inverter install

[wb13798]

my next project is to install a 1000 watt inverter. first thing i came upon was "requires" a cable no 1 no longer than 5 ft. and a location that has adequate ventilation. the ground cable was no 8 minumum. i planned to run no 1 ground also, found a location that is 10 ft from the battery and will require 12 ft of cable.
for those of you that have inverters is the 5 ft length a bit of over kill.
i also have some "00" welding cable. dont want to use that large size cable. unless i have to.
ok mr engineer tell me why and where you would put it.
thnx al

[thenewkid64]

Al,

I would use the 00 cable for both the + side and the ground. Just remember to install the proper size fuse as close to the batteries as is feasible.

The main reason to use this size wire is to limit the loss as the voltage travels the distance to the inverter. The inverter at 1000 watts max output (900 will likely be the max) the draw could be 100 Amps over the wire. The close to the batteries you can mount the inverter the smaller the cable could be.

The thing to think about is that the 120 volt output will have almost no line loss over a distance. So if you can mount the inverter close to the batteries then just route the 120V to where you need it.

[smily]

Inverters are typically sold with the battery connection cables. They are typicall no larger than a 8 awg for 1k watts. The manufactures almost always, recommend that the inverter is installed close to the battery. Hence the preconnectorized cables that are only 1 foot long.

I have dabbled with this and I can tell you that an inverter placed in excess of factory cable length will not perform as sold. I would be suprised if you could fit a No. 1 cable in the connections of the inverter. The units are designed to prevent alterations and installations other than what they were designed to do.

Moral of story is, mount inverter as close to battery as physicallypossible and run 120 volt extension cord or comparable cable to load.

What is you intended use of inverter?

SMily

[wb13798]

we need the inverter when we dry camp and dont want to use the generator."noise", probably will not pull more than 500 watts. tv and a computer and cell phone chargers. a 300 watt unit will not power the computer. the ventelation problem is also a consideration as the inverter will get hot. i had considered mounting under the drivers seat. and i think this location will be more than 5 ft. i want to install in the cabinet under the kitchen sink, this locatin is probably 12 to 15 ft of cable. the compartments dont have any circulation may have to install behind the seat to get the air flow needed. if i go to the OO cable i may have problems with the physical size connecting to the inverter. OO lugs are big.
i have a 150 amp fuse to mount in the battery compartment.
when you install a fuse and cabeling you lose 2 ft in the battery box. so i have 3 ft to stay in the 5 ft length.
this may be one of those , try it if it dont work try again.

[thenewkid64]

Al,

Where are the batteries on your Motorhome? Under the step, or in a pull out drawer?

[74Argosy24MH]

Run the 00 to within a few inches of the inverter and use smaller wire from there. Just remember to stay with the requirements for the current. It would be hard to mount within a foot of the batteries and get any kind of ventilation. That is probably as important as wire size. Both of them will kill the inverter.

John

[wahoonc]

Al,
On the cell phones and Computer, can't you use 12 volt "car cords" on those? I use an iGo Juice 70 power source, that plugs into 120/12v or Airlines, it also has a peripheral power port that will charge cell phones or pda's. Juice Adaptor

Aaron

[wb13798]

brett
the batterys are in a pull out compartment on the drivers side behind the drivers seat, under the couch. the drawer is next thing behind the tire well. above the battery drawer is a storage compartment but it is almost sealed up. wouldnt have much if any ventilation.
power hasnt been a big problem except when we power the computer. our small 300 watts inverter goes into overload.
someone forgets to bring the power supplys. not going there.
thnx al

[wb13798]

i think i will use the OO welding cable. and strip a 6inch section at the end and terminate into a no 1/O connector and insulate the bare wire with some shrink tubing. i will have to do this on both ends as the fuse will not take the larger OO connector.

[wb13798]

well we got it installed. powered the tv it works.
i used 0ne "O" welding cable. didnt know i had that size. was going to use two "O" welding cable . the connectors i came up with i didnt like , decided to go with the no 1 while going thru the goddie pile i found some one "O". that would work with the connector i have . i installed behind the drivers seat. THE CABLE IS NINE 9 FT LONG.
going to load it up with various appliances and see how many watts i get before it goes tilt.
took a jpg of the inverter install jpg attached.

[wb13798]

brett
here is my battery box ignore the round sides as that is my wide angle lens . the box is square and full almost.
today i put 700 watts of lights and 200 watts a tv vcr for a total of 900 watts and let it go for four hours and it didnt get hot to the touch . the fan did come on when i turned on the lights. just noted that it pulls 300 milliwats when turned off. sure would kill a battery bank in about a week.