Each component or appliance connected to a circuit will have a current draw associated with its operation and it is important that the cable supplying power to these is capable of carrying the normally expected current, plus a margin of safety. If it is not capable then it is likely to result in the cable becoming hot and potentially catching fire. Although fuses are used in the circuit to protect the cable, the cable itself should be of an adequate rating to prevent this over-heating occurring under normal circumstances. In most situations the detrimental effects can be minimised by using shrink sleeving, sealed connectors, adhesive lined terminals, protective gels etc. to keep moisture out, but in some applications where the environment is particularly aggressive, for example marine use, it might be preferable to use cable with tinned conductors. This is simply where the standard plain copper conductor has has a layer of tin applied before being sheathed in the insulation.Tin doesn't react in the presence of moisture, yet retains good conductivity, and so improves long-term performance of the cable. The downsides are that it is slightly more expensive and there is a more limited range of sizes and colours available compared with plain copper. Earth braid straps that have no insulating layer are typically tinned for protection as a matter of course. It has sufficient current rating for the expected load in the circuit, including a margin of safety. Thirdly, the harder grade of PVC is more reistant to abrasion and cutting than standard PVC, offering more protection and greater reliability. Chinese Cable feels much stiffer and you can put it into a position and it will stay when let go and not relax and drop down. Here is a cable supplied with an Inverter doing an impersonation of a snake-charmers prop ....

You might find it useful to read our Electrical Circuit Basics article for using the equation I = P/V where the following example is given:

The table below provides a cross-reference between these two standards, showing the closest metric equivalents to each Gauge for cable sizes commonly used in low voltage automotive and marine applications. AWG If you go too small, it is frustrating. If you go too big, you waste power as there is an overhead in use, which is bigger, the bigger the inverter is. So for example, a 3000W inverter to power a Laptop will use a lot more power than a 500W inverter to power the same Laptop.

Each end of the core should be crimped and set into an appropriate connector. Insulation and sheath Modified sine wave inverters are much cheaper than pure sine wave inverter, but they can also make a buzzing noise when certain appliances are plugged in and are typically less efficient. We installed the Victron 500VA pure sine wave Phoenix inverter. Lithium leisure batteries are typically around 50% smaller and lighter than their AGM counterparts, but they are also around 4x more expensive. Lithium leisure batteries also have a much longer lifespan, but you may find that the lifespan of AGM batteries is perfectly adequate for your usage. The inverter draws a maximum of 125 amps. Using the chart as a guide, you can see that an AWG wire size 2, 2/0 or 4/0 is ideal. Do not worry if the wire sizes are not an exact match with the inverter. These sizes are recommendations only, and you can always go one larger.This drop might also trigger the low voltage protection integrated in these systems. When an inverter senses the voltage has fallen below acceptable levels, it will stop running any load connected to it. If the cables are too long and not the right size, it might not even accept a load. Secondly, it has a greater working temperature range with a maximum of around 105ºC compared with around 70ºC for standard PVC. This makes it more suited to use in areas close to the engine. Some cables come with a solid core instead. Solid core cables are used in buildings where cables are out of the way and won’t be disturbed. Use a cable that’s too small and the voltage drop means there will be insufficient voltage delivered for the purpose. This guide is for general recommendations only. These are mainly for inverters that use one cable set (negative and positive). Other inverters may require two or more cable sets and necessitate other AWG wire sizes.

But not all Flex cable is created equal. Decent heavy DC cable made in the UK and Europe (yes, we DO make cable in the UK!) will be pure copper and nice and flexible. A lot of Far Eastern (primarily Chinese) cable is Multi-strand, but is not copper, but aluminium. This has a significantly lower current carrying capacity (forget using those tables on line!) and you can generally tell by the difference in flexibility compared to a nice bit of british flex cable Inverter cigarette lighter adapters are plug and play. Once plugged in your vehicle it should work. However you won’t be able to use the maximum power. From a 500 watt inverter, the lighter might pull only 250 watts. But if portability is your main prioerity,, then this should be an issue. However you should never go one size smaller. The worst thing you can do is use a long, thin wire as it will generate heavy resistance and adversely affect system performance. if you need a 4 AWG wire, we recommend the Spartan Power Cable Set because they work with these inverters.Charger Cables 6AWG, 60 Inches, Pair, Ring/Ferrule AltE 6AWG 60" Charger Cables ALTCC-6AWG-60RB Charger Cables 6AWG, 60 Inches, Pair, Ring/Ferrule By planning the installation ahead of time, you can determine where the inverter and batteries have to be so they can be as close to each other as possible. Doing this will reduce the amount of time required to configure the cables so they are in the right position. Conclusion