slipperysam
New Member
- Joined
- Feb 2, 2021
- Messages
- 22
I just need to verify some fundamentals here. I've currently got a 2s3p array of 400w panels, each 48.9 voc and 10.39 isc. The distance between the combiner box and the SCC is about 6'. I'm using 10awg for that run. With my 24V battery bank charging begins at about 35V which happens quite early in the morning around 7:30am. Most of the day (here in sunny Florida at least) I'm above 80V. The voltage drop IMO is negligible.
I realized I can fit another two panels after I completed my build. I went ahead and bought and mounted them and plan to wire them to the combiner box this week. However this will mean that my total possible current after the combiner box is 40a (if we forego the technicality that my 100a charge controller will now be over paneled and hence likely won't see that full theoretical amperage). The voltage drop is still negligible, at 0.57V. It might mean I start charging a few seconds later in the day or something.
But what about safety? I buy my wire from Greg's Marine and it says max continuous amperage of 60a. Does this mean that as long as the voltage drop is acceptable, I can run 60a at "safe" temperatures, but those might be a bit more than room temp?
In a similar vein, I'm using 10awg from my lynx distributor to my 24v fuse block. It's fused at 60a, and it's a distance of about 1'. Again at that distance the voltage drop calculator is fine, but I want to make sure that seems reasonable. I see most setups using larger gauge wires for such things, but maybe that's because their components are farther apart.
I realized I can fit another two panels after I completed my build. I went ahead and bought and mounted them and plan to wire them to the combiner box this week. However this will mean that my total possible current after the combiner box is 40a (if we forego the technicality that my 100a charge controller will now be over paneled and hence likely won't see that full theoretical amperage). The voltage drop is still negligible, at 0.57V. It might mean I start charging a few seconds later in the day or something.
But what about safety? I buy my wire from Greg's Marine and it says max continuous amperage of 60a. Does this mean that as long as the voltage drop is acceptable, I can run 60a at "safe" temperatures, but those might be a bit more than room temp?
In a similar vein, I'm using 10awg from my lynx distributor to my 24v fuse block. It's fused at 60a, and it's a distance of about 1'. Again at that distance the voltage drop calculator is fine, but I want to make sure that seems reasonable. I see most setups using larger gauge wires for such things, but maybe that's because their components are farther apart.