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Bus bar wiring

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rvg8tor

Joined: 06 Apr 2009
Posts: 50
Location: Olympia, WA

Posted: Wed Oct 21, 2009 6:49 am Post subject: Bus bar wiring

I am looking for opinions on my method for connecting wires to the buses.  The top two rows in the photo are my main buss breakers.  The big nut at the top is the 6 awg wire from the battery relay, it is just the lug now.  The short wire labeled P13 is how I connect the top bus bar to the middle bar.  This wire is only 8 awg, I am not sure this is OK since the main feed is a 6 awg wire.  I am using 6 awg based Aeroelectric DWG, but I am guessing I could get away with 8 awg, it is only about 3 feet from the contactor to the bus.  I will run wire from the 8 awg wire where you see it clamped, to the diode on the black heat sink then to the bottom bus bar which is my essential bus.



Please give me feedback and pointers, I want to know if I am on the right track.  This panel will sit by my right leg along the sloped console of the RV-8A.  I used a castle nut because for a temporary install it is easier to work with.  I am using a AN4 bolt because that is the smallest size lug I could find for the 6 awg wire.

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_________________
Mike "Nemo" Elliott
RV-8A QB (Engine)
www.mykitlog.com/rvg8tor

nuckolls.bob(at)aeroelect
Guest

Posted: Wed Oct 21, 2009 11:00 am Post subject: Bus bar wiring

At 09:49 AM 10/21/2009, you wrote:

 	  Quote: 	
		  



I am looking for opinions on my method for connecting wires to the 

buses.  The top two rows in the photo are my main buss 

breakers.  The big nut at the top is the 6 awg wire from the battery 

relay, it is just the lug now.  The short wire labeled P13 is how I 

connect the top bus bar to the middle bar.  This wire is only 8 awg, 

I am not sure this is OK since the main feed is a 6 awg wire.  I am 

using 6 awg based Aeroelectric DWG, but I am guessing I could get 

away with 8 awg, it is only about 3 feet from the contactor to the 

bus.  I will run wire from the 8 awg wire where you see it clamped, 

to the diode on the black heat sink then to the bottom bus bar which 

is my essential bus.


	


    8AWG is fine for this task. But I want to remind

    my readers that ALL wire sizes cited on AEC

    drawings should be evaluated for your particular

    load analysis tempered by practical decisions.

    What you've got will be fine but the wire sizes,

    while illustrated in the ARCHITCTURE drawings may

    not be the optimum or practical size.

 	  Quote: 	
		  Please give me feedback and pointers, I want to know if I am on the 

right track.  This panel will sit by my right leg along the sloped 

console of the RV-8A.  I used a castle nut because for a temporary 

install it is easier to work with.  I am using a AN4 bolt because 

that is the smallest size lug I could find for the 6 awg wire.


	


    McMaster-Carr has small quantities of your

    odd size terminal needs. A 6AWG terminal for

    #10 stud is catalog number 7113K365.

        Bob . . .



         ---------------------------------------

        ( . . .  a long habit of not thinking   )

        ( a thing wrong, gives it a superficial )

        ( appearance of being right . . .       )

        (                                       )

        (                  -Thomas Paine 1776-  )

         ---------------------------------------

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rvg8tor

Joined: 06 Apr 2009
Posts: 50
Location: Olympia, WA

Posted: Wed Oct 21, 2009 11:50 am Post subject: Re: Bus bar wiring

Bob,



Thank you for the information.  When you say 8 AWG is fine I  assume you mean the short jumper to the middle bus.  I was planning 6 AWG as the main power feed to the bus since I will have a 60 amp alternator.  I was thinking I could get by with 8 AWG since my typical load from my load analysis is only 20-25 amps and only gets to 47 amps in a night IFR situation.  



My harness kit from Van's came with 8AWG for the supply to the bus but I was not sure I should use it since my plane has more electrical gadgets than the Van's basic electrical plan contains.  



Is my logic flawed going up to 6 AWG for my application, should I just use the 8 AWG since I should be under the 57 amp max for that size wire?



Cheers

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_________________
Mike "Nemo" Elliott
RV-8A QB (Engine)
www.mykitlog.com/rvg8tor

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