wire size for short wire, battery to bus bar?

[mkaye]

i have a 280ah LFP, 2000W inverter
right now i have 4/0 wire from battery terminals to bus bars
thinking about size vs distance, these are only ~12" long are hard to manage
i should be able to use a smaller, more flexible wire for the short distance and still manage my ~160A for the inverter?

mark

 

[sunshine_eggo]

i have a 280ah LFP, 2000W inverter
right now i have 4/0 wire from battery terminals to bus bars
thinking about size vs distance, these are only ~12" long are hard to manage
i should be able to use a smaller, more flexible wire for the short distance and still manage my ~160A for the inverter?

mark

Wire gauge must be rated to handle the amps
Wire gauge and length must result in acceptable voltage drop

With inverter inefficiencies @ 2000W and 12.8V, you're looking at closer to 184A.

 

[mkaye]

yes, i agree, it could be as high as 184A, but my question is do i need 4/0 wire for the short connections?
math says no

 

[sunshine_eggo]

yes, i agree, it could be as high as 184A, but my question is do i need 4/0 wire for the short connections?
math says no

I have answered the question with a statement that answers all your future wire gauge and amperage questions.

You need wire rated for 184A or higher that results in an acceptable voltage drop.

 

[PreppenWolf]

Voltage Drop Calculator | Southwire

www.southwire.com

Yes, you should stick with 4/0 IMO. How much are you going to save on a smaller wire versus how much would you lose if your system cause a fire?

As a general rule I use the largest copper conductor the equipment will accept.

 

[fafrd]

yes, i agree, it could be as high as 184A, but my question is do i need 4/0 wire for the short connections?
math says no

If you can double-up, a pair of 2/0 wires or even 1/0 wires has higher ampacity than a single 4/0 wire.

2kW AC out requires ~2222W DC in or 178ADC at a worst-case voltage or 12.5VDC.

You’ll need a fuse of at least 225A and wiring rated for at least 125% of fuse rating or 282A which means you could get by with a single run of 2/0 if the voltage drop is not a problem for you and the wire is not in conduit (chassis wiring).