wind gen wiring conundrum

[nauticalnomad]

I have a new wind generator and about to wire it up.
I have the wire already in 32amp shore power cable and in 16amp shore power cable.
Can i use this for 12 volt or doni have to buy some 10 AWG wire which is already coming out of generator to join onto?
What is the difference between 12v and 240v wire in this circumstance and wouldnt it be better to install the 32amp wire seeing as its feeding power from windgen to batteries.
Its an airbreeze wind generator.

 

[macd]

I'm surprised the instructions which came with the gennie didn't give you the answer you seek. In the absence of that you need to consult a wiring size guide, such as this: http://www.engineeringtoolbox.com/amps-wire-gauge-d_730.html

P.S. I've just looked up the AirBreeze manual at http://www.energymatters.com.au/images/Southwest Windpower/Air Breeze Manual.pdf
If yours is the same model/manual, p17 indicates that 8AWG wire is required for runs up to 30 feet, 6AWG for 30-60 feet. That's fairly hefty stuff.

 

[VicS]

I have a new wind generator and about to wire it up.
I have the wire already in 32amp shore power cable and in 16amp shore power cable.
Can i use this for 12 volt or doni have to buy some 10 AWG wire which is already coming out of generator to join onto?
What is the difference between 12v and 240v wire in this circumstance and wouldnt it be better to install the 32amp wire seeing as its feeding power from windgen to batteries.
Its an airbreeze wind generator.

ITYWF that the difference between 12 volt cable and mains cable is in the thickness of the insulation. It will be perfectly OK to use mains cable for 12 volts but not to use thin wall automotive cable for mains,

The cable cross sectional area / AWG size you need will depend on the current output of your generator and the length of the cable run. As already suggested the installation instructions should give some guidance on this

 

[nauticalnomad]

Thanks..
The reason i asked was that i am in a remote part of France.. I have met like 4 people that speak English and i have enough spare wire in 16 and 32 amp shore power cable left over..
The french bloke in the closest electrical place doesnt know what AWG is but im guessing/hoping its an interpretation error..
Rather than purchase new stuff i wanted to know if i could/or which one would be better out of the 16amp or 32amp 240 V cable would be ok to use.. To run from my wind gen to the battery.

 

[macd]

The french bloke in the closest electrical place doesnt know what AWG is but im guessing/hoping its an interpretation error..
Rather than purchase new stuff i wanted to know if i could/or which one would be better out of the 16amp or 32amp 240 V cable would be ok to use.. To run from my wind gen to the battery.

No surprise the French bloke doesn't know AWG: it's American wire-sizing. European wire is sized by cross-sectional area of the conductor: 8AWG is a little over 8mm squared; 6AWG is around 13mm squared. As VicS mentioned, insulation rating is also important, particularly if the cable passes through your engine bay. Depending on the return length of cable run, your "32 amp" cable will be closest but probably somewhat undersized. (If you can measure the copper diameter for comparison, 8AWG is 3.25mm.) Apart from fire risk, undersized cables will significanlty reduce the efficiency of your generator at higher wind speeds.

 

[VicS]

Thanks..
The reason i asked was that i am in a remote part of France.. I have met like 4 people that speak English and i have enough spare wire in 16 and 32 amp shore power cable left over..
The french bloke in the closest electrical place doesnt know what AWG is but im guessing/hoping its an interpretation error..
Rather than purchase new stuff i wanted to know if i could/or which one would be better out of the 16amp or 32amp 240 V cable would be ok to use.. To run from my wind gen to the battery.

Tell us the output current from the wind gen and the length of the cable run to the battery and we can tell you the minimum size of cable you should use.

16 amp is 1.5mm²

The 10 AWG you mentioned is only 5.26 mm²

macd mentions 8 and 6 AWG

8 AWG is 8.3mm² and 6 AWG is 13.3 mm²

On the basis of what macd quotes in # 2 your 16 amp cable will be quite adequate up to a 60ft cable run.

Perhaps not surprising that a local French electrician does not know what AWG is. Its an American Standard. Like wise an American electrician is unlikely to know what a mm² is.

 

[William_H]

Short answer is yes use what you have. It would be a very big wind generator to exceed the current rating of the cable.
I doubt very much that thinner cable will reduce the efficiency of charging system. olewill