AlaskanNoob
Solar Enthusiast
- Joined
- Feb 20, 2021
- Messages
- 913
If you use this: https://www.solar-electric.com/imo-si32-pel64r-4-true-dc-solar-isolator.html you'd get your isolator and way to transition to a fine strand cable. You also then get ability to disconnect PV array power near the MPPT RS so it would be safe to work on if need be. Run whatever cable you want from the PV array to that isolator and then use fine strand cable from the isolator to the MPPT RS. I'm not clear what kind of connection is in that IMO isolator so you made need to use a ferrule on the fine strand cables to connect them.
This is an elegant and very good solution.
Unfortunately we just realized our solar panels have MC4 connectors made by Staubli that apparently say to not use bare copper PV wire, but rather to use tinned copper. So it looks like we're gonna have to replace three thousand feet of PV wire anyway.
Because we just assumed that PV wire, with an MC4 connector, rated for the voltage and amps, was good to go.
This entire solar adventure has been like this. I'm just waiting for some manual (that we had to dig up and convert from Chinese text to English) to say "do NOT use sun for photovoltaics except during a lunar eclipse" or something similar next. Can't count on anything just being obvious.
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