Wiring In An Inverter.

Hersheyplumbing

Got a 3000w inverter and am going to wire it in a toolbox in the bed of my truck, and put an outlet in end. Now, I realize these thing need big wires ran from the battery, What is the minimum size I can get away with if I run about 11 ft. And, do I need to run a wire for negative or will grounding to vehicle be fine. The truck is an f250 diesel with duel batts.

__________________
Mark Hershey
http://community.webshots.com/user/z...host=community

olyteddy

Well, figure you're stepping the voltage up by a factor of 10. 3000 watts output at 120 volts is 25 amperes. Therefore (assuming a 100% efficient inveter - probably not in the real world) your input current will be 10 times that, or 250 amps. That means you need a pretty honkin big battery cable to draw 3000 watts from your inverter...Since you're not likely to draw the full load continuously, I'd consider moving the inverter closer to the batteries or move one of the batteries closer to the inverter.

MALCO.New.York

#4 AWG/T or larger (we use 2/0 Welding Cable for 48VDC set ups in Cell Sites) and Isolators and PROBABLY a larger Alternator. BIG FUSE at the Battery(s).

Diesel or Gas.

One or Two Batteries???

A Block of Batteries at the Inverter.

Big Capacitors for Voltage Regulation.


^^^^ Most of this is OVERKILL because a 3K inverter is big but NOT THAT BIG!!!^^^^

__________________
Something to One may be Nothing to another!

Ultimate Wisdom---------
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OW-cnizLDEE

mrmike

I installed the same wattage (3000) in my van. I don't remember what size wire I started with (I think #8) and the inverter would not run my saws right-it would just "cut out" as I was running the saws (skil-saw)
I changed the cable to #2 awg welding cable like Malco said & I did'nt have a problem after that............

Speedy Petey

Well it IS pretty big to be mounted inside a vehicle. Also, finding a way to run AND terminate the large cables required is a challenge as well.

I had a 3k under the seat of my old van and now I have no place to put it in the new van where I can safely run the cables to.


I used 1/0 welding cable and just ran it across the sill into the engine bay. It was NOT a very good installation, but it worked for the short time it was there.

__________________

MALCO.New.York

Running the Cable UNDER the vehicle along the frame is the best solution.

__________________
Something to One may be Nothing to another!

Ultimate Wisdom---------
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OW-cnizLDEE

Leo G

I have the same setup. There is no way you are going to be able to run it properly with the battery 11ft away. For proper operation you will need a cable that is 3/4" thick (???AWG) and no longer that 18". The voltage drop across this cable at full output is what you need to worry about. If you are just going to run it at a kilowatt or so you might be able to get away with it. The company I got mine from (Vector) also had the cables, it was welding cable, very fine strands bundled together to make it flexible. Your best bet is to get a battery and place it right next to the inverter and use these cables. That way you will be able to use the full output. I can power my house with mine. Obviously not everything, but a few lights, the refrigerator, the oil furnace and a TV is as much as I have ever used off of it. If you connect you separate inverter battery to the alternator you can charge it or run it off the alternator when the main battery gets low. I could usually use mine for an 8 hour day with sanders, chopsaws and small tools. The tablesaw would take it down a lot quicker. I could start up my 1HP compressor but it would only do it a few times off the battery alone. With the alternator connected it would do it all day. If I had a second battery it would have been much better. I have an 105 AH AGM battery. I bought it 8 years ago and it is still working pretty good. This is a battery that is designed for an inverter. It is a deep discharge battery. If you did what you can do to this battery with a normal car battery of equivalent capacity the battery would be dead in 10 cycles, don't ask me how I know that.

__________________
Sawdust Follows Me Everywhere

http://lrgwood.com
Custom Cabinets in Hartford County Connecticut

Speedy Petey

I realize that, but that was not an option at the time, and I am not cool with doing that on the new van. Besides, it would put it quite far away from the battery in that case.
I can live without it for now. I did for years.

__________________

Speedy Petey

Nice setup Leo. Is that an under bed box on a flatbed?

