Tighten Those Wiring Bolts in Hot Weather

[BFL13]

This might help anybody who has a ropey sort of set-up like mine 🙂

I noticed lately that my voltage sag with high amp inverter draws was more than usual. I decided to do the "old feel for heat trick" amongst my wiring with the load running.

Sure enough, I found some hot connections and they were where bolts were. Seems in the summer heat, they had come loose from being tight when I did them last winter.

One was in the Trimetric brass shunt where I had not used the split washer tightener it comes with so I could stack more lugs (bolt length can only hold so many.)

All tightened up and voltage sag back to normal.

On that--I decided I could also improve my set-up by using fatter wires like we always talk about, now that I had a chance to get some using a gift coupon. My voltage sag was about 1 volt, which I was able to live with, but would like less.

I changed a three- foot length of #1 for a two- foot length of 2/0 between shunt and battery neg. I added that now unemployed three foot length of #1 to the inverter neg to shunt path, so instead of twin three feet of #4, I now have twin #4 in parallel with that #1 (the inverter has two neg and two pos terminals). So both those moves added more wire to the inverter-battery connection on the neg side.

Ta Da! Voltage sag is now more like 0.6 or 0.5 hard to tell exactly, instead of 1 volt. So that worked just like everyone is always saying on here about that.

Anyway, check your bolts for any loose ones, do the "feel for heat trick" every so often, AND if you have nothing else to do, add some copper to your paths. Your RV will thank you. 🙂

[MEXICOWANDERER]

Auto tension springs with service loop bridges stop that problem of wire span sag

[nineoaks2004]

Good info. here thanks for sharing. I used to build traffic signal and the overhead span wires that hold the signals up would sag in the summer an re-tighten during the winter to the point of every once in while we would have to raise the whole intersection span wire up.

[MEXICOWANDERER]

I wish cone and wave washers were less expensive. I am stuck with USA external tooth washers. Good but not as good as cones or waves. I refuse to discuss mating ramp lock washers. 100% torque apply 140% torque remove and they cannot weaken even when reused a thousand times. I used to build stuff for Edwards AFB and plant 52 with ramp locks. Every washer in Quicksilver is ramp lock (electrical-wise).

[SidecarFlip]

Threadlocker works pretty well...

[Darryl_Rita]

Said it before, probably not done saying it, but, Belleville washers.

[ScottG]

I think it pays to check all the electrical screws and such every once in a while and especially on a new rig.
I found numerous breakers with very loose wire hold-down screws when I replace the converter section.