Is an RV generator worth it?
My RV has an Onan Microlite 4000 generator that has been well maintained. It now starts but stops running as soon as I release the Start button. My mechanic identifies the problem as electrical and ...
Forum Discussion
jharrell wrote:
Voltage Drop = Amps x Ohms.
8 awg wire is .63 ohms per foot, 1 awg is .12.
Length always matters. Voltage drop is power being dissipated as heat in the wire. 8 awg is pushing it for 70 amps even for a few feet if kept cool, usually not recommended for more than 40.
More here: https://www.bluesea.com/resources/1437
8 AWG wire is 0.63 ohms per 1000 feet, not per foot! Similarly for 1 AWG wire.
Particularly for low voltage circuits (or long wire runs) power loss due to wire resistance can be a constraint on wire size. Regardless of the wire run length, ampacity is a consideration. The standards used for current carrying capacity vary a fair bit, though; often automotive and similar low voltage systems are not as conservative as, say, the NEC requires for normal AC wiring.