__________________

Bubbles

nice leo. and nice topic. For some reason I've never been anywhere where I couldn't find some power so, I didn't have to think about that problem yet...

woodchuck2

I used 2/0 stranded copper for my 2k,4k surge inverter that is mounted in my trailer. The inverter is mounted on the top shelf and the 770CCA marine battery is mounted on the floor in a battery box. I have the power lead from the trailer plug hooked to the battery so it is being charged when it is hooked to the truck. I have bought a small A/C battery charger that is good for 60 amps that i plan to mount next to the inverter so i can recharge the trailer battery with a cord or generator if need be.

Leo G

I use to work in a lot of 18th century homes. You know 2 outlets for 3 rooms all of them with 6 paks on them and full. So I set that up. It is in a Weather Gaurd Super Box. 21 cu ft. 8' x 2'h x 16"d

This is the setup.

__________________
Sawdust Follows Me Everywhere

http://lrgwood.com
Custom Cabinets in Hartford County Connecticut

MALCO.New.York

There is also available an Auto-Start kit that will start and stop the truck engine according to load-usage.

It works well for situations where the Inverter is use Daily but Sporadically during said day.

__________________
Something to One may be Nothing to another!

Ultimate Wisdom---------
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OW-cnizLDEE

mickeyco

I just bought the same Craftsman 3 drawer toolbox, $20.00 full of tools, thing looks like it's new.


.

Attached Thumbnails

 

__________________
Some people climb mountains. I take out the trash. But we both do it for the same reason.

woodchuck2

I finally took pics of my power supply. Trailer is a mess right now, waiting for it to warm up and give it a thorough cleaning.

Attached Thumbnails

     

Kgmz

Leo G has it right, you need the inverter as close as you can get it to the battery, unless you want to use some huge wire Then you can run a extension or hard wire a 120 outlet to the back of the truck.

Remember 3000 watts is 25 amps at 120 volts, but is 250 amps at 12 volts at the full power rating.

From my Prosine manual, recommended cable sizes for 3000 watts:

5ft, 4/0
10ft, 350MCM
15ft, 500MCM
20ft, 750MCM
30ft, 1000MCM


So as you can see it is much easier to run the battery cable as short as possible, and then run some 10 gauge from the inverter to a outlet.

trav007

I don't have any pictures of my set up right now but I have a 2000/4000 watt set up. I run it from a switch on the dash via a heavy duty solenoid under the hood. I run #2 wire but the cable is pretty long (6-10 feet or so) I think I will put another battery in conjunction with this set up. Only problem with this is that it will negate the dash switch as the new battery would be downstream of this connection. HMMMM.....What exactly is the benefit of having a charger hooked up to the inverter system.....I would think that if your battery dies, your inverter is no longer working, therefore the charger won't charge the now dead battery. I guess if your near a power source you can plug it in and away you go but for me the inverter is for when there is no power available....so I'd be hooped anyways. Thoughts...

__________________
Travis
www.customkreations.ca
"The most perfect technique is that which is not noticed at all"
-Pablo Casals

woodchuck2

I use the A/C battery charger for when the trailer battery gets low with leaving the interior lights on and charging batteries all day. I always carry the Honda generator so i can power up all the larger tools with that if no A/C power is available and that will also recharge the trailer battery if need be.

MALCO.New.York

Isolator block at the under hood Battery.

Relay control somewhere.

2/0 welding from the Isolator to the Battery Block at the Inverter.

__________________
Something to One may be Nothing to another!

Ultimate Wisdom---------
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OW-cnizLDEE

Leo G

My charger is for the end of the day. Plug it in overnight and it charges the battery to peak. It is a 3 stage charger designed to treat the AGM batter just right. Like I said, it is 8 years old and is almost as good as new. Charging off the alternator is a little harsh, the battery doesn't like to be charged with high currents, it will shorten the life. But if need be I will do it. I use a #2 from the alternator to the battery for charging. I rarely run it off the alternator, usually at the end of a long day. Or during power outages when I am running my house off of it.

__________________
Sawdust Follows Me Everywhere

http://lrgwood.com
Custom Cabinets in Hartford County Connecticut