Can anybody advise me on which size of cable to use.

[trebby91]

Hi,

Can anybody advise me on which size of cable to use.

I have two alternators one is a 110 amp the other is an 80 amp they run joined together though a Sterling alternator/charger management system.

The Sterling system manages the charge to both the starter battery and the leisure batteries.

I have a 125Ah battery on the starter and 6 X 2volt X 525Ah traction batteries on the leisure side.

The maximum cable run is 1.5M.

Thanks, Barry.

[by'eck]

I would suggest minimum 25mm² for each alternator to Sterling ABC. 35mm² from Sterling ABC to service batteries.

 

The cable size from the service batteries and onwards to loads depends on what your absolute max load would be, from a large inverter for example. For a 3500 watt inverter taking over 300 amps I would suggest 95mm². If the total cable run is less than a metre 70mm² would suffice.

 

Battery cable available from Barden

Edited September 25, 2011 by richardhula

[steelaway]

Hi,

Can anybody advise me on which size of cable to use.

I have two alternators one is a 110 amp the other is an 80 amp they run joined together though a Sterling alternator/charger management system.

The Sterling system manages the charge to both the starter battery and the leisure batteries.

I have a 125Ah battery on the starter and 6 X 2volt X 525Ah traction batteries on the leisure side.

The maximum cable run is 1.5M.

Thanks, Barry.

 

Hi

 

I am assuming you have the Sterling160 model.

It should come with a 'mega' fuse but I would use 16 square mm cable (175A) from the alternators.

 

95mm (560A) or 70mm (460A) both at 60% duty, from the domestic battery's and

I would be happy to use the smaller size as long as you fit a fuse to suit.

25mm (330A) at 300% duty to the starter motor

 

Alex

[Bob18]

With any battery charging system you are running at 100% duty, not 60%, so go up in size not down.

Inverters are most certainly a 100% duty cycle device, so you have to plan your cables accordingly.

Don't forget that the cable run for calculating voltage drops is the sum of both the positive cable length plus the negative cable, so a 1.5m run is a 3m cable length.

 

You NEED as low a voltage drop between the alternator and the battery, the battery charger and the battery, the battery and the inverter as practicable.

 

The starter motor is a genuine short duty cycle item, it should only run for a few seconds so you can get away with a smaller cable, but come the cold weather you may have problems...

 

Someone has very kindly provided a link to a Very handy cable - I'll duplicate it here for you http://www.antares.co.uk/technical/public_area/tools/design%20tools.htm

Plug in the figures and see what cable sizes you need - watch the red crosses and green ticks, they are a very good guide to what you can/can't use.