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02-26-2018, 07:44 AM
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#1
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Senior Member
Monaco Owners Club
Join Date: Aug 2017
Location: Orlando, Florida
Posts: 5,819
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Battery Cable Size (jumpers not same as main battery cables)
I removed all the batteries this weekend and cleaned/painted the battery tray.
I noticed that the "jumper cables" between the batteries are not the same size as the main battery cables powerign the coach.
The main cables coming off Coach and Chassis batteries are 3/0 or 4/0, but the jumper cables used between the two 12V Chassis batteries and the four 6V Coach batteries are 2/0 size (smaller). These short jumper cables have "Monaco part number stickers" on them so it doesn't look like anyone has replaced them.
Is this normal? I would have expected all the cables to be the same size.
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02-26-2018, 07:48 AM
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#2
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Senior Member
Join Date: May 2017
Location: Dieppe, New-Brunswick
Posts: 104
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Good day!!
The short answer is voltage drop in length of wire...
Between the battery is short and from battery to wherever else is far and the voltage drop would be significant.
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02-26-2018, 07:55 AM
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#3
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Senior Member
Newmar Owners Club Spartan Chassis
Join Date: Oct 2014
Location: Lake McClure, CA
Posts: 1,449
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Couldn't have answered it better myself.
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02-26-2018, 07:55 AM
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#4
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Senior Member
Damon Owners Club Workhorse Chassis Owner
Join Date: Mar 2009
Posts: 24,024
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IN a multiple battery bank system it is possible the jumpers may be smaller depending on how it's connected.. I personally would not do it that way but I understand it is acceptable
Also jumper wires tend to be SHORT and when you are figuring wire size there are two things you need to look at
One is the "FUSE" current on the wire, the maximum current a length of wire can safely carry.. Likely the smaller jumpers are big enough but without doing an energy audit of your RV I can not be sure.
The other is the voltage loss at full load, this is a function of WIRE LENGTH and the inverse of size (Bigger cables and longer cables, More loss) for the short jumbers the loss is not that great since the length is not that great. Still.. I favor LARGER cables all the way around.
__________________
Home is where I park it!
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02-26-2018, 07:56 AM
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#5
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Senior Member
Join Date: May 2017
Location: Dieppe, New-Brunswick
Posts: 104
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Quote:
Originally Posted by 10 fan
Couldn't have answered it better myself.
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Appreciate the vote of confidence hihihi 
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02-26-2018, 08:19 AM
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#6
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Senior Member
Monaco Owners Club
Join Date: Aug 2017
Location: Orlando, Florida
Posts: 5,819
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Quote:
Originally Posted by RasMouSein
Good day!!
The short answer is voltage drop in length of wire...
Between the battery is short and from battery to wherever else is far and the voltage drop would be significant.
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Makes sense. Thanks!
The jumper cables are 8 inches long, whereas the main cables are "many many feet" long.
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02-26-2018, 08:27 AM
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#7
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2016
Posts: 2,009
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__________________
Mike, Betty & Sophie (Guard Cat)
Full Timers from the Great Lakes State of Michigan
2013 Silverado 3500HD Duramax Diesel & 2013 Cedar Creek Silverback
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02-26-2018, 08:31 AM
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#8
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Senior Member
Join Date: May 2017
Location: Dieppe, New-Brunswick
Posts: 104
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Wundertaker
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Well, depends... Is there already a inverter installed or is it something you may had?
What I mean is the demand gonna stay the same and you just want more time out of the battery.
Quick answer is yes.
But do yourself a favor go buy some pre-made 2/0 awg connection 
That's without any specific from your rv.
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02-26-2018, 08:52 AM
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#9
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Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Wherever we are
Posts: 4,288
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FWIW,
A lot of NAPA stores will make up battery cables of any length and gauge that you need...
__________________
'16 40QBH Phaeton
'21 Sahara HA toad
'15 38RSSA Mobile Suites--traded
'05 36TK3 Mobile Suites--retired but not forgotten
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02-26-2018, 09:02 AM
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#10
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Senior Member
Winnebago Owners Club
Join Date: Dec 2016
Posts: 172
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Quote:
Originally Posted by CountryB
I removed all the batteries this weekend and cleaned/painted the battery tray.
I noticed that the "jumper cables" between the batteries are not the same size as the main battery cables powerign the coach.
The main cables coming off Coach and Chassis batteries are 3/0 or 4/0, but the jumper cables used between the two 12V Chassis batteries and the four 6V Coach batteries are 2/0 size (smaller). These short jumper cables have "Monaco part number stickers" on them so it doesn't look like anyone has replaced them.
Is this normal? I would have expected all the cables to be the same size.
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If you are going to replace the cables keep in mind that the smaller the number the larger the cable. Reading your post you may have transposed your numbers as the cables coming off coach and chassis should be the larger cable and thus the smaller number.
__________________
Martin & Michelle and our dog Blue, Paradise, CA.
2016 Winnebago Vista LX 27N, Sumo Springs, Safe T Plus, SS rear track bar, Dish
2017 Equinox Premier AWD V6, Blue OX base and bar, SMI Stay and Play Duo
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02-26-2018, 09:11 AM
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#11
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Senior Member
Join Date: May 2017
Location: Dieppe, New-Brunswick
Posts: 104
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Park Super
If you are going to replace the cables keep in mind that the smaller the number the larger the cable. Reading your post you may have transposed your numbers as the cables coming off coach and chassis should be the larger cable and thus the smaller number.
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With all the respect you should refrain from helping people when talking about wire size.
Please google "american wire gauge chart" and report back your mistake.
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02-26-2018, 10:06 AM
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#12
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Member
Triple E Owners Club
Join Date: Oct 2014
Posts: 36
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__________________
The sum of the intelligence on the planet is a constant. The population is growing.
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02-26-2018, 10:36 AM
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#13
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Senior Member
Monaco Owners Club
Join Date: Aug 2017
Location: Orlando, Florida
Posts: 5,819
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Park Super
If you are going to replace the cables keep in mind that the smaller the number the larger the cable.
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That is true until you get to the "0" sizes.
So a "12" GA wire is thinner than "10" GA wire, but a "00" ("2/0") cable is thinner than a "000" ("3/0") cable. Crazy American wire numbering
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02-26-2018, 05:06 PM
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#14
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2016
Posts: 2,009
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Just checked my fiver today....the cables that connect to the battery are 02 gauge...think I'll use the same with my jumpers? 
__________________
Mike, Betty & Sophie (Guard Cat)
Full Timers from the Great Lakes State of Michigan
2013 Silverado 3500HD Duramax Diesel & 2013 Cedar Creek Silverback
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