The US standard for measuring wire gauges is the American Wire Gauge scale, or AWG for short. Wire gauge is the measurement of a wire’s diameter or thickness. There isn’t one correct answer to this question.īelow 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 size wire you need for your battery cabling depends on how much power your RV requires. As a result, your battery cable size will need to be rated for the highest current and ultimately the thickest. Since they come directly from the battery, they typically carry more current (measured in amps) than any other cables or wires in your RV. Let’s talk about why it’s so important to select the right cable size and, more importantly, how to do it!Ĭables coming directly from your battery are the main artery of your RV electrical system. Whether you’re adding an additional battery or a whole new solar power system, choosing the correct battery cable size for your system is critical. We’d like to thank Blue Sea Systems with their help in compiling this informative information.Now that summer is almost upon us, one upgrade RV'ers and boaters often make is to their battery systems. The Circuit Wizard is easy to use, and is accessible from any computer with an Internet connection or available for download via the iOS App Store or Android apps for mobile devices. It allows you to input detailed information including cable insulation temperature rating and other de-rating factors. The Circuit Wizard, at, is a resource for a more detailed treatment of cable size selection for DC circuits. Circuit length is 50’, circuit type is ‘non-critical’, and correct cable size is 4 AWG. Non-critical DC circuits, with 10% allowable voltage drop, includeįollow down the column until you find your circuit’s LENGTH IN METERSĭ Intersect CURRENT IN AMPS with LENGTH IN METERS to identify the cable size.Įxample: A winch rated at 80A is 25’ from the battery. Allowable voltage drop is based on whether a circuit is critical or non-critical.Ĭritical DC circuits, with 3% allowable voltage drop, include Note that the total length of the circuit is the round-trip distance from power source (usually the battery) to the product and back.Ĭ Select the CIRCUIT TYPE. Most electrical products include a rating label, or you can find the amperage rating in the documentation that came with the product.ī Find circuit LENGTH IN FEET along the left side of the chart. To use the chart included with this technical brief, follow the instructions below.Ī Locate the CURRENT IN AMPS of your appliance across the top of the chart. A lower rating will decrease the current-carrying capacity of the wire. In addition, the DC Cable Selection Chart shown below assumes a cable insulation rating of 105☌. Quality marine wire, as specified by ABYC standards, will always be stranded rather than solid, and always tin-plated copper. This technical brief distills the information on these charts to a more manageable size for installers and caravan/boatowners alike. Although these charts are an excellent resource, they are a bit intimidating. The American Boat and Yacht Council (ABYC) publishes charts with valuable detail to help experienced electrical installers determine what wire size they need. Choosing the right cable size for your DC electrical project is important, since a wire that is too small can overheat and possibly start a fire.
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