Car Battery Cable Size Calculator

Most of the cost is the ends and labor.

Car battery cable size calculator.

Outside engine compartments the ambient temperature should generally be 20 c. Typically most automotive systems run at 13 8v but you can select 6 12 13 8 default or 24 volts. One of the most important aspects of designing and building any part of a vehicle electrical system is determining the correct size and type of cable to use for each circuit. The following maximum amps versus cable size awg come from the nec version 2011.

As far as i know these values are valid as of today. Too large and you ll be wasting money on copper you don t need. In summary when selecting the correct size of battery cable you need to take into account the total maximum amperage your electrical system requires the voltage of your system usually 12 volts the total length that your cables need to be and the amount of voltage drop you are willing to accept versus the amount you want to spend. For very long cables for example 15 foot long battery cables to relocate your battery go one size larger.

Choosing the correct gauge automotive wire depends on the acceptable voltage drop length of the feeder branch circuit conductor load amperage and the ambient temperature of the compartment where the primary wire will pass through. Actually for my current installation i ve sized all of my dc cables to meet the 175 amp worst case scenario. I recommend building cables larger than stock. Below we reference the two things you must double check when sizing your battery cables.

1 awg gauge battery cable 1 gauge awg battery cable is designed for higher power applications and can comfortably handle 200 amps at a cable length of 9 4 feet. But to enable this you need to make sure the sizing is correct. Cable sizing selection. If the wire gauge is ok to use it will have a check mark on the same line.

2 gauge battery cable can be used as power cabling for small cars. Too small a cable size and you ll run the risk of generating heat in the cable. The required battery size b lead acid for lead acid batteries is calculated by the battery size calculator as. Going up a size or 2 is worth it in the long run.

To use the calculator enter the maximum current in amps of the circuit and the length of the wire and operating voltage. Cable size ampacity chart. B lead acid dfrac 100 cdot i cdot t 100 q cdot 0 02 cdot t 0 6 where i is current in ampere t is the duration in hours and q is the required remaining charge in percentage. It ensures you have power stay on task and avoid battery drain.

The manufacturers make stock battery cables as small as possible but still get the job done. 2 gauge awg battery cable has an amperage capacity of 150 amps at a cable length of 10 feet.