Source for wire

[TenagaSurya]

I hope it's ok to ask this question here, as it seems related to the discussion above:
I, too, am making a sort of budget portable suitcase, with the intention of being able to set 2 x 50w flexible panels (mounted on polycarbonate roofing backing to minimise flex) some distance away from a van (up to 10-20m) to catch the sun while parked in the shade. Multi-stranded, UV stabilised, double insulation layer solar cable (4 mm2) would seem the best choice but I am reluctant as it is very expensive, compared to equivalent cross section (4 mm2 ) 7-stranded single PVC insulation layer 'building wire' - intended for use in home wiring, where it is not exposed to sunlight.

The PVC insulation in this building wire is rated to 90 degrees Celsius, which seems probably sufficient. But will it handle being out in the Australian sun (not likely to be used in cold conditions)? The setup probably won't get used more than say 21 days a year for as many years as it takes the flexible panels to die (ten years?)...

 

[chrisski]

PVC insulation in this building wire is rated to 90 degrees Celsius, which seems probably sufficient.

I would not put the US equivalent I get at the hardware store outside unprotected. Too easy to nick and pierce the insulation when walking around.

There is a collapsible wire sleeping made of hard nylon I may put it in. Would not be UL approved though.

 

[HRTKD]

My PV cable is pretty tough. I used it on the RV roof and I also use it for my ground deployed panels. However, it's not flexible like welding cable. It doesn't lay limp on the ground like welding cable would.

 

[chrisski]

My PV cable is pretty tough. I used it on the RV roof and I also use it for my ground deployed panels. However, it's not flexible like welding cable. It doesn't lay limp on the ground like welding cable would.

My portable panels take Anderson plugs. I am using that stiff PV 12 AWG wire now for making those cables. I’ve had some problems with the Pins in the Andersen plugs recessing causing bad connections. As I roll the cable up to put them away, there’s enough force to recess the pin inside the powerpole if the cable is flexed too much.

The panels themselves come with a 14 AWG wire.

 

[HRTKD]

My portable panels take Anderson plugs. I am using that stiff PV 12 AWG wire now for making those cables. I’ve had some problems with the Pins in the Andersen plugs recessing causing bad connections. As I roll the cable up to put them away, there’s enough force to recess the pin inside the powerpole if the cable is flexed too much.

The panels themselves come with a 14 AWG wire.

Mine is 10 gauge PV wire. I had plenty of it so it made sense to use it. In hindsight, some 10 gauge welding wire would have been a lot easier to deal with. I'm using an SAE connector on the trailer end and MC4 on the solar panel end. It works, so I can't complain too much.

 

[TenagaSurya]

Thank you @chrisski for your reply. I hadn't considered the softness of the insulation, just worried that UV exposure might make it brittle. So after your comment I decided to fork out for a 100m roll of the PV cable -- more than i need but buying by the metre is a crazy price. (4 mm2 means it's roughly 11 AWG). I hope now with the tougher PV cable I can be a little more confident of putting two panels in series (40v) with less chance of zapping someone if the insulation is nicked.

As for connectors, the (renogy) panels come with MC4 so I was going to make up a short splitter cable with double MC4 (to give me the option of both series and parallel connection) to a 50A Anderson style plug (not powerpoles), plus a couple of extension cables (5m and 10m?) with Anderson plugs at each end. The PV cable is indeed pretty very stiff, I hope I don't encounter the same issue with the cable moving the contact pin out of place.

I hope rolling & stowing the cable in very wide loops will mean it sits reasonably flat.. I can just imagine the tripping hazard from waves of cable sticking up off the ground - and the panels going flying too for that matter.

 

[Rhett Schultz]

Thank you for the sharing. Aways find many helpful information everywhere

 

[WYtreasure]

Has anyone tried these folks?
TEMCo Direct: $31.46

TEMCo WC0148 Welding Cable - 4 AWG 20 ft - Red

temcoindustrial.com

 

[HRTKD]

Has anyone tried these folks?
TEMCo Direct: $31.46

TEMCo WC0148 Welding Cable - 4 AWG 20 ft - Red

temcoindustrial.com

That's where I bought all my large cable from, as well as the lugs, MC4 connectors and the heat shrink tubing. Shipping was quick (for in-stock items) and the customer service was excellent.

