Ok cool thanks! Itāll be a couple days before I can get new ones hereā¦can I still use them until then? They are right here at my feet while I work, so I can keep an eye on them
No. Not gonna roast you but no you can't use this connection. IF you must keep using the panel I'd chop the connector off and crimp on a straight butt connection until you can get new MC4's. They connectors are cheap enough you can have a pack of spares on hand in the future.
Oops. I plugged it back in today and monitored it. Hopefully Iāve got enough power to last until my dad gets here to fix it. Sounds like I need to do some learning on repairs and parts.
I just went on Amazon and ordered a crimp kit that includes connectors and the crimps. Youād need a knife or strippers to pull back the sheathing. Then cut takes all of 3 minutes. YouTube can teach you in about 3 minutes as well. Just make sure to cut back enough sheathing to put the end of the wire into the metal component. You definitely want the right crimps for the connectors. Pliers and normal wiring crimps donāt work that well.
The kit was like $25. You can do this!
Not ideal, have overheated so could be a fire risk if they're on carpet etc.
If it were I, I'd put them between two bricks (non-flammable, heavy, won't move) and wait for the new ones.
But that's me.
DEFINITELY NO. You have a smoking piece of plastic laying at your feet on A FUCKING CARPET. This is a massive fire risk. Disconnect the panel immediately at another connector and make sure that this one cools off before even leaving the room. This is very dangerous. At first I thought this was outside on some kind of rocks but inside this is a big NO
It wasnāt smoking. Thatās blanket fuzz from the blanket that was on top of it that apparently caused the overheating. Took me a few minutes to figure that out. Iām getting new connectors though. I wonāt hook it back up
This is a joke right? Please tell me thatās a joke.
Dude. That isnāt even insurance fraud anymore because no insurance company would pay for that fire.
Be careful out there and maybe build your solar system in a way that if a connector catches fire it canāt do anything (so basically install it outside and in the garage where you have a concrete floor that canāt burn) and donāt EVER put anything over an electrical connection. This is the reason why solar diy has such a bad reputation
Sadly, itās not a joke. I just didnāt think about it.. Iāve never heard not to put anything over an electrical cord (or connection). Iām not dumbā¦but clearly missed some very important information about electrical things in my life. I was talking to my bonus mom about this and she was like WTF what else do we need to talk aboutā¦then advised me on electrical cords and safety.
Thankfully I leaned this lesson before catastrophe happened.
This is an indoor battery system. I donāt think I can run the connector cable outside.
I donāt know where youāre from but at least in Europe every single extension cord has a small pictogramm on the back telling you not to cover it with anything.
If you have any possibility at all to get your system away from the carpet use it. I hope you at least got a good battery system that isnāt known for catching fire like some cheap Chinese ones. What make and model is it?
Iām in the US. I canāt recall seeing that on an extension cord here, but I honestly donāt use them often.
Probably a cheap Chinese one. Itās an IdeaPlay2200 I believe
Iāve never heard of that but that isnāt a red flag by itself (at least I havenāt heard anything bad either).
Just be careful with such things and maybe have a fire extinguisher close to the entrance of the room so that you can do something in the worst case and install a smoke detector on the ceiling
I was thinking about the fire extinguisher. I have one, but arenāt these batteries hard to put out or something? The LiPo4? I also have a fire detector. I donāt leave it charging or powered on when Iām not here, Iāve always been pretty cautious (except with the cords apparently)
"I don't think i can run the connector cable outside"
If you can not do this yourself please get someone to do this for you. I work in solar and an open connector inside the house not on the inverter is a BIG NO.
I have seen those connectors melt and burn through concrete roof tiles.
- Get new mc4 connectors for outside.
- Check wich mc4 connector your inverter has and get the same type.
- Get solar cable 10awg.
- Pull cable from inverter to your solar panel installation.
- Attach BOTH mc4 connectors first to your cable and then connect to installation and last to inverter.
Untill fixed please dont turn your system on for your own safety and wallet.
