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Old 11-19-2016, 01:40 PM   #41
Crusin81
 
Join Date: Jun 2016
Location: Castaic, CA
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Quote:
Originally Posted by 2014 sierra View Post
Thanks, I think I see what he is driving at, the inverter and the controller positive and negative hook ups are at the same terminals on the battery, so what's the difference in running 2 heavy gage cables from your batteries to a hook up point near the transfer switch (for example) and hooking up your inverter and controller to the remote hook up point instead of having to run 4 heavy gage wires directly at the batteries? I think if you only run 2 wires to have a remote battery hook up just be sure you increase the gage of the wire. (due to them carrying a larger load). wouldn't worry about the direction of current flow. Look at it like this..... your only extending the terminals off the batteries longer. the controller will support the inverter till the inverter is no longer demanding a load then the controller will charge the batteries. is this what you were tying to figure out?
This is exactly how I am going to wire up my solar system into the battery pack. My battery pack in its new found location is approx. 45 feet from battery hook up to transfer switch hook up. that's a lot of cable, (could you imagine x 4) I am only going to run 2 cables at a larger size, and have a remote hook up by the transfer switch.
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Old 11-21-2016, 11:41 AM   #42
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Originally Posted by aeblank View Post
I can post a chart for wire capacities Monday. There is a wire that can do it, whatever "it" is... That said, is your bumper strong enough?
So this is a chart that an EE at work sent me to.
This is a capacity chart, to say nothing of voltage drop.

There is a voltage drop calculator at the bottom. I do not know what values are "acceptable", is the issue. I'm at about 1/3 of a volt under *full* inverter load. I tend to think I'll be fine with that. #3/0 cable is pretty sizable.

American Wire Gauge table and AWG Electrical Current Load Limits with skin depth frequencies and wire breaking strength
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Old 11-21-2016, 10:48 PM   #43
Crusin81
 
Join Date: Jun 2016
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Originally Posted by aeblank View Post
So this is a chart that an EE at work sent me to.
This is a capacity chart, to say nothing of voltage drop.

There is a voltage drop calculator at the bottom. I do not know what values are "acceptable", is the issue. I'm at about 1/3 of a volt under *full* inverter load. I tend to think I'll be fine with that. #3/0 cable is pretty sizable.

American Wire Gauge table and AWG Electrical Current Load Limits with skin depth frequencies and wire breaking strength
Thanks, that chart works perfect for me. I now confirmed that I need to mount the inverter with the batteries. Then run AC-V solid wire from the back of the RV to the ATS Box in the front, (approx. 45 FT. of wire). This will solve my voltage drop issues.
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Old 11-21-2016, 11:10 PM   #44
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Your inverter doesn't include your transfer switch, does it? On top of that.......45'? Holy crud.
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Old 11-22-2016, 04:28 AM   #45
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Your inverter doesn't include your transfer switch, does it? On top of that.......45'? Holy crud.
YEP, Approx. 45'. do to weight distribution issues I have to mount my battery pack at the rear bumper and my generator in the vey front center in the designated cargo bay. I originally wanted to put everything up front together but, that would of put approx. 1000 LBS. extra over the truck bed. sense the generator has a factory made home I had to put the battery pack on the other side of the trailer axles to off set some weight. The only place that could accommodate the battery pack was the rear bumper as you can see in the pictures I posted into this thread earlier.

I am still in the planning stages, this is where I will make all of my changes. much rather change things now than wait till after I have installed stuff.

I will
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Old 11-23-2016, 01:52 AM   #46
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I like to use this wire sizing chart:

http://assets.bluesea.com/files/reso...on_chartlg.jpg

It comes from the boating set who tend to run conservative on this electrical stuff. And with electrical stuff conservative is good.

When planning your setup you need to understand that the voltage loss wiring length in these charts is for ONE wire. Since you will be running both power and ground cables you have TWO wires. So double all those losses and buy even more copper.

