Does My Inverter/Charger Have to Be Installed Close to the Battery?

Question:

I recently purchased a Krieger 3000watt inverter for my boat and am looking to install it. I have been watching your videos on YouTube but I have so many questions. One rather important question I have is can I install the inverter further away from the battery? I have children and I dont want it in a place they may touch it and, after viewing your videos online I can see I have little options if I cannot place it in the engine bay or in the rear cuddy (where my kids dwell alot). I would like to put it nearer to the front of the boat just in front of the bathroom then run wires through the bathroom, high up then directly through the dash and then down into the engine bay where the batteries are. What are my options? The more I watch the videos the more questions I have.  - Mike

Answer:

When installing an inverter/charger, you’ll want to minimize the distance between battery and inverter/charger. The shorter the cable run the better, as it lowers the voltage drop. Having the inverter/charger installed further away from the batteries, will require installing larger DC cabling of offset the voltage drop. Make sure you follow the inverter/charger wiring size recommendations from the manufacturer.