What type of power cables can be used for battery connections to 1500 watt inverter?CCA or OFC

Bigfoot2005 wrote:What type of power cables can be used for battery connections to 1500 watt inverter?CCA or OFCI use welding cable. I attach my own ends with a hydraulic crimper but most welding stores will attach lugs for you. Welding cable is much easier to run, nice thick insulation very fine stranded wire so it is easy to route. you can get colors but I just get black and then attach red shrink wrap on the ends. Compare 4/0 welding cable to std variety 4/0 battery cable. you'll immediately see the advantage to welding cable. For my 1000W inverter I use 4/0 welding cable.

I would not use any aluminum.http://www.genuinedealz.com/custom-cables/custom-battery-cable-assembly

I have worked a lot with both.Even though copper-coated aluminum can be soldered, it has a fatal flaw as far as I'm concerned.Vibrate the wires or cables enough and they become brittle. El Snappo.Bite the price bullet and go for of the real stuff copper. OFC supposed to mean Oxygen Free copper. Yet another Herb Tarlek buzzword.The best protected thick cable I have encountered is diesel locomotive cable. Rope stranded double thick tin plated and insulation tough enough.I get mine through an online accessible surplus seller called SKYCRAFT in Florida.

ktmrfs wrote:Bigfoot2005 wrote:What type of power cables can be used for battery connections to 1500 watt inverter?CCA or OFCI use welding cable. I attach my own ends with a hydraulic crimper but most welding stores will attach lugs for you. Welding cable is much easier to run, nice thick insulation very fine stranded wire so it is easy to route. you can get colors but I just get black and then attach red shrink wrap on the ends. Compare 4/0 welding cable to std variety 4/0 battery cable. you'll immediately see the advantage to welding cable. For my 1000W inverter I use 4/0 welding cable.what thickness should be used for about 10-15 feet run for a 1500 watt inverter? I know it should be as close as possible to batteries but just for convenience, hoping to put further away with a thicker wire if possible.

ktmrfs wrote:Bigfoot2005 wrote:What type of power cables can be used for battery connections to 1500 watt inverter?CCA or OFCI use welding cable. I attach my own ends with a hydraulic crimper but most welding stores will attach lugs for you. Welding cable is much easier to run, nice thick insulation very fine stranded wire so it is easy to route. you can get colors but I just get black and then attach red shrink wrap on the ends. Compare 4/0 welding cable to std variety 4/0 battery cable. you'll immediately see the advantage to welding cable. For my 1000W inverter I use 4/0 welding cable.Same here.. And NO I would not use copper coated aluminum. I want Solid (or rather stranded) copper wires.. CCA might be ok for RF but never for DC.

inverter power cables cca or ofc | Good Sam Community

31 Replies

time2roll
Nomad
Aug 21, 2019
Now look at the graph at the 200% level. Close to a minute to open. That is 400 amps close to a minute before that 200 amp class T opens. Your call.

Search for ANL and you will see much faster open at 200%.
Bigfoot2005
Explorer
Aug 21, 2019
time2roll wrote:
200 class T is fine. I would use 150 amp. That is all I am saying.

GP also say #2 wire and 2/0 is getting installed.

https://www.bluesea.com/products/5112/Fuse_A3T___Class_T_110_Amp

Ampacity of #2 with 105C insulation is 210 amps
Ampacity of 2/0 with 105C is 330 amps

http://www.genuinedealz.com/voltage-drop-calculator

They suggested 2/0 wire to me if I am going to do a longer run of wire as I might have too to avoid a voltage drop
time2roll
Nomad
Aug 21, 2019
200 class T is fine. I would use 150 amp. That is all I am saying.

GP also say #2 wire and 2/0 is getting installed.

https://www.bluesea.com/products/5112/Fuse_A3T___Class_T_110_Amp

Ampacity of #2 with 105C insulation is 210 amps
Ampacity of 2/0 with 105C is 330 amps

http://www.genuinedealz.com/voltage-drop-calculator
Bigfoot2005
Explorer
Aug 21, 2019
time2roll wrote:
Class-T will pass 2x rating for 60 seconds. That 1500 would have to draw 300 amps for a full minute to open. Not going to happen during normal operation. Check Blue-Sea graph.

Not sure what you are saying. The manufacturer recommends the Class T fuse rating of 200 amps for their 1500 watt inverter.

1100 – 1800W inverters 200 amp #2 AWG
time2roll
Nomad
Aug 21, 2019
Class-T will pass 2x rating for 60 seconds. That 1500 would have to draw 300 amps for a full minute to open. Not going to happen during normal operation. Check Blue-Sea graph.
MEXICOWANDERER
Explorer
Aug 21, 2019
Then so be it. They are the Supreme Court. Cheap inverters have little or no reserve punch and the manufacturer knows their product. :)
Bigfoot2005
Explorer
Aug 21, 2019
MEXICOWANDERER wrote:
Too tight of protection may blow a fuse. How? Inverters are rated for overcurrent to start a load that draws a lot more than nameplate design. My recommendation if to check with the manufacturer or vendor.

My Trace is rated to start stuff to nameplate rating times eight.

Manufacturer recommends 200 amp T fuse for the 1500 watt inverter
MEXICOWANDERER
Explorer
Aug 21, 2019
Too tight of protection may blow a fuse. How? Inverters are rated for overcurrent to start a load that draws a lot more than nameplate design. My recommendation if to check with the manufacturer or vendor.

My Trace is rated to start stuff to nameplate rating times eight.
time2roll
Nomad
Aug 21, 2019
200 amp ANL is fine. I would go a little tighter with Class-T with 150 amps.
ktmrfs
Explorer II
Aug 21, 2019
GordonThree wrote:
Spend a bit more and get a class T fuse and holder. Look at the short circuit current of your battery bank and the interrupt capability of the fuse.

x2. and mount it as close to the battery as possible.