We might have to use 14 AWG wire (20A), 12 AWG wire (25A), or even 10 AWG wire (35A). In practice, we use wires from 16 AWG to as thick as 3/0 AWG for 12V circuits (size depends on the max. wattage and wire length or voltage drop). We have to be quite careful when sizing 12V wires.
Full Answer
What size wire do I need for RV battery cabling?
What size wire you need for your battery cabling depends on how much power your RV requires. There isn’t one correct answer to this question. Below we will discuss how to figure out how much power your RV uses and how to use that information to select the proper cable size for your batteries. What is Wire Gauge?
What size wire do I need for a golf cart power cable?
Although traditionally at the 36V/48V level, 6 gauge golf cart power cables have been sufficient for STOCK applications; many high performance modifications require thicker gauge wires to conduct higher power levels. We’ll discuss these high performance modifications and how determine the proper wire size for your application.
What size wire do I need to run a 12V motor?
This increases the amps we need which, in turn, increases the 12V wire size (we need more ampacity). We might have to use 14 AWG wire (20A), 12 AWG wire (25A), or even 10 AWG wire (35A).
What size wire do I need for a battery bank?
Some electric ATVs use #4 for the battery banks. It also makes very good automotive booster cables. We recommend #2 wire for 4 cylinder and small 6 cylinder automotive engines, hi-power accessories (like winches, power converters), and alternators over 160A. Also works great for high-performance golf cart battery banks.
What gauge should golf cart battery cables be?
Most cart manufacturers use 6 AWG cables. The finest cables we have found so far are made by MaxiLink.com, which are super flexible and made for extreme duty electric vehicle use.
What size cable is battery cable?
Ideally, a 6 gauge cable is the best option for a 12-volt power supply. This automotive wire can sustain a maximum of 60 volts and is ideal for 12-volt electrical systems.
How do I know what size battery cable to buy?
In this case, simply divide the number for watts by your system's voltage to get the amperage requirements. If a device says it uses 120 watts, then 120 watts / 12 volts = 10 amps. The second thing to consider when selecting the correct size battery cable is the length of cable you need.
What size is golf cart battery stud?
The copper ring terminal lug cable end fits a 5/16 stud common on golf cart batteries.
What gauge wire should be used with 12 volt battery?
The correct wire size for a 150W 12V circuit is the 16 AWG with 17A ampacity.
How do you determine wire size?
How do I calculate wire size for motors?Multiply the resistivity (Ω•m) of the conductor material by the peak motor current (A), the number 1.25, and the total length of the cable (m).Divide the result by the voltage drop from the power source to the motor.Multiply by 1,000,000 to get the result in mm2.
Are bigger battery cables better?
There is science behind this, and the simple thought is that a larger cable equals easier current flow. Six-volt systems have half the electrical potential (think of this as the “push”) of 12-volt systems, so the easier you can make the journey from one connector to another, the better the system will function.
What is the diameter of 4 0 battery cable?
0.760 inches4/0 AWG red battery cable made from 19 x 108 strands of true 30 gauge copper conductor wire covered in a durable, high temperature resistant red PVC insulation with a nominal outside diameter of 0.760 inches.
What is the difference between 2 gauge and 4 gauge jumper cables?
The lower the gauge (such as 1 or 2 gauge), the more "heavy-duty" the cables, capable of safely jump-starting a commercial truck, RV, or SUV. Many emergency cables use 4- or 6-gauge wires, which are safe to use on standard passenger cars and economy vehicles.
What size is the threaded post on a battery?
The most common battery bolt will have a nut of around 10 millimeters or 0.4 inches, a bolt length of 1.24 inches, and a bolt thread size of 5/16 inches.
What is standard battery terminal size?
The most common size of battery terminal is 10mm ring. 11mm and 13mm are the sizes of the car battery terminal. The terminal has 13mm for the bolt.
How much does a 12 volt golf cart battery weigh?
Batteries. Most golf carts use 6, 8, and 12 Volt Batteries. These batteries typically weigh between 55 and 80 pounds. Be sure to consider this when adding in your total golf cart weight.
How many volts does a 12 volt battery cable have?
At the source, or battery, you will read 12 volts using a voltage meter, but at the other end of the cable your voltmeter will only read 11.76 volts (12 volts -2%).
How many amps does a battery cable need?
If your circuit needs 100 amps of current, the battery cable will be absorbing 2 amps (24 watts) of current because of it's resistance, leaving 98 amps available. Now lets say that you are using a smaller gauge cable for that same length and your voltage drop is 10%.
