What AWG to panel

[spes]

Hello,
I'm going to be adding a breaker panel to my boat.
A friend gave me a Seadog panel

The battery will be about 5-6' from the panel.
I planned on running 6AWG from the battery to a 30 amp Sea Dog Resettable Circuit Breaker

The Seadog panel accepts Female disconnects.
So what do I run from the circuit breaker to the panel? 12 AWG to the circuit breaker and 12AWG to my - bus? ( 6 AWG from the - bus back to battery)

I was dissapointed when I saw the disconnects on the back of the panel,,,
but freebies are freebies....

 

[Bob Landry]

For a wire run of 12'(includes + & -), #8 will handle 30-45A at a 3% voltage drop. I would use that to go from the battery to the C/B and also from the C/B to the panel. If you already have heavier wire, there's no problem using it, I just wouldn't go more than 30A for the C/B and you'll be fine. You would also probably be fine with a 20A C/B since all you are going to run are lights, fish finder and maybe a radio. As per ABYC requirements, the circuit breaker needs to be within 7" of the battery.

If you decide to run a trolling motor, don't run it through the switch panel, they aren't made to withstand that kind of current. You'll connect directly to the battery with the appropriate size wire and circuit breaker.

Wiring and circuit breakers where bigger is not always better. use what you need to protect the wire and stop there. Fuses and breakers are meant to protect wire, not devices.

 

[spes]

I have seperate batteries for the tm.. I will be putting a 50amp seadog on that.

I think you missed what my ultimate question was....
I understand what I need from the battery to the cb...
from the circuit breaker to the panel... the connection is a quick disconnect on the panel....

So I am going to be limited on what size wire I can run here right?
I believe a 12AWG or 10 awg is about as beefy a wire I can fit into a quick disconnect that will fit a .250 male post.

 

[Bob Landry]

For that length od wire run, #10 wire will work with the yellow push on connectors and will still handle 30A to the panel.