I would really rethink putting all that battery weight on the back bumper. I do understand about not wanting to weigh down the truck more, completely. However trailer frames and structure were never designed anticipating anywhere near that kind of weight load back there. Not only that but that is going to move the CG of the trailer back making it less stable AND it is going to create a big pendulum effect where the weight just wants to keep going once it is moving. Bad trailer stability mojo there, very bad.

I look for some way to get that huge weight closer to the axles on the trailer. Perhaps underneath the trailer on a special rack system mounted to the frame?

Have you cross checked your trailer weight, trailer max weight rating, and battery/generator add weight to make sure you are not going to bottom out the axle/springs or overload the tires?

If I were choosing... I would remote the generator before the batteries. Pushing 120V the generator will need much smaller wires and suffer less from voltage drop than the batteries. So geographically the batteries need to be close to the load a lot more than the generator does.
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Old 11-23-2016, 04:42 AM   #47
Crusin81
 
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Originally Posted by stevejahr View Post
I like to use this wire sizing chart:

http://assets.bluesea.com/files/reso...on_chartlg.jpg

It comes from the boating set who tend to run conservative on this electrical stuff. And with electrical stuff conservative is good.

When planning your setup you need to understand that the voltage loss wiring length in these charts is for ONE wire. Since you will be running both power and ground cables you have TWO wires. So double all those losses and buy even more copper.

I would really rethink putting all that battery weight on the back bumper. I do understand about not wanting to weigh down the truck more, completely. However trailer frames and structure were never designed anticipating anywhere near that kind of weight load back there. Not only that but that is going to move the CG of the trailer back making it less stable AND it is going to create a big pendulum effect where the weight just wants to keep going once it is moving. Bad trailer stability mojo there, very bad.

I look for some way to get that huge weight closer to the axles on the trailer. Perhaps underneath the trailer on a special rack system mounted to the frame?

Have you cross checked your trailer weight, trailer max weight rating, and battery/generator add weight to make sure you are not going to bottom out the axle/springs or overload the tires?

If I were choosing... I would remote the generator before the batteries. Pushing 120V the generator will need much smaller wires and suffer less from voltage drop than the batteries. So geographically the batteries need to be close to the load a lot more than the generator does.
I do understand what you are saying, I have already added weight in my front living room and kitchen which are both in front of my trailer axles. during my remodeling, hardwood floors, cabinetry, additional storage and what I put in the projects I built. so that combined with the weight of the generator is already a lot, to put the batteries on my extended and reinforced rear bumper would only offset some of the weight that will be in front of the axles.

My RV Axles are mounted roughly 12 to 14 ft. from the rear bumper. this means there is approx. 24 ft. in front of the axles. It is seriously hard to put to much weight behind the axles, but I still pay attention.

as far as weight GVWR, of course I have not physically weighed the RV yet, however I have been going by the manufactures specs and adding roughly 10% more. currently what I have added in front of the axles weigh more than the washer/drier combo unit I added behind the axles. and I still have quite a few pounds to go minus the weight of a full water tank, before I reach capacity. I plan on leaving myself a good barrier cushion to play it safe. anyway in this state if I go over 15000 lbs. I have to get a non-commercial " class A" drivers license. currently I have the endorsement up to 15000 lbs. and my goal is to stay under that.

as far as power goes and voltage drop, my inverter will be mounted within a couple feet of the batteries along with the charger. so the only other DC Volt equipment that wont be near the batteries are solar panels (roof), solar panel monitor (inside) and the AC equipment which is Transfer switch (generator bay), inverter monitor (inside), surge protector (generator bay) and monitor (inside). Of course I am still configuring and planning, The very front or the very back are the only 2 places I can keep all 8 batteries together. there is one place where I can split the battery pack, it would mean running a lot more 2/0 cable causing more of a voltage drop and cause unequal charging and discharge do to the voltage drop between the batteries. it would put additional weight to one side of the RV. however half the weight in front of the axles and half behind. it would be right next to the patio with toxic gases, not a good idea but the only other spot I found so far.

I do like the feed back and when I hear something I will check into it.

Thank You.
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