DC house power cable routing?

[JLH]

Getting ready to install an 2nd battery and redarc 1225 and I'm curious what path other 200 owners used for dc cable routing to the rear of the rig. I've recently moved my vhf/uhf radio main unit to the left front of the drawer box behind the back seat and found out how restricted the door channel is. That was my imagined route for the 8 gauge to the left rear corner. The coax, 12gauge power, speaker and control cable filled it up and was a bit of a challenge to get the covers back on. Now I'm thinking it'll have to be along the frame covered in loom.

Lotsa great info in this forum but nothing specific on routing that I could find.

What route on your 200 did you use for dc house power?

 

[sdnative]

What size and # of conductors?

Probably anything up to 6awg is straight forward going though the PS firewall and down the PS gutter.

I ran two 2awg from the starter battery down the DS frame rail and up through the two grommets behind the rear DS wheel and up behind the cargo area panel by the inverter.

 

[JLH]

I'm planning on using 8 gauge. I was looking around down the DS when I was checking the KDSS valves, i saw a grommet forward of the L rear wheel but didn't see the one you describe. I'll look again. (the valves opened right up, thankfully)

 

[sdnative]

Here is the oval grommet behind the DS rear wheel, and the round grommet where it enters the cabin by the inverter. Sorry I don't have a better picture of the first.

 

[JLH]

That looks good, I'm not sure if I can pull the plastic panel with the drawers installed but I'll investigate.

 

[sdnative]

What battery are you using? Where are you installing it and the Redarc? 8awg may not be big enough.

 

[JLH]

I'm installing an 63ah agm with a slee tray. Fat fingered the gauge n my brain, I'm using 6ga and the run is about 17 feet. Checked the ampacity chart and the voltage loss should be minimal.

 

[sdnative]

Are you installing AGM in the back cargo area or engine bay? I would advise against a lead acid battery in the passenger space as they can give off H2 and H2S when charging. Just be aware of the risks and be careful.

 

[JLH]

No, the slee battery tray fits in the right front engine bay.

 

[sdnative]

Got it. Sorry I misunderstood.

 

[LandLocked93]

I'm installing an 63ah agm with a slee tray. Fat fingered the gauge n my brain, I'm using 6ga and the run is about 17 feet. Checked the ampacity chart and the voltage loss should be minimal.

Voltage loss is not an issue with a BCDC. Took me a few to get my head around that.
Recommend doing local grounds to run only 1-6ga wire.
Unless that messes with the alternator smarts or something.

 

[sdnative]

Voltage loss is not an issue with a BCDC. Took me a few to get my head around that.
Recommend doing local grounds to run only 1-6ga wire.
Unless that messes with the alternator smarts or something.

A buck/boost converter like the Redarc BCDC, Victron Orion, etc can and will compensate for low or high input voltage but I believe they do expect the voltage to be fairly constant over the range of charge current. So voltage loss is an issue. Typically size a DC-DC for less than 3% voltage drop.

 

[LandLocked93]

A buck/boost converter like the Redarc BCDC, Victron Orion, etc can and will compensate for low or high input voltage but I believe they do expect the voltage to be fairly constant over the range of charge current. So voltage loss is an issue. Typically size a DC-DC for less than 3% voltage drop.

Respectfully @sdnative - as well OP, as this wasn't the initial vector of your post - voltage loss and voltage drop are two different things.
Loss occurs instantly, over a given length and size of cable used to transfer the voltage.
Drop occurs over a given length of time, on the same cable, relative to the storage device (battery).
Voltage drop only happens when there is no element of recharge involved with the storage device (i.e., truck isn't running to spin the alternator, no solar input, etc).

Agreed, a BCDC expects to see a fairly stable voltage. But in the case of the RedArc, it's looking for alternator voltage to function. Not battery voltage.
At best, static batt voltage at 40*F is 12.5vdc. Maybe 12.8Vdc on a warm day with optimum charging. (far-end experience)
A RedArc unit won't kick on unless it sees 13.2+Vdc (depending on the profile you've wired in). This voltage can only be seen when the truck is running.
Of course as it's alternator voltage, it does vary...tho well within the variance allowed in the charge profile of the BCDC. Otherwise - you shut the truck off - the RedArc simply powers off. And what amount of current you have stored is what you have to run on.

The 3% rule only applies to voltage-snob devices (really expensive and obtuse computer equipment, AEGIS radar, etc) wired directly to the remote power source. That is not the OPs situation.
OP rightly has a BCDC charging a second storage device (battery) when the vehicle is burning fuel to spin the alternator.

The wiring route however, remains a mystery.

 

[JLH]

Voltage loss is not an issue with a BCDC. Took me a few to get my head around that.
Recommend doing local grounds to run only 1-6ga wire.
Unless that messes with the alternator smarts or something.

The voltage drop I'm concerned with is the level at the rear for the fridge. That's why I checked the charts to make sure 6 gauge would be adequate to maintain 12v to the Iceco.

 

[LandLocked93]

The voltage drop I'm concerned with is the level at the rear for the fridge. That's why I checked the charts to make sure 6 gauge would be adequate to maintain 12v to the Iceco.

Lol. Ok, I too missed the part where the second battery was staying up front.
As is the BCDC, as that's where it will need to stay. This arrangement denies the BCDC of doing much of what it can do, especially with regard to eliminating the loss. You'll still have the loss, which will grow exponentially if you decide to add anything else to that circuit running to the rear.
I suggest putting the second batt in the rear to capitalize on the equipment you have.
Engine room dual batts are cheap and easy to maintain. It's the front/rear run where the BCDC takes care of business and is better suited to fully realize its capabilities. (especially for its cost)