HELP on wire sizes

[John Frum]

The ground lug and positive lead lug are both 5/16" in diameter. On a related note, since I want to disconnect the converter, is there anything I need to do beyond disconnecting all the wires from converter to the AC panel and the DC panel?

My guess is that should be all that is required.
The default(not-energised) state for that relay should allow power from the battery.
As a bonus you will have a spare ac breaker that could be used for a new circuit.

 

[aluchipawa]

Great! one more question on the disconnect, so the lug with the hot lead on the front has a red wire coming out on the back that goes down to some kind of a switch in the converter and then a blue wire comes up from the switch an connects to the top of the Fuse panel. after disconnecting the converter would I directly wire the back of the hot lead lug to top of the fuse where the blue wire is currently connected?

 

[John Frum]

Your pictures and your prose have confused me.
My vision is poor and the pictures are blurry.

Could you please attach a new setup of clear, bright, high contrast pictures in thumbnail format?
Anybody else with keen vision want to weigh in?

 

[aluchipawa]

OK Hopefully this clears things up a bit. So what I am thinking is that when I disconnect the Converter I will run a wire directly from the back of the hot lead from the battery(Where the red wire comes out) to where the blue wire connects to the DC fuses. Does this make more sense? Sorry I am not very well versed in electrical lingo my explanations might seem confusing.

 

[aluchipawa]

This is what I think it should look when the converter is disconnected. Is that correct?

 

[John Frum]

That switch is the relay.

You will remove the existing hot lead.
You will remove the existing battery too.
You will also remove the blue lead.
Attach your new positive lead to the spot were the blue wire was landed.

The new positive lead will be fused at the positive system busbar ~15 feet away.

 

[aluchipawa]

Sounds good to me thanks for all your help! Would the fuse at the busbar be 30A? and if so then I would be able to use an 8AWG wire from the fuse at the busbar to the DC distro panel, correct?

 

[John Frum]

Sounds good to me thanks for all your help! Would the fuse at the busbar be 30A? and if so then I would be able to use an 8AWG wire from the fuse at the busbar to the DC distro panel, correct?

I believe we did that math earlier in the thread and it was like 1 or 2 awg minimum to get <3% voltage drop at 12 volts.
Did you decide to go 24 volts?

 

[aluchipawa]

I believe we did that math earlier in the thread and it was like 1 or 2 awg minimum to get <3% voltage drop at 12 volts.
Did you decide to go 24 volts?

I am staying at 12 volts since I will just have 1 206Ah battery.

I looked at the http://circuitwizard.bluesea.com/ and it said that at 30ft, 6AWG would be ok for 30A on a DC system (I was thinking 8AWG because I had put in 15ft first having forgotten to double the length to get the entire circuit). I think we had said the 1 or 2 AWG for the inverter to the battery. Am I right in thinking 30A would correct for the DC panel? On the DC panel I just have interior lights (all LED), the water pump, water heater, furnace and 3 way fridge

Also for the inverter to the AC Panel, which is 15ft away (30ft total circuit) when I look at http://www.paigewire.com/pumpWireCalc.aspx it says that 10AWG would be fine for 30A. The AC panel is definitely a 30A panel.

Just want to make sure I am using these websites correctly.

 

[John Frum]

I am staying at 12 volts since I will just have 1 206Ah battery.

I looked at the http://circuitwizard.bluesea.com/ and it said that at 30ft, 6AWG would be ok for 30A on a DC system (I was thinking 8AWG because I had put in 15ft first having forgotten to double the length to get the entire circuit). I think we had said the 1 or 2 AWG for the inverter to the battery. Am I right in thinking 30A would correct for the DC panel? On the DC panel I just have interior lights (all LED), the water pump, water heater, furnace and 3 way fridge

I'm guess you are not factoring round trip length and your calculator requires it.
I use this calculator

Interactive Wire Size Calculator

Battery Chargers, Inverters, Solar Components, and Wiring Supplies for Boats, RVs, and Off-Grid Applications.

baymarinesupply.com

60 feet, 30 amps, 12 volts = 2 awg for 2.41% voltage drop

Also for the inverter to the AC Panel, which is 15ft away (30ft total circuit) when I look at http://www.paigewire.com/pumpWireCalc.aspx it says that 10AWG would be fine for 30A. The AC panel is definitely a 30A panel.

Just want to make sure I am using these websites correctly.

10 awg is fine for the ac side.
120 volts has much less voltage drop than 12 volts.

 

[aluchipawa]

I'm guess you are not factoring round trip length and your calculator requires it.
I use this calculator

Interactive Wire Size Calculator

Battery Chargers, Inverters, Solar Components, and Wiring Supplies for Boats, RVs, and Off-Grid Applications.

baymarinesupply.com

60 feet, 30 amps, 12 volts = 2 awg for 2.41% voltage drop

10 awg is fine for the ac side.
120 volts has much less voltage drop than 12 volts.

Thanks. 30 ft is the round trip as the distance is only 15ft (although to be honest it looks like i could reach with 12ft of wire, I just wanted to give myself some extra room). 60ft would be round trip doubled.

Also am I right to say that a 30A fuse would be good for the positive wire going from the busbar to the DC distribution panel or do I need something higher? There are 5 15A fuses in the DC panel... does that mean I need a 75A Fuse? Thanks again for all your help!!

Also I successfully disconnected the converter!

 

[John Frum]

Thanks. 30 ft is the round trip as the distance is only 15ft (although to be honest it looks like i could reach with 12ft of wire, I just wanted to give myself some extra room). 60ft would be round trip doubled.

Also am I right to say that a 30A fuse would be good for the positive wire going from the busbar to the DC distribution panel or do I need something higher? There are 5 15A fuses in the DC panel... does that mean I need a 75A Fuse? Thanks again for all your help!!

Also I successfully disconnected the converter!

My mistake.
30 amps over 30 feet at 12 volts = 6 awg for 3.05% voltage drop.
6 awg and a 75 amp fuse is sweet.
From the manual, the backplane is rated for 75 amps.
I don't know if that is service amps or fault amps but the panel is ancient and it has chassis return so lets go with the conservative number.

https://www.progressivedyn.com/wp-content/uploads/Support/manuals/110145-English.pdf

 

[aluchipawa]

Thanks for all your help smoothJoey! Just one last question..... if my battery's max output is 100A then would i put a 100A fuse on the positive lead coming off the battery or should I put something slightly higher?

 

[dixonge]

View attachment 68182

I'm a bit concerned about the cracks in the black base of the converter switch thingie...

 

[aluchipawa]

I'm a bit concerned about the cracks in the black base of the converter switch thingie...

That is part of the reason why I have disconnected the converter. I am only going to be using the AC and DC panel

 

[John Frum]

Thanks for all your help smoothJoey! Just one last question..... if my battery's max output is 100A then would i put a 100A fuse on the positive lead coming off the battery or should I put something slightly higher?

First, if your battery can only deliver 100 amps continuous it is way under sized for your inverter.
The bms will trip to protect the battery.
The battery fuse is there to protect the wire and the battery in case of a dead short.
So you don't really need to go lower.
If you really wanted to go lower you could go to a 125 amp fuse.

 

[Browneye]

How did this turn out?
RV’s are my passion.