Installing cable for future CT clamp for Sunsynk inverter

[SenileOldGit]

I am just setting up a pipe to go along the wall about 6 feet into my house, to my electricity meter, through which I am going to be putting meter tails for my electrician to fit to the inverter and grid input. While I'm doing this, I was thinking of putting a length of two core cable through, which I could then attach to a CT clamp in the future, if I ever want to change my inverters to export capable (I would be buying two 5kW Sunsynk Ecco inverters). I presume the CT clamp doesn't require a huge amount of power, so would speaker cable be sufficient? Once this pipe is in place (it also will have some flexible pipe at one end to get around a soil stack that the pipe has to go round the back of) it won't be possible to get any more cables through it, into the house, without removing the pipe AND all the meter tails, due to the hole in the wall of my house only being large enough to take four meter tails, an earth cable, and a 2.5mm twin and earth (for some power sockets in my inverter shed), and very little else.
I presume the CT clamp only uses two cables to connect to the inverter?

 

[SeaGal]

so would speaker cable be sufficient?

Yep, only 2 core wire is needed. But use twisted, shielded Cat5e / Cat6 to avoid external interference, especially if run in parallel with some tails + T&E.

 

[SeaGal]

This posting may be of interest...

Extending the Current Transformer Cable — OpenEnergyMonitor 0.0.1 documentation

 

[SenileOldGit]

Thank you very much for your very quick replies! I suppose I can just not put the cable inside the pipe, as it's only for a CT clamp and it won't matter if it gets wet occasionally (the wall it is in very rarely gets wet because I live in a bungalow and the roof overhangs the wall by about a foot), so I could just run a cable from the top of my inverter shed, along the wall underneath the roof overhang, and then into my house.

 

[SeaGal]

Sure. In some ways that may be better, not being close to power lines.

You can also buy external grade Cat5e that has more robust insulation too - like this...

External SHIELDED CAT5e Outdoor COPPER Ethernet Cable FTP Reel 50m

Our kenable Cat5e FTP outdoor cable is designed with FULL COPPER 24AWG twisted pairs and is Foil Shielded to ensure any interference is kept under control it also has a drain wire so can be earthed! Its inner film enhances the already weatherproof UV Resistant PE sheath and keeps away any...

www.kenable.co.uk

Or if the inverter is further away, consider using an Eastron meter - then the data between inverter and meter is digital RS485, rather than analogue current.

 

[MisterB1959]

i have used external shielded cat 5 but also installed in a separate conduit (for some unknown reason LOL) for my Sunsynk 5kw. Can i ask why youre going with 2 x 5kw and not single larger (Sunsynk) inverter?

i have a 5kw and wished i had gone for an 8kw, but i did get the 5kw at a good price, so not complaining too much, so might end up going down the same path and adding another 5kw sunsynk. Have you had any issues/problems if you have already installed the two inverters?