SIze of Cable

[eraser]

I am installing a 24 volt 800watt wind generator from http://www.mikeswindmillshop.com/wgenerators.html and was wondering about what cable size to use , the manual with the wind generator says at least 10 gauge , but what should i use because the length from the wind generator to the batterys is about 100meters or 328 feet and i have to allow for voltage drop over that distance.

[nothing to lose]

I don't know what size cable you need, but when you get it installed keep us poseted how well it works. I am very interested in that because I have thought about trying one myself in the past.

Very curious.

[Cinosh07]

Hello,

you should check at this website, they have a calculator for the lost in voltage by the resistance of the wire in relation of the distance,amp,size and material of the wire (aluminum or copper). Hope this will help.

Cinosh07

http://www.powerstream.com/Wire_Size.htm

[Paulm]

Go with the largest you can afford. You want the least loss possible. That's a long run. Try scrap yards or second hand wire. It's alot cheaper. I'm going with doubled up 14 gauge(two 14 gauge wires for pos and two for neg) for my 15a of solar over a 75 foot run. I'm still going to loose 3 volts at 15 amps.

[drysider]

A 2% drop is generally considered acceptable. At 24 volts, that is about 1/2 volt. 800 watts at 24 volts is about 35 amps, and even using 4/0 wire with a run of 330 feet you will be way over the 1/2 volt drop limit.

Pat

[ghurd]

You may want to double them up, again.

Lot of amps, long distance.

And 3 volts will be missed on a 12v system.

Peak power at 17v. 17-3=14, 14- controller or diode= 13.5.

Connection, fuse, disconnect losses, and it is going to be kind of marginal.

A 250' roll of 12-2 UF-B is about $50. Maybe 3 runs of that with your 2 runs of 14.

Regular romex will not stand up to weather very long.

Even some of the UF-B won't.

I only use the darker grey kind now.

G-

[scottsAI]

According to the wire table Cinosh07 provided.

Using 4/0 cable will loose 1.3 volts or 5.4%.

250' of 4/0 single cable cost $525 and weights 192 lb. shipping $ ?

You will need 3 times that. Cable cost $1575.

This is not a cost effective solution.

Couple options:

1. Move batteries, charger, inverter to tower. I'm assuming your using 120vAC for the loads? If not this will not help. Run the 120vAC to the house with 10AWG. Resulting in 114.7vAC or a 4.4% loss.
   
2. Remove diodes from generator (if it has them), Step up the voltage as AC to 240v, using 12AWG wire run to the house resulting in 1.8% loss. At the house step it back down to 24v and then rectify as needed... Have fun finding a 24 to 240v transformer!
   
   

Have fun.

[jimjjnn]

There are fellas on here that design and use boosters that can solve your problem and keep using the cable you have. Do a search of discussion board.