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Just running wire in my van for the trickle charge function on my multplus. The manual specifications state "charge current starter battery - 1 Amp". But I've read elsewhere that the max draw is 5.5 amps. So which is it? I ran 16 AWG based on the 1Amp, but now fear I need to up it to something bigger if it's really going to draw 5.5 amps. Any insight?
The Datasheet says 1A. That is its designed output.
4.4.1. Second Battery
The Multi has a connection (+) for charging a starter battery. For connection see appendix A.
Trickle charge output is protected by automatic overcurrent & overload protection (trip current 1A Imax= 5,5A)
The manual says 5.5A at imax, it will trip the internal protection there. Your cable needs to be at least big enough to allow that protection to be triggered if there is an issue. Did you fuse the wire?
I had planned on fusing, but will need to up my cable size. Luckily I'm just in rough in phase so not too big a deal. I find it a little odd that Victron doesn't put the 5.5A draw on the data sheet. I found plenty of references online where people had presumed only a 1A draw and ran some pretty tiny wire, just like I was about to do!
Because it is only in a fault condition it will do that. It is 1A nominal. The Datasheet only states what to expect in normal conditions.
It will only be 5.5A for long enough to trip the inverter internal protection. 16AWG will do that for a long enough.
I think the 5.5 amps is the fault current (short circuit). In any case 16 AWG should be fine for 5.5 amps. In fact, NEC lists ampacity for 16 AWG 90 degrees C wire at 18 amps.
But the wire should be fused at the battery end (2A?) to protect it from a massive current in case of a short.
