Okay to change cable thickness in a battery run?

[AlaskanNoob]

I've got a short cable from each battery to a fuse holder, and then the cable continues from the fuse holder to the bus. I may need to extend my cable lengths though and instead of having long smaller gauge cable for that longer run, I'm wondering if I can keep the smaller gauge short wire to the fuse holder the same, and then have a thicker cable from the other side of the fuser holder to the bus. I figure by increasing the wire gauge on the other side of the fuse holder, I should be able to lengthen the run to the bus without increasing resistance too much.

Of course the negative cable doesn't have a fuse holder, so I may need to put some kind of bridge on the negative cable to do the same thing.

Any issues with this idea?

 

[Solarcabin Channel]

To answer that we need to know source of power and volts and amps.

Also length of run, fuse size and average winter and summer temp would be useful.

All of those effect which wire gauge and type would be recommended.

 

[hwy17]

You understand it correctly. Smaller wire for shorter bit and then bigger wire for the longer section makes sense electrically. Code is a different matter but I doubt you're applying code here. Code mostly allows it but some inspectors hate it.

You can use a blue sea power post or power bar to join the unfused side if it's two lugs.

Of course even the short section needs to be able to handle the full amperage safety and heat wise, i.e. be rated for it. But I think you get that.

 

[AlaskanNoob]

You understand it correctly. Smaller wire for shorter bit and then bigger wire for the longer section makes sense electrically. Code is a different matter but I doubt you're applying code here. Code mostly allows it but some inspectors hate it.

You can use a blue sea power post or power bar to join the unfused side if it's two lugs.

Of course even the short section needs to be able to handle the full amperage safety and heat wise, i.e. be rated for it. But I think you get that.

Thank you. Yes, the current cable is rated for it. I just need to lengthen the cables to re-locate the batteries but I know longer battery cable runs aren't optimum so I figured I'd mitigate by increasing the cable gauge for most of the run.