wpns
Solar Joules are catch and release
Almost looks like they didn’t take the insulation off the pre-stripped wires.
EG4 18Kpv fried PV input
- Thread starter Jsands
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Zwy
Emperor Of Solar
With 10A, the wire ahead of the connection should not have been hot. I thought mine got hot ahead of the charge controller but it was glue from taping the wires together when I pulled the wires.
wpns
Solar Joules are catch and release
That would only apply to the PowerPro supplied wires, never mind.
But: what size are your battery wires?
ksmithaz1
Solar / EV Junkie
Sadly, it's not even economical. I think the idea was to make it faster, but any time you are screwing around with high wattage connections they really should have a screw lug. I didn't even find it faster since I couldn't figure out how the damn thing worked without scouring the web.
Had a slightly heated debate with a German electrician on this and she pointed out screw terminals loosen over time and connections like this have been available in Germany for almost 40 years and haven't needed regular maintenance.
Oh now I feel slightly bad for slagging off the installer but they still did a shoddy job
No idea but it still worries me for op's sake
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timselectric
If I can do it, you can do it.
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Aluminum is bad for loosening at connection points.
But I haven't had any problems with copper conductors. (When installed properly)
My issue with these spring clip terminals isn't the spring, it's the contact area.
The best connection possible, provides full contact between the two connection points.
These terminals provide a one sided flat surface to one side of the conductor. And that connection is further limited by the recommendation of a ferrule. Which doesn't provide a flat surface for good contact with the terminal.
I have installed a lot of connections (over the past 40 years) , in my career.
Many of them are on marine vessels that see a lot of vibration.
This is just one old electricians opinion. Sometimes it isn't worth anything.
Hey hey don't get me wrong I was arguing for decent torqued down screw terminals Vs tiny sprung busbars but all my points were rebutted though sadly I didn't make any mention of crappy mating surfaces.
I still actively search for electrical hardware with screw terminals when purchasing goods for myself but maybe that's more because of the almost $1000s I've spent on wera screwdrivers and also the few melted sockets I've had that use push in connections.
Sometimes the science means nothing and technicians are better off relying on experience.
timselectric
If I can do it, you can do it.
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Don't get me wrong. I do like seeing new things come to market. And If I see a benefit from using them, I'll give them a shot. And sometimes it has backfired on me.
But, I'm a contractor that is responsible for keeping my customers running without failures. Down time, costs thousands of dollars. I have faith in what I know works.
I see why they are used, but those push terminals have caused me so many headaches and way too much downtime.
To be truthful I do use the lever type wago alot on the house but only in very low current applications where I know that the item I'm connecting will likely need to be removed and I can do so live without having downtime on the circuit(mainly small 5v/12v psu's for smart home stuff) anything carrying larger current gets crimps or busbars.
I was trained for EE in the UK where although not against regs wirenuts were frowned upon and the word twisty twisty was used alot but as my knowledge increased I came to realize that physically wrapping conductors was far better than most other options as long as it was done well and any pig tails used were sized appropriately.
Tried and tested seemed to be a slowly dieing philosophy in the UK as time went on and many distributors would push new products and eventually stop stocking reliable parts in favour of easier install more disposable items.
But here comes my point and what we've noted on this thread, new technology is great but sadly many electricians don't seem to want to put the effort into research, Tim and likely most of the electricians on this forum being a good example they obviously put alot of effort and research into their solar installations at home but I wonder what percentage of solar installers theat have jumped on this boom actually have their own solar, I highly doubt it's much percentage wise. I helped fit a few on-grid systems almost 20 years ago and have only recently installed one for myself and the amount of new knowledge I gained from my own installation is shocking compared to fitting them back then.
I was trained for EE in the UK where although not against regs wirenuts were frowned upon and the word twisty twisty was used alot but as my knowledge increased I came to realize that physically wrapping conductors was far better than most other options as long as it was done well and any pig tails used were sized appropriately.
Tried and tested seemed to be a slowly dieing philosophy in the UK as time went on and many distributors would push new products and eventually stop stocking reliable parts in favour of easier install more disposable items.
