Xantrex Technology SW Plus 4024 - Manual (Page 47)

Pre-Configuration Planning
976-0043-01-02 2–13
Important
recommendation Follow the battery cable recommendations listed in this guide. It is
absolutely imperative that you adhere to the battery cable size (wire
gauge) and length recommendations provided in this section. If cables are
used that are too long or of insufficient gauge (i.e., the diameter is too
small), then inverter performance will be adversely affected.
In addition to poor inverter performance, undersized cables can result in
fire caused by overheating wires. Any damage to the inverter caused by
overheating from undersized wire is not covered by the Xantrex warranty.
Battery cable length Cable length is another important factor. Runs should be kept as short as
practical. Longer cable runs increase resistance, thus lowering the overall
efficiency of the system. This is especially true in lower voltage systems
where, depending upon the length of the cable run, it may be necessary to
oversize the diameter of the wire, or parallel (double) the cables.
Table 2-
2 provides recommended minimum cable sizes for various cable lengths
Important: Figure 2-1 is for reference only. Sizes shown are for the
conductor. Do not include any insulation, or sheathing, when determining your
wire size. Due to printing anomalies, these dimensions may not be to scale.
Figure 2-1 AWG Wire Size Reference Chart
12
.072
10
.115
8
.146
6
.184
4
.235
14
.073
Size
Diameter
3
.281
2
.295
3/0
.475
4/0
.530
2/0
.420
1
.335
1/0
.380
Size
Diameter
250 MCM
.580
300 MCM
.635
350 MCM
.690
400 MCM
.730
500 MCM
.820
Size
Diameter