So... fixin' to do some electrical upgrades to our TC - LiFePO4 batteries, DC-DC charger, solar... "the usual" ??
One part that has me scratching my head a bit is the starter leads for the generator. Yes, I realize the goal is to not have to use it... but I'll feel better knowing that it's still there if I need it.
Anywho, the pickle is this: as we received the camper (2nd owners) the start leads (#2 AWG) land directly to the battery terminals - no fuses or other OC protection. My clamp-on ammeter shows 350-375 amps draw - for about a second or two. This is my first RV with an onboard generator, and our first TC, so I don't know if this is just the normal way these get wired up by the dealerships, or not.
On the one hand, that current would be considerably above the normal rating for #2 cable - if it were constant. As a result, I really don't know how you could fuse it in such a way to protect the wire, since the start current is already in excess of what you'd fuse it for to protect the wire... on the other hand, if this is 'normal', one assumes that the manufacturer knows what they're doing, going this route... but I haven't any idea what they're basing those decisions on.
Finally, and circling back to my original story... as I'm going about the process of putting in new batteries, installing bus bars (Victron Lynx distributor) and putting a new heavy duty disconnect & fuse on the + lead and shunt on the - lead from the batteries... where do I land the generator starting leads at? On the batteries, un-fused and inside the disconnect & shunt? Or on the bus bar - and fused how, exactly?
