Basic Installation Procedures
975-0468-01-01 1–9
This guide for use by qualified installers only
AC breakers and fuses must be sized to adequately protect the wiring that
is installed on the input and output AC circuits of the Freedom HW. All
breakers and wiring must be sized and connected in accordance with the
electrical codes or regulations applicable to your installation. Table 1-1
gives some examples of wiring sizes based on the U.S. National Electrical
Code and the Canadian Electrical Code. These examples are based on
using a 2-conductor-plus-ground cable rated at 75 °C, and assuming an
ambient temperature of up to 30 °C. Ensure that your breakers, and fuses
have suitable temperature ratings for your wiring. Other codes and
regulations may also be applicable to your installation.
AC Output
Neutral
Bonding
The neutral conductor of the Freedom HW’s AC output circuit (i.e., AC
Output Neutral) is automatically connected to the safety ground during
inverter operation. When the Freedom HW is using AC shore power, this
connection is not present, so that the utility neutral (i.e., AC Input
Neutral) is only connected to utility ground at your source. This conforms
to National Electrical Code, which requires that separately derived AC
sources (such as inverters and generators) to have their neutral conductors
tied to ground in the same way that the neutral conductor from the utility
is tied to ground in only one place. Check the regulations for your specific
application to ensure that the installation will comply with the necessary
requirements. In other words, the AC Input Neutral and Output Neutral
must be isolated from each other.
DC Cabling This includes all the cables and connectors between the batteries, the DC
disconnect and over-current protection device, and the Freedom HW.
Most mobile installations require multi-strand insulated cables for
flexibility and durability in high vibration environments and require
disconnects and over-current devices. Electrical wiring sizes are indicated
by AWG notation. Under the AWG standard, a larger gauge number
indicates a smaller wire diameter. Wire size is usually marked on the
larger sized cables. Table 1-2 specifies the minimum recommended DC
cable size and maximum fuse size for the Freedom HW. The DC cables
must be copper and must be rated 75 °C minimum. The cables should
be terminated with lugs that fit the DC stud terminals snugly (8 mm or
5/16 in. hole size).
Table 1-1
Required AC Wire Size vs Breaker Rating
Breaker Size
15A 20A 30A
Minimum Wire Size
14AWG 12AWG 10AWG