2000 watt inverter wiring

[GJ]

I will be installing a 2000 watt inverter in my box truck. I will be
installing it in the rear end of my 14 foot box with a battery in
parallel with the one in the engine compartment. I have a few
questions.
#1 Do I need to run both pos. & neg. between the batteries?
#2 Will #6 gauge wire be large enough?
#3 Do I need to match batteries?

[electron pimp]

6 gauge should be enough, I usually use 4 gauge.
You do not have to run negative from battery to battery, just get a good
ground point.
Matching the batteries is not nessecary but it will work better if you do.



--
WDW is a Way of Life
"GJ" > wrote in message
oups.com...
>I will be installing a 2000 watt inverter in my box truck. I will be
> installing it in the rear end of my 14 foot box with a battery in
> parallel with the one in the engine compartment. I have a few
> questions.
> #1 Do I need to run both pos. & neg. between the batteries?
> #2 Will #6 gauge wire be large enough?
> #3 Do I need to match batteries?
>

[Scott Gardner]

On 11 Oct 2005 12:22:29 -0700, "GJ" > wrote:

>I will be installing a 2000 watt inverter in my box truck. I will be
>installing it in the rear end of my 14 foot box with a battery in
>parallel with the one in the engine compartment. I have a few
>questions.
>#1 Do I need to run both pos. & neg. between the batteries?
>#2 Will #6 gauge wire be large enough?
>#3 Do I need to match batteries?

I would definitely go with heavier cable. If your inverter can supply
2000W, then it's going to consume even more than that from your car's
electical system, since the inverter isn't 100% efficient. Even if
2000W was the maximum it would ever draw from your car, that's still
almost 140 amps of current at 14.4V. Considering the high current
draw and the fact that your inverter is probably close to 20 feet from
your alternator, I would think 4-gauge would be the minimum to
consider.

Having a second battery isn't going to help, except that it will allow
you to run your inverter longer with the engine off. The important
thing will be whether or not your alternator can keep up with the
demands of the inverter. If your alternator can't provide enough
current, then no amount of battery storage will help.


--
Scott Gardner

"It may be that our role on this planet is not to worship God, but to create him." (Arthur C. Clarke)

[MZ]

Just curious - what would you ever need a 2000 watt inverter for? A big
screen TV or two?

On Tue, 11 Oct 2005, Scott Gardner wrote:

> On 11 Oct 2005 12:22:29 -0700, "GJ" > wrote:
>
> >I will be installing a 2000 watt inverter in my box truck. I will be
> >installing it in the rear end of my 14 foot box with a battery in
> >parallel with the one in the engine compartment. I have a few
> >questions.
> >#1 Do I need to run both pos. & neg. between the batteries?
> >#2 Will #6 gauge wire be large enough?
> >#3 Do I need to match batteries?
>
> I would definitely go with heavier cable. If your inverter can supply
> 2000W, then it's going to consume even more than that from your car's
> electical system, since the inverter isn't 100% efficient. Even if
> 2000W was the maximum it would ever draw from your car, that's still
> almost 140 amps of current at 14.4V. Considering the high current
> draw and the fact that your inverter is probably close to 20 feet from
> your alternator, I would think 4-gauge would be the minimum to
> consider.
>
> Having a second battery isn't going to help, except that it will allow
> you to run your inverter longer with the engine off. The important
> thing will be whether or not your alternator can keep up with the
> demands of the inverter. If your alternator can't provide enough
> current, then no amount of battery storage will help.
>
>
> --
> Scott Gardner
>
> "It may be that our role on this planet is not to worship God, but to create him." (Arthur C. Clarke)
>
>

[[email protected]]

Boy sound like you are going to bang bang on hip-hop trash in
street. Or you just want to beat your neighbor. Don't compete with
my sound. I only got 300 watt.

[[email protected]]

He wants to awake up the whole neighbor with 2000 watt system.

[Spike]

On 11 Oct 2005 12:22:29 -0700, "GJ" > wrote:

>I will be installing a 2000 watt inverter in my box truck. I will be
>installing it in the rear end of my 14 foot box with a battery in
>parallel with the one in the engine compartment. I have a few
>questions.
>#1 Do I need to run both pos. & neg. between the batteries?
>#2 Will #6 gauge wire be large enough?
>#3 Do I need to match batteries?
If you happen upon my neighborhood, especially at night, please test
your system by licking the hot lead while hanging onto the doorframe.
Thanks in advance..... : 0 )
Spike
1965 Ford Mustang fastback 2+2 A Code 289 C4 Trac-Lok
Vintage Burgundy w/Black Standard Interior; Vintage 40
16" rims w/BF Goodrich Comp T/A gForce Radial
225/50ZR16 KDWS skins; surround sound audio-video.
Feb 2004 - http://207.36.208.198/albums/86810/003_May_21_3004.jpg
Feb 2004 - http://207.36.208.198/albums/86810/005_May_21_2004.jpg
Jul 2005 - http://207.36.208.198/albums/86810/davescar_7_11_05_002.jpg
Jul 2005 - http://207.36.208.198/albums/86810/Engine_rebuild_006.jpg

[spr]

> If you happen upon my neighborhood, especially at night, please test
> your system by licking the hot lead while hanging onto the doorframe.
> Thanks in advance..... : 0 )
It probably wouldn't feel good but it wouldn't kill you either.