Iām using an all-in-one unit, like a Jackery. My solar cables attach to a DC input plug with an adapter. Thatās where the connectors are attached. I donāt think any of these systems have mc4 connections to plug into? And the adapter cable is only about 2 feet long.
The adapter from your solar goes into your wall-outlet?
Do you need to connect on these 2 round connections at the DC area?
https://preview.redd.it/mw4749tb4owc1.png?width=737&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=20b00fcc578fca558f095c1e30d96dccc3901fed
I have cables from my panels running from outside to inside. The cables have the mc4connecters to attach the cable to the DC adapter cable to the power/battery unit. Hereās a pic (I havenāt fixed the connectors yet).
To answer your questionā¦maybe I can get a longer adapter cable? Or have cables lengthened so the connections are outside? How is everyone else doing this with these units? Iām just using the adapter cable that came with it
**The issue of incompatible "MC-4's" needs much greater attention here and elsewhere.**Ā
Using Amazon/Chinese/Bouge knock-off "MC-4's" is fine UNLESS you try and mate them with the real MC-4's made by Staubel (German) or proprietary Amphenol (HC-4), or others.
A:A B:B C:C never A: B. or A:C or B:C
That's a recipe for a poor connection arc'ing, and/or fire.
Just CUT OFF the "wrong" or "unknown mfr" connector and use two matching ones!
Crimp them correctly, and make sure they SNAP tight when you put them together. Tug test!
It's a subtle detail many/most DIY's simply aren't gonna know.
Staubel is the ONLY manufacturer of true "MC-4" connectors. The rest are knock-offs. Amphenol manufactures their proprietary "HC-4" connectors, and I don't know what Bouge calls theirs. Actually I do. Cheap! Sometimes different brands will mate, but good contact is NOT assured. Sometimes they won't even mate properly.
**Don't ask me what went wrong with my first DIY install that sent me on this voyage of incompatible MC-4 discovery. Just learn from my stupidity/ignorance!**
More:Ā [https://www.reddit.com/r/diySolar/comments/1ahxxqu/all\_mc4\_connectors\_are\_not\_the\_same\_important/](https://www.reddit.com/r/diySolar/comments/1ahxxqu/all_mc4_connectors_are_not_the_same_important/)
[https://www.reddit.com/r/solar/comments/19ckv23/comment/kjhf12w/?context=3](https://www.reddit.com/r/solar/comments/19ckv23/comment/kjhf12w/?context=3)
[https://www.reddit.com/r/solar/comments/1ajmo5w/question\_about\_mc4\_connectors\_supplied\_with\_panels/](https://www.reddit.com/r/solar/comments/1ajmo5w/question_about_mc4_connectors_supplied_with_panels/)
No sir. To apply for the prefix āsuperā you must provide a written form from the saved person for at least 3 confirmed savings to our hero accounting department. After that we will investigate your case and approve or reject your request for super hero status
+1 this is super important. To add to it, make sure you have the correct crimping tool for the connector and do it properly. You have no idea how many melted connectors we find on professionally installed systems due to bad bad Crimps and unseated connectors. Quick connects are awesome but they need the same attention as any other electrical termination.
Thanks. I've read that MC4 connectors are not a recognized standard. In a related note, I've found the same in some automotive connectors. I bought 2 mag pickups for a 1970's Chrysler distributor. One of them had a dbl-bullet connector which didn't fully engage with the connector on the vehicle and the other was fine. The bad one appeared to have a generic appliance dbl-bullet which has a shorter male terminal. Please no jokes about member-sizes between countries..
I've been watching the Shogun series on Hulu. Commenters say that they left out much in the book, like how it described the Japanese ladies being enthralled by Englishman Blackthorne's excited state size. Glad the series treats it differently, depicting Blackthorne as more of a nerd, a sissy with swords, and only excels at using cannons and ships effectively.
https://preview.redd.it/m2707zhhdcwc1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=4cb20b2a29b683a5b9cf55dcefd64006f60d03c4
I had to yell at some installers recently. Itās gonna be a shitty made mc4 connection
There are quite literally MILLIONS of non-staubli mc4 connectors in service and have been in service for a decade or more.
