Last minute wiring advice?

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Durango1

Senior Member
Joined
Mar 29, 2012
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532
Hey folks,

So Sioux and I are driving up Monday to Jackson, WY to have Denny mount our new Hawk on our new aluminum flat bed. (I sure wish I didn't struggle so much on adding photos to this site.)

Any way, I am super "electrically challenged" and all this talk about amps, wiring size and voltage drop just makes my head spin.:) Yet I also want (as much as possible) to have this install be done right.

I know the wiring kit from FWC comes with 10 gauge wire from the battery to the camper. Denny says I can bring a heavier gauge and we'll just need to whittle it down to fit their standard connector. So my questions:

1) Is it worthwhile to go with a heavier gauge? If so, what size? 6 or 8 gauge? Bigger? Denny says I only need 14 feet.

2) What type of wire? Stranded? Duplex?

3) Given that we'll be "throttling the wire down" by inserting it into a smaller connector will we lose the value of the heavier gauge?

Thanks in advance and I'll (painfully) try to post photos.

Steve
 
Go with the standard install. Everyone has their opinion and the others that don't "know" as much wring their hands and worry. Don't fix a problem that may or may not exist.

The output of your alternator is more important than going to a bigger wire.
 
I have to disagree. Doesn't matter what the alternator's output is if the wire used is too resistive for the charging current. The problem with highly resistive wire is that it causes too much drop in the voltage at the camper battery. If that charging voltage is too low then the charge rate of the camper battery will be low to non-existent. It is possible to adjust the alternator's output voltage to get the charge voltage at the camper battery high enough to do the work. Doing so on a single alternator vehicle like most of ours will cause more problems than it fixes.
FWIW most electrician's would shudder at the thought of trimming a wire's strand count down to fit in a sub-sized connector.
You definitely want stranded wire in a mobile application, the finer the stranding the better - just don't obsess over strand count.

That said, I would also suggest starting with the FWC kit. If that proves to not be enough charging for your use of the camper (driving time vs. in the camper time) I would suggest going with a properly sized solar system. I did use 6 ga. wire on our install and I'd do it again because of other needs, but our single 100W solar panel is more than keeping up with our demands on the batteries.
 
Let see you can go up to 6 or 8 gauge if you just bring 14 feet of wire to the dealer? Seems like a no brainer to me.

Also pick up some gauge reducers and do not trim the wire.
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You can't go wrong installing heavier ga wire, especially since they are not up charging to install it. There is not reason to trim down the wire, get the correct connector when you pick up the wire. Putting a sub size connect on is like running a 2" water pipe for increased flow, but you use a 3/4" pipe for the last foot. Always use stranded wire in a high vibration environment.
 
The standard 10 gauge wire does the job... but slowly. The advantage to the larger wire is that it will allow your alternator to charge your camper battery more quickly. If your camping trips all include a two hour drive every day then you will be fine with the stock setup.

But if there is going to be a time when you want to charge your battery quickly, such as staying two nights in the same place and only taking a short drive to the trailhead, then go with the bigger wire. If you are installing lots of solar capacity then the larger wire isn't so important since your solar panels will charge the battery whether you are driving or not (if there is sun.)

Trimming the wire down to fit a smaller connector is not ideal but it only slightly negates the extra capacity of the larger wire. You might ask 4WC if they will install one of the 8 gauge trolling motor connectors for you instead of their standard 10 gauge connector.

Regarding your question of wire size you will get to a point of diminishing returns once you get bigger than about 6 gauge. In your shoes I would go with 6 gauge. On my own camper I went with 4 gauge for a 19 foot run.
 
You would never regret going with 6 or 8 ga from the start, as there is no disadvantage (other than initial cost). You very well may regret 10 ga wire. I have 10 ga, and may replace it this winter with 6 or 8 ga for those times, like Basic Deranged outlined, when you need to get a quick recharge.
 
I agree, might as well do it to start. On mine since it already had the factory 10ga wire, and my truck has dual batteries, I added another set of 10 ga (10 because thats what I had laying around) from the second battery back to the camper. One day I'm going to think the power is off and have an interesting experience :)
 
Thanks, everyone. I'm going to try and pick up some 6 gauge stranded wire along the way. No one has the wire reducers in stock. But I can leave the wire a bit long and add them later.

I really appreciate the help. We're leaving in a few hours for Jackson and will stay in Green River UT or Provo (if we are "energetic") tonight.

Steve
 
Durango1 said:
Thanks, everyone. I'm going to try and pick up some 6 gauge stranded wire along the way. No one has the wire reducers in stock. But I can leave the wire a bit long and add them later.

I really appreciate the help. We're leaving in a few hours for Jackson and will stay in Green River UT or Provo (if we are "energetic") tonight.

Steve
Click to expand...
You could leave a few inches long and add later. If you can not find them I would do the following. Push a couple of inches of 10 gauge into the 6 gauge, solder all together and cover with heat shrink tube. Done neatly this might look better than a reducer.

Edit: to clarify cut two inches of 10 gauge and push about 1/2 inch into the 6 gauge. Solder this 1/2 inch area. and cover this area with heat shrink tubing.
 
Hey guys,

So Sioux and I dragged our tired butts into Denny's FWC shop here in Jackson yesterday afternoon at 4:30 and he put me to work right away. Since the Hawk is going to be mounted "permanently" on the flat bed we decided to hard wire the 6 gauge right to the camper wire. This will avoid all the connector drama! And yes, Bill, we're going to solder and heat shrink it.

We're thinking about running about both wires of the duplex 10 gauge that comes with the camper back for the ground. Or is this overkill? Thoughts? (I'm meeting him at 7:00 AM to get started. The man is a slave driver!)

Steve
 
Someday you'll want to do some maintenance and I just hope you remember its hard wired. I've made that mistake myself :(
 
I'd use the same gauge for both power and ground. It is likely that one of the 10 ga. wires is red. Using it as a ground wire will be confusing in the future.

Leave a little slack in the wires in some area where a connector can be added later. You will eventually want or need one. I used an Anderson Power Pole for our connector. Can get those in a range of ampacities with contacts for various wire gauges within each size.
 
ntsqd said:
I'd use the same gauge for both power and ground. It is likely that one of the 10 ga. wires is red. Using it as a ground wire will be confusing in the future.

Leave a little slack in the wires in some area where a connector can be added later. You will eventually want or need one. I used an Anderson Power Pole for our connector. Can get those in a range of ampacities with contacts for various wire gauges within each size.
Click to expand...
Great advice, I have the Anderson connector for +/- 12 volt and a round plug for back up lights (have a relay that turns on rear lights) and clearance lights
 
Hey Steve,
Congrats on the new rig - it a great looking combo with your truck. So much room in the flatbed Hawk, thanks for the tour. Did you and Denny wrap it up on Tuesday? I assume your still out camping - we look forward to hearing about your shake down trip. Molly and I hope to meet up with you again.
Cheers!
 
Captm said:
Hey Steve,
Congrats on the new rig - it a great looking combo with your truck. So much room in the flatbed Hawk, thanks for the tour. Did you and Denny wrap it up on Tuesday? I assume your still out camping - we look forward to hearing about your shake down trip. Molly and I hope to meet up with you again.
Cheers!
Click to expand...
Yep. we got 'er done Tuesday. Just got back to Durango last night. Everything performed great including your trolling plug! Sorry I couldn't spend more time with you folks but as you saw Denny and I were working like slaves!

Steve

PS Will post photos IF I ever figger out how to do it!
 
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