AC Main Panel

Designing the Installation

Designing the Installation

All installations of the Prosine inverter/charger system share many common components, described briefly in this section. AC & DC cabling, circuit breakers, fuses, and distribution panels are more fully described in following sections. The figure below diagrams a typical residential installation showing these components and their relationship to each other in a typical installation.

AC Shorepower A source of 120-volt, 60-Hz alternating current is necessary to provide a source of energy for charging batteries, and to pass-through to AC loads. This source could be the utility grid or power company, or a gasoline-, diesel-, or natural gas-powered AC generator. Multiple sources of shorepower may also be available.

AC Disconnect and Overload Device Every system requires a method of disconnecting the AC power source, and an overload protection device (circuit breaker or fuse). These two components are often integrated into an AC circuit breaker, which provides a disconnect and protects against overload at the same time. These devices are usually installed within a protective box. Some provide a method of selecting between multiple AC sources as well as circuit protection and disconnect. You can use up to a 30-amp circuit breaker in the AC supply line feeding the inverter/charger. The current rating of the breaker or fuse must be matched to the wire size(s) involved, in accordance with the applicable installation codes.

AC Distribution Center The AC distribution center is often called a ‘main panel,’ or a ‘sub panel.’ A main panel includes a main circuit breaker, which serves as a disconnect for the AC power supply line. Additional circuit breakers serve individual circuits, one of which may serve the inverter/charger. Some systems route all AC service through the inverter/charger, in which the main AC distribution panel is fed by the inverter/charger AC output. In all systems, both the inverter/charger and the AC loads on the inverter/charger must be protected with circuit breakers.

AC Cabling AC cabling includes all of the wires and connectors between the AC source and the inverter/charger; and between the inverter/charger and the AC distribution panels, circuit breakers, and loads. The type and size of the wiring varies with the installation and the load. For marine and some RV applications, flexible multiple-strand wire known as ‘boat cable’ is required. For residential installations, solid ‘ROMEX’ cable is often used. Your installation code may specify the number of strands, the overall size of the conductors, and the type and temperature rating of the insulation around the wire.

DC Fuse or

Circuit Breaker

Prosi ne SinewaveI nverter / Charger 2. 5

AC Sub-panel

120Vac from

Utility Grid

DC Cabling DC cabling includes all of the wires and connectors between the batteries, the DC disconnect and over-current protection device, and the inverter/charger. All

installations require multi-strand insulated

cables as well as disconnect and over-current devices. DC cables come in a large assortment of sizes, indicated by the AWG notation or the kcmil (MCM) notation. AWG refers to the American Wire Gauge standard, while kcmil refers to thousands of circular mils. Under the AWG standard, a larger

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Prosine Installation & Operation Guide