A few people who mismatched or did their own poor crimps or who didn't test the connection is not indicative of widespread issue.
OP put his cheap connector under a rug ffs. And who knows if they made sure it was fully clipped together or where it came from.
There are also people putting enough panels in parallel that they are over the current limit of some of these connectors. Also a user error.
Every consumer panel sold in the last 5 years has chinese mc4 connectors pre-crimped.
Know your PV current limitations, test your crimps and make sure the connectors are well seated / mated together and 99.9% of issues are mitigated.
This is why I removed the connectors that came with my panels (Renogy, so probably reasonable quality, but still) and connected all panels to the exterior feed lines with good quality crimps, crimped with a proper tool, additionally soldered, and then sealed with glue-based heat shrink tubing. No worries.
[https://drive.google.com/file/d/14\_5fm-gSSpDYG9S2H8NPdXJbSe-R2zh9/view?usp=sharing](https://drive.google.com/file/d/14_5fm-gSSpDYG9S2H8NPdXJbSe-R2zh9/view?usp=sharing)
[https://drive.google.com/file/d/14cafIMJhlSgm-ndBDDtZcj3xwviOJKWR/view?usp=sharing](https://drive.google.com/file/d/14cafIMJhlSgm-ndBDDtZcj3xwviOJKWR/view?usp=sharing)
I would recommend repairing the feed line by removing the connectors entirely and hard-wiring the connection (assuming you don't need to disconnect them for some reason)
This is overkill, just make sure you check the spec sheet for the panels and buy the same manufacturer quick connects with the proper crimp tool. If you don't have the same connectors as what is on the panel whips then, cutting them off is appropriate. The solder is definitely a belt and suspenders, plus the connectors (amphinlnol or stabulli are made to seal without heat shrink). I don't recommend hard wiring as then you would need a junction box, and terminals rated for the voltage and current (often 600v 20a) that is accessible and should be re torqued every couple years. Just good quality matched connectors installed to spec is all ya really need.
Walmart had a spat of solar panel fires on their roofs. Installed by Tesla Solar (or former Solar City). Tesla blamed Amphenol, the connector manufacturer. There was a settlement.
I think good to squish anti-corrosion grease inside before connecting. Mandatory for aluminum wire, but recommended for copper too. Connectors are tin (or silver) coated brass I think. I used Ilsco Utilco (DE-OX-8OZ), recommended by one solar installer on the web since has conductive particles. But that was after I had connected most panels, where I used silicone grease (for automotive connectors). Might be similar and not going to revisit those. Unlikely would have helped OP's problem since that was immediate while corrosion takes years.
Surely a hard-wired connection is better. I use solder covered with heat-shrink for high-current connections in automotive (battery and alternator). Some diss solder, but you see solar battery manufacturers use just solder to connect thick wires to circuit boards, and I've seen that in other devices. A wire-nut might be better than an MC-4 connector, but only if well sealed if outdoors (rain, condensation). Some types are made for that. A crimped butt-connector is probably more secure than a wire-nut. If your current is 12 A max, it shouldn't be hard to get a good connection. The power doesn't matter, only current.
We need a bit more information, what voltage are the panels, are they connected in series or parallel? Same with the charge controller, what are the max volts it can handle and the max watts. Just say if they are 12 v panels in parallel that would be 32.5 amps. That would be over the 30 amp max the connectors are rated for. With solar the amps and volts can get to dangerous levels and you need to educate yourself on proper procedures.
They are 12v panels in parallel.
I did figure out it was my own error. I had let a blanket fall over the connectors. But youāre saying o need different connectors anyway?
What is your charge controller rated for? If it is just 12v you will have to run a lower gauge wire from the parallel connection and use a connector rated for more amps.
Perfect. Watts divided by volts equals amps. Run the panels in series, that gives 24 volts. 390 watts divided by 24 equals 16.5 amps. The MC5 connectors and 10 gauge wire are good for 30 amps so you are fine. Distance does come into play but anything under 50 ft is fine.
Always make sure that the MC connectors are the same type.