Why is length important for battery cables?
The length is important because as electricity flows through a battery cable, there is an resistance to the flow of that electricity which will generate heat in your battery cable and manifest itself in the form of what is called a voltage drop at the end of the cable.
How many amps does an inverter use?
For example, a light bulb might use 1/2 an amp of current, while an inverter might use 100 amps of current. Add up the current requirements of all your devices and this will be your maximum amperage needed. Sometimes, devices might be rated in watts instead of amps.
Is imported cable bigger than American cable?
Imported cable will often be smaller in diameter than American made cable, but be sold as it's gauge counterpart. The copper used in factories in Asia and India have higher impurities, and the factories are not held to the higher manufacturing standards that American companies are held to.
How many amps can a 48 volt battery hold?
According to its specifications, the maximum charge that it can put to the battery bank at 48 volts is 74 amps (~ 3500 watts). Use the chart below to choose cable size. Give yourself a nice margin!
How many amps does a battery bank use?
First, we know that in my example there may be up to 175 amps pulled from the battery bank (worst case scenario). However I have 6 series-strings of batteries all in parallel, so only one sixth of the maximum will flow through any one string as the strings share the load. So that works out to be around 30 amps (of worst case overcurrent max) flowing through each of the six strings.
How many amps can a breaker handle?
According to its specifications, the maximum overcurrent ampacity is 175 amps and they call for a OBCD-175 breaker on the DC side. Evidently there’s a built-in surge handling capability on the DC side to 175 amps.
How many amps does an inverter put out?
The inverter only puts out 3600 watts max, which would be around 75 amps off the 48-volt battery bank for normal max operation. But given the inverter’s overcurrent rating, I had to go with sizing that cable for 175 amps.
What gauge wire is used for battery banks?
4 gauge wire makes great accessory leads and alternator wiring (up to about 160A). Many cars use this as a battery cable. Some electric ATVs use #4 for the battery banks. It also makes very good automotive booster cables.
What wire should I use for a 4 cylinder engine?
We recommend #2 wire for 4 cylinder and small 6 cylinder automotive engines, hi-power accessories (like winches, power converters), and alternators over 160A.
What Gauge or Size Cable do I need?
I recommend building cables larger than stock. The manufacturers make stock battery cables as small as possible that barely get the job done. Going up a size or two is worth it in the long run because they do work better and last longer. Isn’t that what you want for your car or truck? Something that will work better and last longer.
What is SGX battery cable?
Sometimes we use SGX battery cable. SGX uses a high-grade XLP (Cross-Linked Polyethylene) insulation which has a higher temperature rating and is more abrasion-resistant. The trade-off is the insulation is thicker and stiffer. Often it has a higher strand count. If you need a higher temp rating, it’s a good choice.
What is OFC wire?
OFC (Oxygen Free Copper) wire often gets sold by stereo shops to hook up speakers or a high power amp. Don’t waste your money. This stuff is just another way for slick salesmen to get more of your hard-earned money.
What is the difference between OFC and standard wire?
What’s different about it? Standard wire is AT LEAST 99.90% pure copper. OFC is 99.95% pure copper. An extra 0.05% copper sounds good. What’s the downside? COST. OFC is often TWICE the price for the same size of standard cable. So you are paying DOUBLE for 0.05% more copper. There is NO measurable electric difference (source Wikipedia ).
What is SGT cable?
We generally use SAE (Society of Automotive Engineers) SGT battery cable. SGT designates the type of insulation. (Wire is rated by several characteristics but most commonly it’s insulation type. For example ‘THHN” is probably what you have for the wiring in your house. THHN stands for “ T hermoplastic H igh H eat-resistant N ylon-coated). SGT is a thermoplastic PVC (polyvinyl chloride) insulation rated at 50 volts. It’s typically rated for 85 or 105 degrees C.
How to determine the size of a wire?
1. On the left, locate the current you will be dealing with (either array or load current.) 2. Move across to locate distance to be traveled. 3. Move up to locate size of wire to be used. Maximum one-way distance (feet) for 5% voltage loss in 12 volt systems. Wire Size (AWG)
What causes voltage drop in wire?
All wire has a certain amount of resistance to the flow of current. This resistance causes a drop in the voltage from the source to the load. Voltage drops cause inefficiencies, especially in low voltage systems (12V or less).