Album https://www.jaycoowners.com/album.php?albumid=329
Mustang65 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-30-2014, 05:20 PM   #12
Lost in the Woods
 
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: N/A
Posts: 567
The #2 inverter cables I bought at a truck stop (Pilot) are rated to handle 1500w continuous. Should be more than enough to handle a 600 watt inverter. The truck stops have bigger cables as well I think for 2500w inverters.
wwsmith111 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-30-2014, 05:44 PM   #13
Senior Member
 
nwminnesota's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: Blaine
Posts: 294
Need more info to size your wire. How many watt Inverter. I seen something about 600 watts are you sure or do you want to upsize it a bit?
__________________
2014 6.6L Duramax 2500hd CrewCab
2018 5th wheel on its way
2011 x23b (sold)
05 f150 5.4 v8 (sold)
nwminnesota is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-30-2014, 06:23 PM   #14
Senior Member
 
dennis b's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: Hartford
Posts: 2,619
I still think you got that backwards?
The smaller the wire thickness # is the heavier it is....so #2 is heavier than #4
dennis b is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-30-2014, 06:32 PM   #15
Senior Member
 
Big Sky's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: Clinton, MT
Posts: 895
Hi Dennis B,

What you are saying is true until you reach size 0, then it goes to 00 or 2/0 then 3/0 then 4/0. Here is my 3,000 watt inverter install with the 4/0 cable. The 4/0 is going from the positive and negative of the inverter towards the batteries. The positive first has a 400 amp fuse, then batteries. The negative lead goes to the 500 amp shunt, then the battery bank. If you look at the bottom left of the wiring you'll see a #2 gauge wire I used for the inverter ground. That is the gauge of a standard battery cable. Notice the hug difference between the standard #2 battery cable and the 4/0 gauge welding cable.
Attached Thumbnails
2014-07-22 11.09.34.jpg  
__________________

2007 Jayco Jay Flight 26BHS
2016 GMC Duramax Sierra 3500 HD Denali
4 Crown CR-235 6-volt batteries - 470 AH bank
3000 watt Magnum Energy MSH-3012 Tri Metric 2025
Cummins generator
Winegard Traveler DirecTV slimline HD SK-3005
Big Sky is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-30-2014, 07:11 PM   #16
Senior Member
 
dennis b's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: Hartford
Posts: 2,619
Didn't know that! makes sense now!
dennis b is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-30-2014, 08:17 PM   #17
Senior Member
 
dennis b's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: Hartford
Posts: 2,619
Quote:
Originally Posted by Big Sky View Post
I will say that Magnum Energy makes a very amazing product. They are seemingly bullet proof and their tech support team is extremely quick to respond and easy to work with. That said, I have a Xantrex 1,000 watt for sale.
How much are you asking for it?
How old?
I would imagine it is a pure sine?
dennis b is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-30-2014, 11:15 PM   #18
Senior Member
 
Big Sky's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: Clinton, MT
Posts: 895
Quote:
Originally Posted by dennis b View Post
How much are you asking for it?
How old?
I would imagine it is a pure sine?
Absolutely pure sine, used it for LED televisions, DirectV DVR, phone re-charger. If you care about the life of electronics, you do NOT use modified sine wave. I have it listed in the parts & accessories classifieds, $350 or best offer.
http://www.jaycoowners.com/forums/sh...ad.php?t=21333

The listing shows pics of both the unit as well as the remote I used to have installed in my TT wall. I've since replaced it with the Magnum Energy.


It is pre-wired with a male and female plug, easy to use the auto-bypass so you are not having to unplug from the inverter and plug into your wall outlet, it will automatically by-pass and use shore power when you are plugged into a power source and use battery power to create AC power when you're not. I have the battery connection cable also, 6 feet each of #2. I suppose you could also wire this into your panel, not how I used it. Send me a private message and I'm happy to discuss it with you. You'd be happier with this than a 600 Watt. This is a 1000 watt (1500 watt surge). Google and see what you find, I've found a new prosine 1000 goes for about $650-$750.
__________________

2007 Jayco Jay Flight 26BHS
2016 GMC Duramax Sierra 3500 HD Denali
4 Crown CR-235 6-volt batteries - 470 AH bank
3000 watt Magnum Energy MSH-3012 Tri Metric 2025
Cummins generator
Winegard Traveler DirecTV slimline HD SK-3005
Big Sky is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


» Featured Campgrounds

Reviews provided by

Powered by vBadvanced CMPS v3.2.3
Disclaimer:

This website is not affiliated with or endorsed by Jayco, Inc. or any of its affiliates. This is an independent, unofficial site.


All times are GMT -6. The time now is 03:50 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.8 Beta 1
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.
Copyright 2002-2016 Social Knowledge, LLC All Rights Reserved.