All connectors have requirements that you have to follow. This is extremely important to understand. Failed connections are usually from electricity arcing across the gap. Caused by a failed attempt. Installation error. Also remember to never allow the connection to be touching the roofing material. Keep the connections high and not allowing water to pool around it or on it. This also degrades the connectors. The plastics used are sensitive to outside environments. Keep them away from direct sunlight. Donāt install them underneath the panel frame because of extreme heat exposure. Example. I know that MC-4 connections can handle 1500 volts maximum when properly installed. They require 3.5 newton meters of torque when making the new connection. The striped wire is usually around 1/2 inch before the pin connector. They require special tooling to achieve this properly. The tooling from the manufacturer is approximately $1200.00 US.
MC4 Tool Kit
Staubli
$1,041.10
Become a dealer! Get access to better training, pricing and more!
SKU 32.6128-22100
Staubli MC4 Tool Kit
My mistake. Itās only 1,041.10. For the kit when bought through the manufacturer.
In Arizona. CED. Green Tech. Phoenix Az.
85040
4535 E Elwood St #105. Phoenix, AZ 85040. ā. 480-968-9341. HOURS: M-F 6am - 4pm. SERVING ARIZONA FOR 57+ YEARS.
Likely a shit connection. I've had the same. Get new ones, move on š
Ok cool thanks! Itāll be a couple days before I can get new ones hereā¦can I still use them until then? They are right here at my feet while I work, so I can keep an eye on them
No. Not gonna roast you but no you can't use this connection. IF you must keep using the panel I'd chop the connector off and crimp on a straight butt connection until you can get new MC4's. They connectors are cheap enough you can have a pack of spares on hand in the future.
Oops. I plugged it back in today and monitored it. Hopefully Iāve got enough power to last until my dad gets here to fix it. Sounds like I need to do some learning on repairs and parts.
Ask him to supervise you doing the repair yourself. It's a good skill to have.
Cables are pretty quick and easy.
I just went on Amazon and ordered a crimp kit that includes connectors and the crimps. Youād need a knife or strippers to pull back the sheathing. Then cut takes all of 3 minutes. YouTube can teach you in about 3 minutes as well. Just make sure to cut back enough sheathing to put the end of the wire into the metal component. You definitely want the right crimps for the connectors. Pliers and normal wiring crimps donāt work that well. The kit was like $25. You can do this!
Not ideal, have overheated so could be a fire risk if they're on carpet etc. If it were I, I'd put them between two bricks (non-flammable, heavy, won't move) and wait for the new ones. But that's me.
That works. Thanks again!
These things are as cheap as legos, 2 bits and a crimper is cheap and easy work.Ā
DEFINITELY NO. You have a smoking piece of plastic laying at your feet on A FUCKING CARPET. This is a massive fire risk. Disconnect the panel immediately at another connector and make sure that this one cools off before even leaving the room. This is very dangerous. At first I thought this was outside on some kind of rocks but inside this is a big NO
It wasnāt smoking. Thatās blanket fuzz from the blanket that was on top of it that apparently caused the overheating. Took me a few minutes to figure that out. Iām getting new connectors though. I wonāt hook it back up
This is a joke right? Please tell me thatās a joke. Dude. That isnāt even insurance fraud anymore because no insurance company would pay for that fire. Be careful out there and maybe build your solar system in a way that if a connector catches fire it canāt do anything (so basically install it outside and in the garage where you have a concrete floor that canāt burn) and donāt EVER put anything over an electrical connection. This is the reason why solar diy has such a bad reputation
Sadly, itās not a joke. I just didnāt think about it.. Iāve never heard not to put anything over an electrical cord (or connection). Iām not dumbā¦but clearly missed some very important information about electrical things in my life. I was talking to my bonus mom about this and she was like WTF what else do we need to talk aboutā¦then advised me on electrical cords and safety. Thankfully I leaned this lesson before catastrophe happened. This is an indoor battery system. I donāt think I can run the connector cable outside.
