Anyone here who's purchased the 50mm2 Futronics connectors from Seplos for their MASON 280 case (@Sanwizard maybe?) to make their own cables, did you just crimp them on to 1AWG wire? Just want to double check before I buy a bunch of wire
I was actually looking for some of this exact information over the past couple days. I am hoping someone would have a link to a quality/reliable source for these exact connectors. I bought two boxes without cables because I happen to have quite a bit of good quality 1/0 laying around as it were. I've been having trouble sourcing them from a quality/reputable source. I'd prefer to buy 'name brand' so to speak in this case rather than unlabeled aliexpress stuff.
The best most reliable source I can suggest is Seplos themselves. In the other thread where people discussed these connectors it seemed like Seplos was the most cost effective place to get them from.
For anyone who later comes along and is curious what I found:
I purchased four sets of the MASON 280 / Futronics 50mm2 connectors from Seplos and have received them.
I also have some "good ole fashioned american" 1AWG M8 lugs here as well.
With a pair of accurate digital calipers I took these measurements:
1AWG Lug
Outer diameter
0.460"
Inner diameter
0.353"
50mm2 Futronics connector
Outer diameter
0.540"
Inner diameter
0.375"
Specs for wire (taken from PolarWire's ArcticFlex Blue):
1AWG Conductor Outer diameter
0.335"
1/0AWG Conductor Outer diameter
0.390"
It seems that 1/0AWG is too large to fit in the 50mm2 connector, so 1AWG it will have to be.
Just wanted to put this out there because the only other place I've seen mentioned was incorrect, some guy in a youtube video about crimping these connectors says 50mm2 is 1/0AWG - it is not! And if you buy 1/0AWG for these connectors you will be disappointed at having spent a lot of money on wire that you cannot use with them.
I'll post back after I get my wire, with the completed crimped cables!
I'm paralleling my batteries off a Victron Distributor, my Conext XW inverter can only draw 250A from the batteries, and I have four MASON 280 kits, so that should be no more than 63A per battery at the maximum. Arcticflex blue 1AWG is rated for over 200A at 40C so I think this will be ok, each battery will have fuse protection in the distributor as well as a 250A breaker in the Conext PDP. I will go with 4/0 from the PDP to the Victron distributor.
I'm also not comfortable "just cutting a few strands", but to each their own. I would replace the connectors altogether, with ones that would accept standard lugs, if I wanted to deliver higher power.
Crimped the first connector today - 1AWG arcticflex blue fits very well. I used the 1AWG die in my crimpers and I did get some "ears" but very small and they easily fit into the Futronics connector housing without issue.
Best of luck to anyone out there who needs this information!
Your going to get ears with undersized wire and most likely a connection that will not handle the capacity of the wire without overheating
Bad move
Don't try to recommend to others
Edit: Just by the way when buying a Seplos box buy the cables they offer. They are not over priced.
Cost currently is $60 for a pair of inverter cables six feet long. About what it costs to make one yourself and a proper crimp to boot
Your going to get ears with undersized wire and most likely a connection that will not handle the capacity of the wire without overheating
Bad move
Don't try to recommend to others
Edit: Just by the way when buying a Seplos box buy the cables they offer. They are not over priced.
Cost currently is $60 for a pair of inverter cables six feet long. About what it costs to make one yourself and a proper crimp to boot
I used 1/0 for those connections. It was a bit difficult to get them on prior to crimping, but I found that twisting the ends helped getting it inserted. I was able to get about 99% of the ends inside the connectors.
I'd be interested in hearing your reasoning for having such a strong aversion to less that 2 hundreds of an inch (.015) worth of strands being missed at the termination point. Losing a few strands in finely stranded wire is nearly inevitable at some point while working with it. At the very least, I wonder what the rationale behind actually preferring to use a cable with 20% less cross sectional area and a (technically) looser fit into the crimped connection.
Please don't misconstrue my tone/wording here! Tone does not convey well on the internet lol. I am legitimately curious and would like to learn something here if there is a good reason for this!
Edit: Seems like the silence speaks volumes in this case lol. I can't see any reason it'd be preferable to use a significantly less capacious wire in this situation or why losing such a miniscule number or strands is something, to quote: "- which you absolutely shouldn't do." But also to quote: "You do you man." lol