[Chad Wahls]

> wrote in message
oups.com...
>
> He wants to awake up the whole neighbor with 2000 watt system.
>

I only wake up half my neighbor, it makes him run slower.

[Chad Wahls]

"Spike" > wrote in message
...
> On 11 Oct 2005 12:22:29 -0700, "GJ" > wrote:
>
>>I will be installing a 2000 watt inverter in my box truck. I will be
>>installing it in the rear end of my 14 foot box with a battery in
>>parallel with the one in the engine compartment. I have a few
>>questions.
>>#1 Do I need to run both pos. & neg. between the batteries?
>>#2 Will #6 gauge wire be large enough?
>>#3 Do I need to match batteries?
> If you happen upon my neighborhood, especially at night, please test
> your system by licking the hot lead while hanging onto the doorframe.
> Thanks in advance..... : 0 )
> Spike
> 1965 Ford Mustang fastback 2+2 A Code 289 C4 Trac-Lok
> Vintage Burgundy w/Black Standard Interior; Vintage 40
> 16" rims w/BF Goodrich Comp T/A gForce Radial
> 225/50ZR16 KDWS skins; surround sound audio-video.
> Feb 2004 - http://207.36.208.198/albums/86810/003_May_21_3004.jpg
> Feb 2004 - http://207.36.208.198/albums/86810/005_May_21_2004.jpg
> Jul 2005 - http://207.36.208.198/albums/86810/davescar_7_11_05_002.jpg
> Jul 2005 - http://207.36.208.198/albums/86810/Engine_rebuild_006.jpg

Guys, it's a box truck, you know one for utility use. Why is everyone
giving him problems..... What if he were in, say, a band and wanted to build
a little tech station back there, or maybe run a fridge or some hand tools.
He may have come here asking because he was smart and knew that we know how
to run big ass power to the back of a vehicle. other than Ham radio
operators we are the ones to ask and now we are ridiculing him.

Chad

[Chris Mullins]

agreed, sounds like the ideal setup for a portable garage, power tools,
welder, etc. saw them do one of these on "truckin" or one of those dumbass
american car/truck tv shows.

"Chad Wahls" > wrote in message
...
>
> "Spike" > wrote in message
> ...
>> On 11 Oct 2005 12:22:29 -0700, "GJ" > wrote:
>>
>>>I will be installing a 2000 watt inverter in my box truck. I will be
>>>installing it in the rear end of my 14 foot box with a battery in
>>>parallel with the one in the engine compartment. I have a few
>>>questions.
>>>#1 Do I need to run both pos. & neg. between the batteries?
>>>#2 Will #6 gauge wire be large enough?
>>>#3 Do I need to match batteries?
>> If you happen upon my neighborhood, especially at night, please test
>> your system by licking the hot lead while hanging onto the doorframe.
>> Thanks in advance..... : 0 )
>> Spike
>> 1965 Ford Mustang fastback 2+2 A Code 289 C4 Trac-Lok
>> Vintage Burgundy w/Black Standard Interior; Vintage 40
>> 16" rims w/BF Goodrich Comp T/A gForce Radial
>> 225/50ZR16 KDWS skins; surround sound audio-video.
>> Feb 2004 - http://207.36.208.198/albums/86810/003_May_21_3004.jpg
>> Feb 2004 - http://207.36.208.198/albums/86810/005_May_21_2004.jpg
>> Jul 2005 - http://207.36.208.198/albums/86810/davescar_7_11_05_002.jpg
>> Jul 2005 - http://207.36.208.198/albums/86810/Engine_rebuild_006.jpg
>
> Guys, it's a box truck, you know one for utility use. Why is everyone
> giving him problems..... What if he were in, say, a band and wanted to
> build a little tech station back there, or maybe run a fridge or some hand
> tools. He may have come here asking because he was smart and knew that we
> know how to run big ass power to the back of a vehicle. other than Ham
> radio operators we are the ones to ask and now we are ridiculing him.
>
> Chad
>

[Spike]

Never said I wanted anyone dead.... LOL... but at least they might
learn some respect for something. : 0 )

On Wed, 12 Oct 2005 08:59:27 GMT, "spr" <jaybruce (take out big
space) @hotmail.com> wrote:

>
>> If you happen upon my neighborhood, especially at night, please test
>> your system by licking the hot lead while hanging onto the doorframe.
>> Thanks in advance..... : 0 )
>It probably wouldn't feel good but it wouldn't kill you either.
>

Spike
1965 Ford Mustang fastback 2+2 A Code 289 C4 Trac-Lok
Vintage Burgundy w/Black Standard Interior; Vintage 40
16" rims w/BF Goodrich Comp T/A gForce Radial
225/50ZR16 KDWS skins; surround sound audio-video.
Feb 2004 - http://207.36.208.198/albums/86810/003_May_21_3004.jpg
Feb 2004 - http://207.36.208.198/albums/86810/005_May_21_2004.jpg
Jul 2005 - http://207.36.208.198/albums/86810/davescar_7_11_05_002.jpg
Jul 2005 - http://207.36.208.198/albums/86810/Engine_rebuild_006.jpg

[Spike]

On Wed, 12 Oct 2005 08:55:55 -0500, "Chad Wahls" >
wrote:

>
>"Spike" > wrote in message
...
>> On 11 Oct 2005 12:22:29 -0700, "GJ" > wrote:
>>
>>>I will be installing a 2000 watt inverter in my box truck. I will be
>>>installing it in the rear end of my 14 foot box with a battery in
>>>parallel with the one in the engine compartment. I have a few
>>>questions.
>>>#1 Do I need to run both pos. & neg. between the batteries?
>>>#2 Will #6 gauge wire be large enough?
>>>#3 Do I need to match batteries?
>> If you happen upon my neighborhood, especially at night, please test
>> your system by licking the hot lead while hanging onto the doorframe.
>> Thanks in advance..... : 0 )
>> Spike
>> 1965 Ford Mustang fastback 2+2 A Code 289 C4 Trac-Lok
>> Vintage Burgundy w/Black Standard Interior; Vintage 40
>> 16" rims w/BF Goodrich Comp T/A gForce Radial
>> 225/50ZR16 KDWS skins; surround sound audio-video.
>> Feb 2004 - http://207.36.208.198/albums/86810/003_May_21_3004.jpg
>> Feb 2004 - http://207.36.208.198/albums/86810/005_May_21_2004.jpg
>> Jul 2005 - http://207.36.208.198/albums/86810/davescar_7_11_05_002.jpg
>> Jul 2005 - http://207.36.208.198/albums/86810/Engine_rebuild_006.jpg
>
>Guys, it's a box truck, you know one for utility use. Why is everyone
>giving him problems..... What if he were in, say, a band and wanted to build
>a little tech station back there, or maybe run a fridge or some hand tools.
>He may have come here asking because he was smart and knew that we know how
>to run big ass power to the back of a vehicle. other than Ham radio
>operators we are the ones to ask and now we are ridiculing him.
>
>Chad
>
Did you fail to make note of the "happy face"? Sheesh.

And I don't know where you are, but around here there are plenty of
long beds with a ton of amps and speakers.... far more than utility
trucks with 2000 watt inverters. My stepson, as well as his friends,
did his truck that way. So, prejudice as it might be, a lot of first
thoughts would lean toward sound systems.... and the general public is
getting more and more annoyed about those, as evidenced by the
constant addition of new laws and ordinances to restrict their use.
Of course, that would not be the case if many of those would use a
little restraint and show some respect for the people around them.
Spike
1965 Ford Mustang fastback 2+2 A Code 289 C4 Trac-Lok
Vintage Burgundy w/Black Standard Interior; Vintage 40
16" rims w/BF Goodrich Comp T/A gForce Radial
225/50ZR16 KDWS skins; surround sound audio-video.
Feb 2004 - http://207.36.208.198/albums/86810/003_May_21_3004.jpg
Feb 2004 - http://207.36.208.198/albums/86810/005_May_21_2004.jpg
Jul 2005 - http://207.36.208.198/albums/86810/davescar_7_11_05_002.jpg
Jul 2005 - http://207.36.208.198/albums/86810/Engine_rebuild_006.jpg

[not i]

On 11 Oct 2005 12:22:29 -0700, "GJ" > wrote:

>I will be installing a 2000 watt inverter in my box truck. I will be
>installing it in the rear end of my 14 foot box with a battery in
>parallel with the one in the engine compartment. I have a few
>questions.
>#1 Do I need to run both pos. & neg. between the batteries?
>#2 Will #6 gauge wire be large enough?
>#3 Do I need to match batteries?



Your alternator will not supply enough power to operate the invertor
at full load so if you operating it at full load it will be taking
power from the battery as well as the alternator. If you are going to
use this invertor for extended periods of time you should provide a
secondary starting battery for the vehicle.