But here comes my point and what we've noted on this thread, new technology is great but sadly many electricians don't seem to want to put the effort into research, Tim and likely most of the electricians on this forum being a good example they obviously put alot of effort and research into their solar installations at home but I wonder what percentage of solar installers theat have jumped on this boom actually have their own solar, I highly doubt it's much percentage wise. I helped fit a few on-grid systems almost 20 years ago and have only recently installed one for myself and the amount of new knowledge I gained from my own installation is shocking compared to fitting them back then.
In my opinion, this is a major design disadvantage of the EG4/Luxpower vs. the sol-Ark 15k. The Sol-Ark battery cables are connected by ring terminals and bolted. The cable is supported then by the connection of the crimp to the cable. On the EG4/Luxpower, the battery cable wires themselves are clamped down for the connection and are always under the burden of carrying amperage, heating up, shrinking and expanding as well as stretching over time while they carry the weight of the cable, which if a 3/0 or 4/0 can be very heavy. I think not having a bolted terminal, but rather a screw compression is a big mistake over time. Plus, every time you remove them and replace them, using fine wires, they get more frayed. You can purchase a big size wire ferrule, but you cannot really crimp it on, its just to keep the small wires together for insertion. And this makes the wires even more prone to sliding out over time. Just my opinion if this connection vs. gravity. If you have a screw lug terminal, you get a good insulated connection too from wire jacket to crimp lug.
In a free county, people are allowed to electrocute themselves. The real tragedy occurs when they electrocute their family members and or children.
The problem with that reasoning is that German engineering is excellent, but these designs are copies made in China and maybe not up to the quality of German engineering. that's why no Chinese cars are yet equal to Porsche, BMW or MB, just maybe VW/Skoda.
Quattrohead
Solar Wizard
If your battery cables slide out of the 18K PV you need to eat more Wheaties for breakfast. Hex screws are the best.
Quattrohead
Solar Wizard
Yep definitely better quality
Last Audi I had was my dream car, TT-RS. That pos was the worst and final VAG I will ever own.
This kind of stuff is why I "pet" my cables from time to time and the breakers. Wife gets a laugh when I check the stuff (she came up with the term) but you will spot a bad connection doing it. You may not spot it "soon enough" but odds are in your favor vs ignoring it.
I need to get a thermal imaging camera eventually or the phone addon gadget since you can scan it all at once so to speak for hotspots.
I need to get a thermal imaging camera eventually or the phone addon gadget since you can scan it all at once so to speak for hotspots.
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ksmithaz1
Solar / EV Junkie
Nothing is perfect, and there are always multiple points of actual contact. If you turn a screw and crush the wire you get more points of contact, you tug on it, you know you got it. Having a screw doesn't mean the connection can't be tensioned. Modern electrical outlets are a prime example,. Stuff the wire in the hole, turn the screw to make it mechanically secure. Do they still even have the push and go's?
I can't tell if this thing is double wiping or has a cradle, but it doesn't look like it. Spring loading into a cradle with teeth where the spring causes the teeth to bite into the material would be ok. The problem with this atrocity is the actuation of of the spring mech, and it's operation is far from obvious even with careful examination. A connector to stuff a wire in should not need an effing instruction manual.
I also think ferrules are dubious but help keep out fray. I'd rather push the twisted wire up into a cradle and pull it tight with a screw. This maximizes touch points.
wpns
Solar Joules are catch and release
Torque wrench was cheap. I’ll probably check yearly, but hopefully won’t get any actual tightening
Also smart to wiggle the wire, retorque. Wiggle wire again, retorque. You'll be surprised how much effort it takes to get those things seated and torqued properly.
Brucey
Solar Wizard
Prob not a bad idea to recheck for tightness after commissioning and taking it up to max power, to get a heat cycle in
wpns
Solar Joules are catch and release
I put a sticker on my SMA inverter after it burned up a wire reminding me to tighten the screws yearly. Should probably do the same for my 18Kpvs…
timselectric
If I can do it, you can do it.
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I just go over the entire system with a thermal imaging camera every month or so. It's fast and easy piece of mind.
My hired electrician taught me to tighten the wire connections that are copper. Wait about 1 minute because he says the copper "relaxes" and then tighten to spec. So for the heck of it, that's what I do. Tighten, wait, tighten a second time.
How about a handheld laser thermometer to check all the connections?
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