 

[Browneye]

Has anyone tried these folks?
TEMCo Direct: $31.46

TEMCo WC0148 Welding Cable - 4 AWG 20 ft - Red

temcoindustrial.com

Temco sells on amazon and ebay as well.
I found them after I bought - looks like an excellent source however. They have all the terminals too. And the tools. I got a pounding crimper.

 

[WYtreasure]

Temco sells on amazon and ebay as well.
I found them after I bought - looks like an excellent source however. They have all the terminals too. And the tools. I got a pounding crimper.

They do seem like a good source to me as well; lots of MADE IN USA wire.
Some items out of stock, surprise surprise.

 

[HRTKD]

Some items out of stock, surprise surprise.

Check other lengths of the same wire. I've seen where 10' was out of stock, but 25' wasn't. Weird.

 

[WYtreasure]

Check other lengths of the same wire. I've seen where 10' was out of stock, but 25' wasn't. Weird.

When I can't find what I want I usually double the length or quantity, then I don't have to worry about running out on the next project.

Sounds like the folks who cut the wire are on COVacation. No worries for them, Uncle Joe or the governor is probably still paying them.

 

[HRTKD]

I put in an order for 2/0 cable a couple weeks ago. It was at my house within a week.

 

[WYtreasure]

Temco sells on amazon and ebay as well.
I found them after I bought - looks like an excellent source however. They have all the terminals too. And the tools. I got a pounding crimper.

Is this like your crimper?

TEMCo Direct: $20.65

TEMCo Hammer Lug Crimper Tool - Crimps 8 AWG to 4/0 Battery/Welding Cables (Workbench-Mountable)

Produces perfect, solid crimp terminations every time. Black oxide crimp ram won't chip or flake. Use with all crimp terminal lugs, including heavy cast lugs. Use a hammer, vise or press to apply crimping force. Spring loaded ram will help hold the terminal in place while you insert your wire...

temcoindustrial.com

 

[Browneye]

Is this like your crimper?

TEMCo Direct: $20.65

TEMCo Hammer Lug Crimper Tool - Crimps 8 AWG to 4/0 Battery/Welding Cables (Workbench-Mountable)

Produces perfect, solid crimp terminations every time. Black oxide crimp ram won't chip or flake. Use with all crimp terminal lugs, including heavy cast lugs. Use a hammer, vise or press to apply crimping force. Spring loaded ram will help hold the terminal in place while you insert your wire...

temcoindustrial.com

Yes, that's it!
Seems to work well, tried it out last weekend. You can hammer the shit out of it till it's super tight. LOL

I did a lot of reading here on crimpers, there's a whole thread. Manual, hydraulic, long arm, all kinds of cheapo AND expensive options.

I did some circuit re-routing on RV batteries, and have cells on order to build a lifepo pack, so I'll need to do maybe a dozen crimps. Everything currently in the RV circuits are non-die crimps - they didn't even shrink-wrap them. So figured what the hell, why spend a bunch of $$ for a tool I'll use this once. Plus many users outside of here report that not having to deal with fussy die sizing actually worked better for them.

So it's non-die crimping for me.

For something easier to use, or to use with wiring in place, I think I would go with the TEMCO hydraulic one. Some of the chinese imports reported to have a lot of issues with proper die sizing and wonky crimps on lugs.

 

[Mike Jordan]

Is this like your crimper?

TEMCo Direct: $20.65

TEMCo Hammer Lug Crimper Tool - Crimps 8 AWG to 4/0 Battery/Welding Cables (Workbench-Mountable)

Produces perfect, solid crimp terminations every time. Black oxide crimp ram won't chip or flake. Use with all crimp terminal lugs, including heavy cast lugs. Use a hammer, vise or press to apply crimping force. Spring loaded ram will help hold the terminal in place while you insert your wire...

temcoindustrial.com

I bought that on Amazon. Its dabomb(dot)com

 

[Struc]

I bought the 2awg Temco wire off Amazon and it's very high quality. Very happy with it.

 

[WYtreasure]

I hit the buy button at https://temcoindustrial.com/ last night for 10 awg solar and 4 awg welding and the Hammer Smashing Connector tool.
Price seemed to be at least 10%, less than amazon, with free shipping to boot. I found their site difficult to search though.
Everyone had gone home and I got a message stating they would manually run the card and give me confirmation sometime today.

 

[12VoltInstalls]

Its a solar suitcase. We are talkin mid 35ish volts... tops. The "PV" wire I have now is stiff as a board in 100° sun

Welding cable in loom is both flexible and loom solves the uv problems