What size wire?

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chaostactics

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The wire in this wiring diagram is labeled as 6/3 and 10/3 but it's two conductors and a ground right?
L PE N?
So wouldn't I want 6/2 and 10/2? I.e. 2 conductors and a ground vs 6/3 and 10/3 i.e. 3 conductors and a ground.Screenshot_20230127_190645_Drive.jpg
 
A Traveler is correct. The green wires are safety grounds. When external 120 VAC is applied, the input safety ground is connected to the output safety ground. When external 120 VAC is not connected, a relay closes to connect the safety grounds to the neutral and the chassis ground.
 
So basically to follow NEC is why the diagram calls for 10/3 and 6/3. The bare copper ground isn't utilized in the wiring at all and would just be capped off?

Screenshot_20230127_210354_Drive.jpg
 
The ground (green wire) is utilized. What are you referring to when you say the bare copper ground? If you are using romex, then the green wire will be bare, but it is still utilized for safety and bonding. In the application shown, the green wire is clad because of the way the cable is made but it serves the same purpose as it does in romex.
 
10-2 W/ground is the normal way it is stated; well it was when I was up on things. That meant it was 2 10Ga. wires with a smaller ground wire.
 
I have always taken the second number was how many insulated conductors there are. 12/2 Romex has 2 cond. that are insulated, w/bare ground. Cab tire extension cable 12/3 had three insulated cond., blk/wht/grn.

EDIT: To adress the OPs question, I would think the diagram is indicating to use a stranded conductor cable and those typically have the ground insulated. Stranded conductors handle vibrations of a moving vehicle much better.
 
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the black sheathed is the 6/2 I ended up with the orange sheathed is the 10/2. The inverter/charger will be chassis grounded via 2/0 cable through the Lynx bus

If I'm using 6/2 & 10/2 black to black, white to white, and paper insulated copper (aka bare copper) to green?
Or did I actually need 6/3 & 10/3?
Black, Green, and White to the respective and "bare copper? to...? The groundtempFileForShare_20230128-112036.jpgtempFileForShare_20230128-112048.jpg on the inverter maybe? Although its not shown in the diagram that way.
 
What you have will work as you described using the solid wire in place of the insulated green wire. As others have said, the diagram showing the green ground wire indicates they intended that stranded wire be used since it holds up better to vibrations than solid wire.
 
10/3 and 6/3 is two conductors and a ground. Three wires.
No, there are 3 conductors but 4 total wires (the AC ground is the 4th). The neutral in Alternating Current wiring is an active "conductor" and the "ground" is a safety device. That's an unfortunate terminology difference from Direct Current wiring, where the "ground " is a conductor (the negaive terminal wire path). So in wire nomenclature, 10/3 describes a cable with 3 conductors, at least 2 of which are 10 gauge wire (the neutral is sometimes a lesser gauge). Most such cables also have a 4th wire and will state "with ground", but it's still 10/3 wire whether it includes the ground or not. Confusing to an amateur, eh?
 
No, there are 3 conductors but 4 total wires (the AC ground is the 4th). The neutral in Alternating Current wiring is an active "conductor" and the "ground" is a safety device. That's an unfortunate terminology difference from Direct Current wiring, where the "ground " is a conductor (the negaive terminal wire path). So in wire nomenclature, 10/3 describes a cable with 3 conductors, at least 2 of which are 10 gauge wire (the neutral is sometimes a lesser gauge). Most such cables also have a 4th wire and will state "with ground", but it's still 10/3 wire whether it includes the ground or not. Confusing to an amateur, eh?
So the question is, can I use the wire I have or do I need to go buy 6/3 and 10/3? Or run the x/2 wires and put "bare copper" where green is shown in the diagram.
 
Cord (flexible, many strands per conductor) has all insulated conductors and would be referred to as 10/3 or 6/3. If a Cable (much stiffer, either a few strands per conductor or solid conductor) with a non-insulated ground, then it is 10/2 w/grd or 6/2 w/grd. Functionally they are the same, it depends on whether the ground is insulated or not. In a RV, I won't use solid wire cable such as 10/2 w/grd NM, commonly called "Romex®" (which is a registered trademark of the Southwire Corp., its like calling generic paper napkins "Kleenex".) In any case, where possible, I much prefer to use individual conductors (THHN) in a flex conduit. The 6 gauge wire will always be stranded (coarse with only a few strands or in a cord, fine strands).

Attachment shows 10 AWG wire, THHN which is stranded, as pulled thru conduits, run in blue "smurf" conduit.

I realize cost, availability, and other factors may dictate the use of something that is not the best solution, but is a perfectly functional solution.

Charles
 

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So the question is, can I use the wire I have or do I need to go buy 6/3 and 10/3? Or run the x/2 wires and put "bare copper" where green is shown in the diagram.
You don't have to combine all the necessary wires in one cable (wrapped in one external covering), nor do you have to use bare vs insulated wire for grounds. Green insulated wire is fine, and so is bare copper. Yes, you can connect bare copper ground to a green-insulated ground. Since you have the 10/2 and 6/2 cable, both of which have a ground wire in the bundle, you can use them.

The ground is not what determines whether you need 2 conductors or 3, i.e. 10/2 vs 10/3. It's the number of conductors required in the circuit and a ground wire is not a conductor.
 
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