charger cable size

[Chenige]

I will be charging 3S 25C 5000mAh battery.

What size wire gauge is recommended? Batteries have 10 AWG but can I get away with lower on the charger?

[JimClark]

remember you are only charging at around 6 to 10 amps

[1truckerdan]

Yes you can use 12-16ga wire for charging.
Those batteries can discharge at 25c ( 5000 mah at 25c = 125 amps discharge rate) hence the 10 ga wire.
Typically you can safely charge at 1c ( charge rate is marked on the battery ).....5000mah at 1c = 5amp charge rate, so alot less amp flow=smaller gauge wire needed for charging.
Hope this helps
Daniel

[FloatDaBoat]

Chenige,

Use the attached table as a guide to ensure the charger wires don't get too hot . . . .

[JimClark]

But he is not talking about Chassis wiring he is talking the charge leads to the charger nowhere near the amps for what he is asking

Chenige,

Use the attached table as a guide to ensure the charger wires don't get too hot . . . .

[FloatDaBoat]

The chassis wiring table applies to any short length of wire (as used inside a chassis, not to supply a chassis with input voltage). The table doesn't apply to longer wiring, such as an extension cord, which must be operated with lower currents to avoid over heating due to increasing resistance as length increases. A transmission wiring current table would apply in such an instance.

[JimClark]

My point is that is not what he is asking about. He wants to know the wire size to attach his batteries to his charger mo more than 10 amps will go through them

[Chenige]

True, but his chart shows that I could get away with 20 gauge wire.

However I will use the short 14 gauge wire I cut off some dead NiCds.

thanks

[FloatDaBoat]

This should clarify to an iota what I've been trying to convey. Absolutely NO GUESSWORK !!!

Attached is a pic of a Wire Parameter Calculator, & the link to access it.

http://circuitcalculator.com/wordpress/2007/09/20/wire-parameter-calculator/