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Old 04-26-2011, 09:26 PM
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vstech vstech is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Orv View Post
Be sure to fuse it at the battery, so you don't have a fire if it shorts somewhere. For my ham radio installs I usually use 10 ga. wire and a 30A blade fuse in an inline holder.
what I read about DC wiring, you under rate wire size due to the current demand. in A/C current, there is a break in the phase as the ac cycles 60 times per second. DC of course does not do this. the current is continuous.
#10 is not capable of sustaining 30 amps of DC 12 volt current safely...
I'd use #6, and have a MAXI fuse for 125% the watts needed at 12V
if your inverter is rated at 450watts, the amps at 12v is 37.5 125% of that is 46.875 use a 50 amp fuse, and be sure the wire is rated to handle 60amps at 80C that's like #2 I think... perhaps it's not taking heat from the engine compartment into the equation... I'd at least use #6 for such a load.
this chart seems to think wire size is MUCH smaller than I do per load in DC use... http://www.offroaders.com/tech/12-volt-wire-gauge-amps.htm
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