MC4 connectors a massive scandal

[Boron]

Well Guys, @JRH has summed it up - Anderson is King followed by Bolted Ring terms (not pretty but it works and its cheap). You must be sure to have a proper crimping tool for the job and the right lugs rings and butts, a proper cable cutter and a solar cable stripping tool (how did you manage without one of these.)
I would have several of these adjusted for different size cable/ODs cheap as chips

 

[ThaiTaffy]

Personally I wouldn't even bother with staubli mc4 connectors especially here as it's such a well known brand it gets faked alot. Molex makes a mc4 which is obviously high quality and unlikely to be faked as it's not a name necessarily associated with solar. Anderson's are good but not really designed for the arcing the same way as mc4's are not that it matters on my little systems.

 

[Suijkerbuijk]

Well Guys, @JRH has summed it up - Anderson is King followed by Bolted Ring terms (not pretty but it works and its cheap). You must be sure to have a proper crimping tool for the job and the right lugs rings and butts, a proper cable cutter and a solar cable stripping tool (how did you manage without one of these.)
I would have several of these adjusted for different size cable/ODs cheap as chips

I use this to do pv cable
My pv cable are hard you drive over with a car and it will not damage .
So really the only thing that can cut the outside of the cable .

The picture go from 3mm to 22mm
My model go from 3 mm to 16mm
Its a small model and it cut easy the 4mm2 pv cable.

 

[ThaiTaffy]

I use this to do pv cable
My pv cable are hard you drive over with a car and it will not damage .
So really the only thing that can cut the outside of the cable .

The picture go from 3mm to 22mm
My model go from 3 mm to 16mm
Its a small model and it cut easy the 4mm2 pv cable.

Depending on how sharp the wheel is I wouldn't think using this is very good idea it's likely to lower the CSA of any conductor a sharp utility knife and a carful hand or as posted above by boron a coax stripper would be a much safer bet. pipe cutters despite the name don't really cut they just apply pressure and form copper to lower the wall thickness.

 

[Suijkerbuijk]

Depending on how sharp the wheel is I wouldn't think using this is very good idea it's likely to lower the CSA of any conductor a sharp utility knife and a carful hand or as posted above by boron a coax stripper would be a much safer bet. pipe cutters despite the name don't really cut they just apply pressure and form copper to lower the wall thickness.

Its all how you handel it .
I you go slow nothing gone happens with the wire in side.
And special a pv wire that is make that you run over with it .
That out side is really hard even Stanley knife can almost not cut it.

I set it on and turn it around .
That small adjust and turn again .
And so on and so on.
And than its cut it no damage on the cable wire it self.




Its all how a user , use his stuff.

 

[Boron]

@Suijkerbuijk what are you smoking? PV TUV 6mm2 cable has a Si rubber sheath. The adjustable coax cutter slices accurately like a hot knife thru butter. When set up , its idiot proof, use it all day and its right every time.

 

[ThaiTaffy]

It's just XLPE no way a fresh utility blade can't cut through it. But that's beside the point this is a DIY forum best not tell people to use something that could damage a cable, even if your careful other might not be.

 

[ThaiTaffy]

@Suijkerbuijk what are you smoking? PV TUV 6mm2 cable has a Si rubber sheath. The adjustable coax cutter slices accurately like a hot knife thru butter. When set up , its idiot proof, use it all day and its right every time.

I think the direct burial stuff is normally PE or PVC outer sheath but a coax cutter or network cable cutter should as you say go through it like butter and is a far more foolproof way of stripping the cable as long as you set the right depth.

 

[Suijkerbuijk]

It's just XLPE no way a fresh utility blade can't cut through it. But that's beside the point this is a DIY forum best not tell people to use something that could damage a cable, even if your careful other might not be.

I only tell what i use.
And i have no problem with it.
Nice cut .
Its a diy forum and people tell the experience what you have.
Notting wrong with that.

See more not that great stuff here wat people use.
And advice people to use it.
I never advice to do it , i only tell what i use.

Let me explain one thing
I have in my left hand
nerve damage so i have bad control over it.
Normal i do not tell this online on a forum.

Picture of my cut

 

[Boron]

It's just XLPE no way a fresh utility blade can't cut through it. But that's beside the point this is a DIY forum best not tell people to use something that could damage a cable, even if your careful other might not be.

Kop jai lai

 

[ksmithaz1]

Its all how you handel it .

FYI: Handel wrote "The Messiah". Handles are on pots and pans. . . Something an English teacher pounded into my head 40+ years ago, thus the language barrier here is driving me nuts. In the grand scheme of life not so important.

 

[kolek]

Anderson is King

I really don't see the point of Anderson connectors to replace MC4. They're expensive, plastic (which might not last 25 years), they put the positive and negative wires right next to each other. Not as good a connection or as secure as a ring terminal IMHO. Maybe I'm dumb but personally I don't like 'em as an MC4 replacement.

 

[Crowz]

Yeah bury an anderson connector and get back to me on how well that worked. MC4's are ideal for solar. There is no way I would consider using anderson connectors or anything else that exposed to the elements for my panels.

 

[Suijkerbuijk]

I think the best thing to do is.
desoldering the cable from the solar panel .
Set your wire what you need and solder new one on the solar panel.
This way you never have a mc4 connection in your string
If a solar panel have to replace just desoldering the wire and replace the panel .

 

[kolek]

I think the best thing to do is.
desoldering the cable from the solar panel .
Set your wire what you need and solder new one on the solar panel.
This way you never have a mc4 connection in your string
If a solar panel have to replace just desoldering the wire and replace the panel .

