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Inverter cable

Dave Payne

By Dave Payne
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Dave Payne

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Purchased one of these and it arrived yesterday, the cable that came with it, to me seems a little thin, it says 10mm2 on it and its about 1m long.

I dont think its long enough so will need to pick up some new cable, question is how thick should it be, will be about 2-3m from batteries and running at 1200 watts, 12v battery bank.

 

http://www.sunshinesolar.co.uk/prodshow/1200W___12V_Pure_Sine_Wave_Sunshine_Power_Inverter/VP1200.htm

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Alan de Enfield Veteran II

Alan de Enfield

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1200w would be roughly 100 amp draw from your batteries.

Chinese amps are (obviously) much smaller than European amps, as depending on the test method (in conduit, in a 'bundle', in free air, clipped etc) 10mm2 cable would be (European) rated at somewhere between 30 and 65 amps.

 

If they cannot even get the cable size correct, I would be giving consideration as to what other 'cost cutting' may have taken place internally in the Inverter.

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WotEver Veteran II

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1200W is about 120A taking into account the inefficiencies. 

Using cablesize in mm2 = 18*metres*amps/(V*1000) 
(Where metres = entire cable length there and back and V = Maximum permitted voltage drop). Using 3m as the distance, and assuming 0.3V max voltage drop gives:

18*6*120/333 = 37. So I'd use 50mm2 

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Northernboater Community Regular

Northernboater

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Give them a ring and ask them their Help line is 01508 488 188 and if your not happy with their answer send it back and buy a proper one from Mastervolt.

I should imagine if they sent the correct size of cable it would probably cost more then the components in the inverter LOL.

And you get what you pay for, cheap Chinese, mass produced, re-branded inverter.  What are you going to be running off it?

2x 3m lengths of 50mm2 (Red & Black) rated at 345 Amps @ £40-£50 plus crimped connections

Edited by Northernboater
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WotEver Veteran II

WotEverDonate to Canal World

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1 hour ago, Dave Payne said:

Interesting, i wonder why they would send it then with an incorrect cable size?

Money saving. 

They probably figure most folk won't run it at 1200W and if they did then the voltage drop would be about 1V which the inverter probably wouldn't care to much about. It means you'd be dissipating around 120W down the cable though. 

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Dave Payne Influencer

Dave Payne

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1 hour ago, Northernboater said:

Give them a ring and ask them their Help line is 01508 488 188 and if your not happy with their answer send it back and buy a proper one from Mastervolt.

I should imagine if they sent the correct size of cable it would probably cost more then the components in the inverter LOL.

And you get what you pay for, cheap Chinese, mass produced, re-branded inverter.  What are you going to be running off it?

2x 3m lengths of 50mm2 (Red & Black) rated at 345 Amps @ £40-£50 plus crimped connections

Hair dryer.

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Alan de Enfield Veteran II

Alan de Enfield

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Maybe there really are differences (I think there are) between a 1200w Inverter on ebay at £22 inc delivery, and a Victron 1200 w inverter at £500+

 

It may be worth looking at some of the videos on ebay showing the insides (and the fires caused) with the cheap Chinese inverters.

 

One of the 'less frightening' videos

 

Edited by Alan de Enfield
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Dave Payne Influencer

Dave Payne

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Ok, i understand the cable is wrong, but saying it will set on fire?

This inverter wasn't from ebay, it was from a company whom we all know on this forum and who i have purchased solar gear from, it wasn't dirt cheap but £220, i cant imagine they would sell items that would set on fire.

It will not be left on, i only purchased it to run a hair dryer, i will use my victron to run tv and fridge as i know this one works well.

 

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WotEver Veteran II

WotEverDonate to Canal World

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25 minutes ago, Chewbacka said:

especially if it is one of those cheap inverters where occasionally the  overload shutdown method is to catch fire.............

Yeah, those get particularly warm ;)

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  • 2 weeks later...
Dave Payne Influencer

Dave Payne

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Bit concerned now with this bit of kit, mrs used it all last week with her hair dryer, had the washing machine running a couple of times and ran the fridge and tv, oh and hair straighteners..

 

No fire, should i be worried, when do the experts believe it will go up in flames?

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