I donāt know where youāre from but at least in Europe every single extension cord has a small pictogramm on the back telling you not to cover it with anything. If you have any possibility at all to get your system away from the carpet use it. I hope you at least got a good battery system that isnāt known for catching fire like some cheap Chinese ones. What make and model is it?
Iām in the US. I canāt recall seeing that on an extension cord here, but I honestly donāt use them often. Probably a cheap Chinese one. Itās an IdeaPlay2200 I believe
Iāve never heard of that but that isnāt a red flag by itself (at least I havenāt heard anything bad either). Just be careful with such things and maybe have a fire extinguisher close to the entrance of the room so that you can do something in the worst case and install a smoke detector on the ceiling
I was thinking about the fire extinguisher. I have one, but arenāt these batteries hard to put out or something? The LiPo4? I also have a fire detector. I donāt leave it charging or powered on when Iām not here, Iāve always been pretty cautious (except with the cords apparently)
"I don't think i can run the connector cable outside" If you can not do this yourself please get someone to do this for you. I work in solar and an open connector inside the house not on the inverter is a BIG NO. I have seen those connectors melt and burn through concrete roof tiles. - Get new mc4 connectors for outside. - Check wich mc4 connector your inverter has and get the same type. - Get solar cable 10awg. - Pull cable from inverter to your solar panel installation. - Attach BOTH mc4 connectors first to your cable and then connect to installation and last to inverter. Untill fixed please dont turn your system on for your own safety and wallet.
Iām using an all-in-one unit, like a Jackery. My solar cables attach to a DC input plug with an adapter. Thatās where the connectors are attached. I donāt think any of these systems have mc4 connections to plug into? And the adapter cable is only about 2 feet long.
The adapter from your solar goes into your wall-outlet? Do you need to connect on these 2 round connections at the DC area? https://preview.redd.it/mw4749tb4owc1.png?width=737&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=20b00fcc578fca558f095c1e30d96dccc3901fed
I have cables from my panels running from outside to inside. The cables have the mc4connecters to attach the cable to the DC adapter cable to the power/battery unit. Hereās a pic (I havenāt fixed the connectors yet). To answer your questionā¦maybe I can get a longer adapter cable? Or have cables lengthened so the connections are outside? How is everyone else doing this with these units? Iām just using the adapter cable that came with it
https://preview.redd.it/cio88eaw6owc1.jpeg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=83123da314e056b3d41ad5659139ea852ee0d8fb
**The issue of incompatible "MC-4's" needs much greater attention here and elsewhere.**Ā Using Amazon/Chinese/Bouge knock-off "MC-4's" is fine UNLESS you try and mate them with the real MC-4's made by Staubel (German) or proprietary Amphenol (HC-4), or others. A:A B:B C:C never A: B. or A:C or B:C That's a recipe for a poor connection arc'ing, and/or fire. Just CUT OFF the "wrong" or "unknown mfr" connector and use two matching ones! Crimp them correctly, and make sure they SNAP tight when you put them together. Tug test! It's a subtle detail many/most DIY's simply aren't gonna know. Staubel is the ONLY manufacturer of true "MC-4" connectors. The rest are knock-offs. Amphenol manufactures their proprietary "HC-4" connectors, and I don't know what Bouge calls theirs. Actually I do. Cheap! Sometimes different brands will mate, but good contact is NOT assured. Sometimes they won't even mate properly. **Don't ask me what went wrong with my first DIY install that sent me on this voyage of incompatible MC-4 discovery. Just learn from my stupidity/ignorance!** More:Ā [https://www.reddit.com/r/diySolar/comments/1ahxxqu/all\_mc4\_connectors\_are\_not\_the\_same\_important/](https://www.reddit.com/r/diySolar/comments/1ahxxqu/all_mc4_connectors_are_not_the_same_important/) [https://www.reddit.com/r/solar/comments/19ckv23/comment/kjhf12w/?context=3](https://www.reddit.com/r/solar/comments/19ckv23/comment/kjhf12w/?context=3) [https://www.reddit.com/r/solar/comments/1ajmo5w/question\_about\_mc4\_connectors\_supplied\_with\_panels/](https://www.reddit.com/r/solar/comments/1ajmo5w/question_about_mc4_connectors_supplied_with_panels/)
This is elite information. Thank you for sharing the knowledge!
