1 AWG vs 2AWG ...Is bigger always better?

truviking

I understand that bigger is better when it comes to amperage, but I was wondering if 1 awg cables were an overkill? I have a surplus spool of both 1 and 2 awg welding wire in my garage that almost got thrown away several times.Using such a heavy cable will I lose any performance? What if any pros and cons are there for this?

Thanks
Truviking

BGW

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BobBoyce

Bigger truly is better, as long as you can buy or make lugs to fit.

mgray70

Bigger is better, but I think anything over 2awg is overkill. I wouldn't pay the extra for it, but if you already have it, go for it!

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yamahaguy97

agree, it's pretty large lol and not necessary if that's what you want to know. I would keep the 1ga but make your cables with the 2ga

truviking

Thanks guys....I think I will go with the 2 ga and like Yamahaguy said...keep the 1 ga for something else.

JohnnieB

Overkill is underrated.

However, unless you have a 500A controller AND the cart is being worked hard, 2Ga ought to suffice. Carts with controllers larger than 500A may need something thicker than 2Ga to maximize low end performance.

Also, drive type is a factor in selecting cable size. The total length of all the high current cables in a series drive cart is almost twice the length of the total high current cable length in Sepex drives (PDS and DCS), so to keep the energy loss the same, you need half the resistance.