Well if you're going to go that far, I would think a better solution would be to just directly crimp your panel wires to the wire that runs back to your inverter. Lose the ability to easily disconnect tho which you keep if you use ring terminals.

 

[ThaiTaffy]

Best thing I can think of is don't buy cheap mc4 connectors..... If you remove the mc4 from a panel that's surely going to give a manufacturer and excuse to void your warranty, maybe not for western manufacturers but it would certainly be the case for any Asian ones.
It might be different for alot of members here but buying second hand panels here in Thailand is stupid you pay almost double per watt for a second hand panels as a new one(don't ask me why maybe in their minds they think second hand has had proved testing and that's worth something) this is the case for almost all second hand electronics only exception being batteries.

 

[Suijkerbuijk]

Best thing I can think of is don't buy cheap mc4 connectors..... If you remove the mc4 from a panel that's surely going to give a manufacturer and excuse to void your warranty, maybe not for western manufacturers but it would certainly be the case for any Asian ones.
It might be different for alot of members here but buying second hand panels here in Thailand is stupid you pay almost double per watt for a second hand panels as a new one(don't ask me why maybe in their minds they think second hand has had proved testing and that's worth something) this is the case for almost all second hand electronics only exception being batteries.

In the Netherlands
That panel is so cheap .
That the cost to sent it back , cost more than order a new one .
Yes its stupid .
you pay for the size and weight.

 

[robbob2112]

I really don't see the point of Anderson connectors to replace MC4. They're expensive, plastic (which might not last 25 years), they put the positive and negative wires right next to each other. Not as good a connection or as secure as a ring terminal IMHO. Maybe I'm dumb but personally I don't like 'em as an MC4 replacement.

Anderson connectors have their place - but not in a solar PV line or in weather for the most part. They are good for things you occasionally disconnect indoors. Like I have an anderson hooked up to my CPAP battery. And I have an Anderson on the Victron Phoenix so I can use the CPAP battery to keep the fridge running for up to 14 hours if power is out. But I leave the phoenix down in my office 99% of the time.

 

[robbob2112]

I think the best thing to do is.
desoldering the cable from the solar panel .
Set your wire what you need and solder new one on the solar panel.
This way you never have a mc4 connection in your string
If a solar panel have to replace just desoldering the wire and replace the panel .

Either that is a joke or overkill to an extreme

 

[robbob2112]

Best thing I can think of is don't buy cheap mc4 connectors..... If you remove the mc4 from a panel that's surely going to give a manufacturer and excuse to void your warranty, maybe not for western manufacturers but it would certainly be the case for any Asian ones.
It might be different for alot of members here but buying second hand panels here in Thailand is stupid you pay almost double per watt for a second hand panels as a new one(don't ask me why maybe in their minds they think second hand has had proved testing and that's worth something) this is the case for almost all second hand electronics only exception being batteries.

unless the panel is very new - like under a year - are you going to try and warranty past the first month? It either works or it doesn't right off and after that how does the warranty work? Do you have to ship it back? Dispose locally and ship back the label attached to broken bits of glass?

 

[Suijkerbuijk]

Either that is a joke or overkill to an extreme

I think for a country like a dessert .
I think that will be the best solution.
For normal no its not but you always have that will have a perfect systeem

 

[ThaiTaffy]

unless the panel is very new - like under a year - are you going to try and warranty past the first month? It either works or it doesn't right off and after that how does the warranty work? Do you have to ship it back? Dispose locally and ship back the label attached to broken bits of glass?

Not totally sure I'm looking at rebranded PV cells currently being sold by a massive company in Thailand that have a rather long warranty but I don't see how a panel that breaks 5 years down the line can even be replaced.

 

[Suijkerbuijk]

Not totally sure I'm looking at rebranded PV cells currently being sold by a massive company in Thailand that have a rather long warranty but I don't see how a panel that breaks 5 years down the line can even be replaced.

I always look what somting cost on a day base.

example. solar panel costs 100 euros. 100:12=8.3 euros : 30days =0.28 cents a day. and then see how long the panel has worked. Amazon warranty 30 days if it survives then it will continue to work. There is no guarantee against broken glass due to hail or stones. There is no guarantee of a hotspot through a window or water droplets through the sun. The only guarantee you have is that it will last for so many years with a certain output power.

So no i do not care about the warranty.
For the rest if a panel break thanks to sun , water , frozen , burn
The insurance will pay for the panel.
I have a all no risk polis insurance .
I have to its a boat means it have to have this insurance.
If a boat sink in my country that boat have to pull out of water wy the law.
House in my country its a option to have a insurance like that.
But its so cheap that you can have insurance for just 360 euro for a year .
So even a tv falls down you can claim it.
But the insurance do look how old it is and how long its use.
But if its old normal you always have 25% of the new price.

 

[JRH]

Anderson connectors have their place - but not in a solar PV line or in weather for the most part. They are good for things you occasionally disconnect indoors. Like I have an anderson hooked up to my CPAP battery. And I have an Anderson on the Victron Phoenix so I can use the CPAP battery to keep the fridge running for up to 14 hours if power is out. But I leave the phoenix down in my office 99% of the time.

I agree ….I don’t know anyone who thinks Anderson connectors SHOULD be a replacement for mc4 connectors … that would be pointless , expensive and would not work well at all…

There are plenty of ways to substitute things for mc4 but not Andersons… they have plenty of great uses…especially for the PV run to the CC for several good reasons …

But I can see no value in slapping then on the all the panels ..that would cost a ton of money..

 

[Boron]

For reference it is indeed XLPE (I mixed up with some flexible 6mm2 Si cable I have)