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Battery connection, Vehicular – Tripp Lite Utility/ Work Truck DC-to-AC Inverters User Manual

Page 8

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8R

Vehicular

Your Inverter’s Nominal DC Input Voltage must match the voltage of your battery or batteries—12 Volts in most vehicular applications.

In most vehicles, the Inverter will be connected to the main battery within your vehicle's electrical system. However, it is also possible to connect your
Inverter to one or more dedicated auxiliary (house) batteries which are isolated from the drive system to prevent possible draining of the main battery.

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5

12 Volt Main Battery Connection

12 Volt Alternator

Vehicle Battery Ground

12 Volt Main Battery

12 Volt Auxiliary (House) Battery

UL-Listed Fuse (mounted within 18

inches of the battery)

Battery Isolator

Large Diameter Cabling, Maximum 2/0 Gauge to Fit Terminals

8 AWG (minimum) Ground Wire

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6

5

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2

1

12 Volt Main and Auxiliary (House) Battery Connection (Isolated Parallel)

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6

2

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Battery Connection

• Connect DC Wiring: Though your Inverter is
a high-efficiency
transformer of
electricity, its rated
output capacity is
limited by the length
and gauge of the
cabling running from
the battery to the unit.
Use the shortest
length and largest
diameter cabling
(maximum 2/0 gauge)
to fit your Inverter’s DC
Input terminals. Shorter and heavier gauge
cabling reduces DC voltage drop and allows for

maximum transfer of current. Your Inverter is
capable of delivering peak wattage at up to 200%
of its rated continuous wattage output for brief
periods of time. Heavier gauge cabling should be
used when continuously operating heavy draw
equipment under these conditions. Tighten your
Inverter and battery terminals to approximately
3.5 Newton-meters of torque to create an
efficient connection and to prevent excessive
heating at this connection. Insufficient tightening
of the terminals could void your warranty. See
separate Specifications page for Minimum
Recommended Cable Sizing Chart.

• Connect Ground: Using a #8 AWG wire or
larger directly connect the Main Ground Lug to

the vehicle’s chassis or earth ground. See the
Feature Identification section to locate the Main
Ground Lug on your specific Inverter model. All
installations must comply with national and local
codes and ordinances.

• Connect Fuse: NEC (National Electrical Code)
article 551 requires that you connect all of your
Inverter’s positive DC Terminals directly to a
UL-listed fuse(s) within 18 inches of the battery.
The fuse’s rating must equal or exceed the
Minimum DC Fuse Rating listed in your
Inverter’s specifications. See Specifications for
fuse recommendations. See diagrams below for
proper fuse placement.

Connect your Inverter to your batteries using the following procedures:

WARNING! • Failure to properly ground your Inverter to a vehicle’s chassis or earth ground may
result in a lethal electrical shock hazard.
• Never attempt to operate your Inverter by connecting it directly to output from an alternator

rather than a battery or battery bank.

• Observe proper polarity with all DC connections.

DC Connectors

7

Dual DC Connectors
(See note at bottom of the page)

NOTE: Select models include two positive and two negative DC terminals. Using the same connection architecture illustrated in the diagrams, run two 2/0 gauge cables from the Inverter's two
negative terminals to the battery's single negative terminal; run two 2/0 gauge cables from the Inverter's two positive terminals, through two UL-listed fuses and fuse blocks, or equivalent, (one on
each cable), to the battery's single positive terminal. Use the equivalent of two 2/0 cables in all other connections within the battery system. Connection to Two DC Terminals: It is acceptable to
use two cables to connect your battery to only one positive and one negative DC terminal, however, your Inverter will provide reduced output power. It doesn't make a difference which positive and
negative terminal you choose for the connection because both positive terminals are internally bonded and both negative terminals are also internally bonded. In this connection you must run one
positive cable through one user-supplied UL-listed fuse and fuse block.