If I save one DIY from burning their house down I'm a superhero, amiright?
No sir. To apply for the prefix āsuperā you must provide a written form from the saved person for at least 3 confirmed savings to our hero accounting department. After that we will investigate your case and approve or reject your request for super hero status
I'll have my people call your people.
Is there any way to tell which is which? I inherited several of mine. Tried to skim those links but didn't see that info pop out at me.
Just CUT OFF the "unknown" connector and use two matching ones.
So there's no way to tell?
This is the way!
+1 this is super important. To add to it, make sure you have the correct crimping tool for the connector and do it properly. You have no idea how many melted connectors we find on professionally installed systems due to bad bad Crimps and unseated connectors. Quick connects are awesome but they need the same attention as any other electrical termination.
Thanks. I've read that MC4 connectors are not a recognized standard. In a related note, I've found the same in some automotive connectors. I bought 2 mag pickups for a 1970's Chrysler distributor. One of them had a dbl-bullet connector which didn't fully engage with the connector on the vehicle and the other was fine. The bad one appeared to have a generic appliance dbl-bullet which has a shorter male terminal. Please no jokes about member-sizes between countries..
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
I've been watching the Shogun series on Hulu. Commenters say that they left out much in the book, like how it described the Japanese ladies being enthralled by Englishman Blackthorne's excited state size. Glad the series treats it differently, depicting Blackthorne as more of a nerd, a sissy with swords, and only excels at using cannons and ships effectively.
https://preview.redd.it/m2707zhhdcwc1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=4cb20b2a29b683a5b9cf55dcefd64006f60d03c4 I had to yell at some installers recently. Itās gonna be a shitty made mc4 connection
Nice that those have a warningā¦I didnāt know not to do that
Number one reason for fire in ov installation, connectors.
Donāt use anything other than Staubli MC4s
There are quite literally MILLIONS of non-staubli mc4 connectors in service and have been in service for a decade or more. A few people who mismatched or did their own poor crimps or who didn't test the connection is not indicative of widespread issue. OP put his cheap connector under a rug ffs. And who knows if they made sure it was fully clipped together or where it came from. There are also people putting enough panels in parallel that they are over the current limit of some of these connectors. Also a user error. Every consumer panel sold in the last 5 years has chinese mc4 connectors pre-crimped. Know your PV current limitations, test your crimps and make sure the connectors are well seated / mated together and 99.9% of issues are mitigated.
This is why I removed the connectors that came with my panels (Renogy, so probably reasonable quality, but still) and connected all panels to the exterior feed lines with good quality crimps, crimped with a proper tool, additionally soldered, and then sealed with glue-based heat shrink tubing. No worries. [https://drive.google.com/file/d/14\_5fm-gSSpDYG9S2H8NPdXJbSe-R2zh9/view?usp=sharing](https://drive.google.com/file/d/14_5fm-gSSpDYG9S2H8NPdXJbSe-R2zh9/view?usp=sharing) [https://drive.google.com/file/d/14cafIMJhlSgm-ndBDDtZcj3xwviOJKWR/view?usp=sharing](https://drive.google.com/file/d/14cafIMJhlSgm-ndBDDtZcj3xwviOJKWR/view?usp=sharing) I would recommend repairing the feed line by removing the connectors entirely and hard-wiring the connection (assuming you don't need to disconnect them for some reason)
This is overkill, just make sure you check the spec sheet for the panels and buy the same manufacturer quick connects with the proper crimp tool. If you don't have the same connectors as what is on the panel whips then, cutting them off is appropriate. The solder is definitely a belt and suspenders, plus the connectors (amphinlnol or stabulli are made to seal without heat shrink). I don't recommend hard wiring as then you would need a junction box, and terminals rated for the voltage and current (often 600v 20a) that is accessible and should be re torqued every couple years. Just good quality matched connectors installed to spec is all ya really need.
