Mixing Cables sizes - Is this bad or OK?

KnowledgeSponge · May 2013

Scenario...
Two batteries connected in Parallel

3/0 cable from battery A+ to battery B+
3/0 cable from battery A- to battery B-

(Temporarily..I pan to go total 3/0 soon)
1/0 cable from battery A+ to Inverter +
1/0 cable from battery A- to Inverter -
(I just happen to have 1/0 cables at the moment).

As long as the load doesn't approach the capacity of the 1/0 cable, is there anything inherently dangerous or potentially damaging about this setup?

Cariboocoot · May 2013

Re: Mixing Cables sizes - Is this bad or OK?

Not as long as the 1/0 from the batteries to the inverter is protected by appropriate fuse/breaker.

One change, though:

1/0 cable from battery A+ to Inverter +
1/0 cable from battery B- to Inverter -

This will help keep the current even between batteries.

KnowledgeSponge · May 2013

Re: Mixing Cables sizes - Is this bad or OK?

Cariboocoot wrote: »

Not as long as the 1/0 from the batteries to the inverter is protected by appropriate fuse/breaker.

One change, though:

1/0 cable from battery A+ to Inverter +
1/0 cable from battery B- to Inverter -

This will help keep the current even between batteries.

If there was a THANKS button....I'd hit it :cool:

What kind of breaker / fuse is commonly used for this?

Cariboocoot · May 2013

Re: Mixing Cables sizes - Is this bad or OK?

1/0 AWG is good for about 150 Amps continuous, so 100 to 125 Amps for the fuse/breaker.
Some options would include the Blue Sea battery terminal post fuses, these 'class T' fuses http://www.solar-electric.com/infubr.html or Bussmann breakers http://www.solar-electric.com/mr60ampdccib.html

KnowledgeSponge · May 2013

Re: Mixing Cables sizes - Is this bad or OK?

Cariboocoot wrote: »

1/0 AWG is good for about 150 Amps continuous, so 100 to 125 Amps for the fuse/breaker.
Some options would include the Blue Sea battery terminal post fuses, these 'class T' fuses http://www.solar-electric.com/infubr.html or Bussmann breakers http://www.solar-electric.com/mr60ampdccib.html

Thank you once again good sir :cool:

Mixing Cables sizes - Is this bad or OK?

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