Auto Electrics

With fat wire? Seriously that is in the 60-70a range if it was fully loaded. I would be thinking about 4ga copper connected directly to the battery terminals. Keep the DC cable as short as possible. Be careful with the AC side. it is still line voltage, just like in the house. Use hard service cord (orange extension cord stuff) and protect it from damage. That blue "smurf tube" they sell at the Home Depot is easy to work with and provides some protection. Use grey PVC conduit if this is under the car and exposed to the rigors of the road. This may be a bit of overkill but it is $10 that saves you problems later.

I just did a 2000watt one in my truck.

I have a side post battery. Buy the post extensions so you can hook on an extra lug. (NAPA) I had to use 00 welding cable (200amp) so I got the lug that accepts that gauge wire and will fit over the extended side post. Buy a fusible link holder and the appropriate size fusible link. Wire the + to the link and than from the link to the inverter. Since my inverter is located behind the cab in a tool box I ran the cable in flexible conduit along the frame. I ran the - of the inverter to the frame. I than ran the battery - to the frame. My battery is isolated (charges only) from the main truck battery so I don't worry about not being able to start the truck. I hard wired, in conduit, a double GFI outdoor receptacle mounted to the inside bed by the rear tailgate.

Also, you might want to make sure your alternator is rated for the additional load, otherwise you'll:

1) Run your battery down, and

2) When your battery is run down a certain amount, start to overload your alternator as it picks up the load from the battery, and...

3) Your engine will quit (no power to run the ignition system) and you'll be stuck on the side of the road with a dead battery AND a shot alternator.

Not much fun, eh? }:)

-Z

Greg wrote:

Use 10mm2 cable. straight on to the battery with a 70A fuse link.

Ted Rubberford.. The Man In A Rubber Suit.