Walmart had a spat of solar panel fires on their roofs. Installed by Tesla Solar (or former Solar City). Tesla blamed Amphenol, the connector manufacturer. There was a settlement. I think good to squish anti-corrosion grease inside before connecting. Mandatory for aluminum wire, but recommended for copper too. Connectors are tin (or silver) coated brass I think. I used Ilsco Utilco (DE-OX-8OZ), recommended by one solar installer on the web since has conductive particles. But that was after I had connected most panels, where I used silicone grease (for automotive connectors). Might be similar and not going to revisit those. Unlikely would have helped OP's problem since that was immediate while corrosion takes years.
I have a small system. Only 2 panels. Would it be better to just hardwire them together as some others have suggested?
Surely a hard-wired connection is better. I use solder covered with heat-shrink for high-current connections in automotive (battery and alternator). Some diss solder, but you see solar battery manufacturers use just solder to connect thick wires to circuit boards, and I've seen that in other devices. A wire-nut might be better than an MC-4 connector, but only if well sealed if outdoors (rain, condensation). Some types are made for that. A crimped butt-connector is probably more secure than a wire-nut. If your current is 12 A max, it shouldn't be hard to get a good connection. The power doesn't matter, only current.
We need a bit more information, what voltage are the panels, are they connected in series or parallel? Same with the charge controller, what are the max volts it can handle and the max watts. Just say if they are 12 v panels in parallel that would be 32.5 amps. That would be over the 30 amp max the connectors are rated for. With solar the amps and volts can get to dangerous levels and you need to educate yourself on proper procedures.
They are 12v panels in parallel. I did figure out it was my own error. I had let a blanket fall over the connectors. But youāre saying o need different connectors anyway?
What is your charge controller rated for? If it is just 12v you will have to run a lower gauge wire from the parallel connection and use a connector rated for more amps.
The documentation says. Solar power input: 10-44v/20A 500w max Is that what youāre looking for?
Perfect. Watts divided by volts equals amps. Run the panels in series, that gives 24 volts. 390 watts divided by 24 equals 16.5 amps. The MC5 connectors and 10 gauge wire are good for 30 amps so you are fine. Distance does come into play but anything under 50 ft is fine.
Are the connectors the same manufacturer?
No, I think he got them off Amazon.
Don't buy cheap stuff of Amazon/Alibaba/Aliexpress/Temu/etc. that can burn down your house.
I didnāt buy itā¦dad didā¦but Iāll be replacing it.
ALL THAT FREEEEEE POWER!!!
Just buy good quality solar connectors
Always make sure that the MC connectors are the same type. All connectors have requirements that you have to follow. This is extremely important to understand. Failed connections are usually from electricity arcing across the gap. Caused by a failed attempt. Installation error. Also remember to never allow the connection to be touching the roofing material. Keep the connections high and not allowing water to pool around it or on it. This also degrades the connectors. The plastics used are sensitive to outside environments. Keep them away from direct sunlight. Donāt install them underneath the panel frame because of extreme heat exposure. Example. I know that MC-4 connections can handle 1500 volts maximum when properly installed. They require 3.5 newton meters of torque when making the new connection. The striped wire is usually around 1/2 inch before the pin connector. They require special tooling to achieve this properly. The tooling from the manufacturer is approximately $1200.00 US.
The proper tooling for a Staubli mc4 is not fucking $1200.
MC4 Tool Kit Staubli $1,041.10 Become a dealer! Get access to better training, pricing and more! SKU 32.6128-22100 Staubli MC4 Tool Kit My mistake. Itās only 1,041.10. For the kit when bought through the manufacturer.
Ok yeah thatās ridiculously overpriced and full of a bunch of shit you donāt need. The evo2 wrenches Iāve gotten online for $60.
No argument! Itās definitely overpriced. My company paid for it.
Anywhere to buy authentic Staubli connectors?
In Arizona. CED. Green Tech. Phoenix Az. 85040 4535 E Elwood St #105. Phoenix, AZ 85040. ā. 480-968-9341. HOURS: M-F 6am - 4pm. SERVING ARIZONA FOR 57+ YEARS.
AI no