10 AWG or 14?

[Ketchgould]

I have a 3000 watt inverter and it calls for 10AWG wires on the 120volt AC wires to the house. There is an "overload" shutdown on the inverter, which doesn't exactly sound like a breaker. 10AWG wires are 3 times as expensive as 14 AWG wires.

I do not anticipate needing 30 amps at any of the outlets I am wiring. I am powering a 1.2 amp refrigerator for some of the summer months. The largest draw I anticipate is my Fein Turbo One vacuum (9 amps) with a sander attached to the vacuums 6 amp outlet for a total of 15 amps.

How would you wire this small cabin?

I have access to a 3 phase, 3 circuit panel. I was thinking of wiring the 3000 watt inverter a foot of 10AWG wire to the 3 circuit panel and then wiring 2 or 3 with breakers and 14AWG wires to outlets in and outside of the cabin.

Make sense to you?
Is this the simplest solution?

Thanks
Christian

 

[sunshine_eggo]

3000W /120VAC = 25A = 10awg.

Individual circuits can be wired with whatever breaker is in the panel.

10awg = 30A
12awg = 20A
14awg = 15A

Panel must be fed with 10awg from the inverter.

Wires to the various circuits can be as specified above.

I believe you have proposed something along those lines.

 

[DarrylG]

I have access to a 3 phase, 3 circuit panel. I was thinking of wiring the 3000 watt inverter a foot of 10AWG wire to the 3 circuit panel and then wiring 2 or 3 with breakers and 14AWG wires to outlets in and outside of the cabin.

I personally like this idea, though I would use 12AWG for 20 amp outlets to as your vacuum and sander may pop your 15 amp breaker if used together. Many items require a surge of power at startup.

 

[time2roll]

Yes a short #10 to a breaker panel is great. I would put that 15 amp draw on a 20 amp breaker with #12.