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Blue Sea Systems 8080 Dual Battery Bank Management Panel User Manual

Page 2

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Wire Sizing Chart

1. Calculate the maximum sustained amperage of the circuit. Measure the

length of the circuit from the power source to the load and back.

2. Calculate Famps (Feet x amps). Multiply circuit length by max. current.
3. Base the wire on either the 3% or 10% voltage drop. In general, items

that affect the safe operation of the boat and its passengers (running

lights, bilge blowers, electronics) use 3%; all other loads use 10%.

4. Are the circuit runs in an engine space or non-engine space?
5. Starting in the column that has the right voltage and voltage drop,

select a value that is greater than the calculated Famps. Look left to the

Ampacity column to verify that the total amperage of the circuit does

not exceed the maximum allowable amperage of the wire size for

that row. If it does, move down until the wire ampacity exceeds the

circuit amperage. Finally, look left to the wire size column to select the

wire size.

Note: For wire with 105°C insulation rating and AWG wire sizes.

Chart courtesy of the West Advisor

Wiring Diagram

DC Battery Switch Panel

PN 8080

Example

A 12 volt system at 10% drop with a 40’ circuit x 45 amps = 1800 Famps.
A wire size of 8 is required.

ENGINE

HOUSE

HOUSE

CIRCUIT

BREAKER

DC BatterySwitch

Panel T

emplate

PN 8080