Better wire for solar panels -> charge controller?

[hour]

I've come to realize that I absolutely loathe the standard solar cable marketed all over the place and typically attached on the back of panels. I understand the UV resistance benefit, but it doesn't seem as important when you ground deploy panels a handful of times per year. They're hard to store, make rearranging your panels a PITA, and aren't a single unified cord-so 2x the difficulty with them twisting around due to the thick copper stranding and hard insulation.

What have others used for such purposes? I have 2 x 100w on the roof rack permanently and another 100w flexible to throw out, so I don't mind keeping the current wire + mc4 connectors for the stationary ones, but the flexible panel would be nice to have on a two conductor cord for when I want to bring it out. My current wires are 12 gauge and I'm comfortable with that, but I know 12 gauge stranded can be so much more flexible than this permanent outdoor mount type stuff I'm working with.

Thanks for any leads! Have made my own wires using bulk solar cable, have dabbled in anderson powerpoles, just need to find something I can roll up together, without cursing, and transport when I go out.

 

[Chris Boyd]

I've used direct burial 2-wire cord for some projects in the past. Kind of a rubber jacketed cord - 2/6 maybe. It's been awhile since I did it. A bit more flexible for temporary installations. On that project I did use power poles, but they aren't necessarily waterproof, and got some water ingress so switched to the std solar connectors. (Not SAE connectors, the others, i think MMC or some name like that).

 

[Bear in NM]

This is a bit of an old school tag, as I have the same question for a new portable system.

But, I have created 12 gauge cables using two rolls of the 12' (black and red), with anderson power poles. I have measured no significant voltage drop with 12 to 15 feet of this cable, with my 135 watt panel. I have used J B Weld 6 Minute epoxy to create a strain relief at each connection to help with water intrusion. On a couple of my cables, I have small zip ties every foot or so. I just made on up last night, using a 2 inch section of shrink wrap every foot or so. It rolls and stores a little easier than the zip tied ones. It's not perfect, but the plan is that the anderson to solar cable will sit under the panel, and the charge controller end will also be out of the rain.

Here at home it is not a problem to keep the cable dry, and not being kicked or walked on. Gonna find out this weekend how it works camping, with lots of bodies, dogs and some rain.

Craig

 

[zelatore]

Anchor marine rated wire will certainly be more than enough to handle your needs. It's USCG rated for use in bilges (oil/diesel/gas/abrasion/etc resistance), uses a very fine-stranded wire so it's soft and flexible even at larger sizes, and it's tinned copper to boot for extra corrosion resistance.

Of course you can get it in just about any configuration you want. Sounds like you want 12-2 duplex....easy enough. It will cost more than hardware store stuff, because it's better than hardware store stuff. Overkill? yeah, for a solar panel on a truck it's overkill, but it's still only a few bucks.

If you have a local West Marine they'll have it on the shelf. Otherwise ye old web shall provide.

http://www.westmarine.com/buy/ancor--duplex-wire-by-the-foot--P009_274_003_002

 

[dwh]

#12 or #10 for low voltage landscape lighting (i.e. Malibu).

Sold by the foot at Home Depot

 

[IdaSHO]

I'm looking to build a ground deployed solar setup, to allow us to hide int he shade, and still produce the needed power.

Im strongly considering nothing more than a low temp 10G extension cord, with modified ends, being either MC4 or Anderson

Super supple, inexpensive (enough), and readily available.

 

[jonyjoe101]

I just use 10 gauge zip wire (its the red black wire) and for connectors I use the xt60 (easy to solder to the wires and can handle up to 60 amps) the xt60 cost about 8 dollars for 10 pairs, you cant hook them up wrong and are easy to connect and disconnect. Been using them for 2 years and replaced all my powerpoles with these connectors.

The powerpoles require a special crimping tool and would be overkill for your panels, but they are better than the sae connectors (which can be connected wrong)

 

[dwh]

That too. Good enough

I'm looking to build a ground deployed solar setup, to allow us to hide int he shade, and still produce the needed power.

Im strongly considering nothing more than a low temp 10G extension cord, with modified ends, being either MC4 or Anderson

Super supple, inexpensive (enough), and readily available.

 

[Semi-Hex]

( its designation escapes me, I am not the omnipotent know-it-all folks believe me to be...)

You don't do too bad with your advise.

 

[hour]

Wow, good turn out from this thread. Thanks for all suggestions - happy to know others are comfortable using lighter duty stuff. I'm having a duh moment right now... definitely knew that I could just go softer/lighter on the insulation and get quality non-CCA wire. Must have been me just trying to do things by the book when I first got in to solar a few years ago.

I didn't really enjoy the process of installing the powerpoles so I might switch to XT60 before I convert anymore, especially if I want to use a more supple cord. I added some powerpole connectors to the end of a pair of the stiff solar cables this thread is owed to - and that was a piece of cake. Tried last minute before setting out on a weekend camping trip with my factory Whynter fridge cord (lopping off the cig lighter end) and that was a nightmare. Took an hour to get a pair on properly. Tried with some other wire adding a powerpole pair by the cargo area's cigarette lighter and had the same experience. Softer wire just seemed to kink hard eventually trying to achieve the 'click' in the power poles-and that made me uncomfortable.

 

[IdaSHO]

With regards to softer wire and anderson power pole, it helps if you use an adhesive heat shrink to seal the connection between the power pole contact and the wire insulator.

Seems to stiffen things up a bit, making it that much easier.

 

[Chris Boyd]

Also, the proper Anderson crimper is essential to making it easy. I buy the pre-welded connectors in black and red, and got the proper crimper from PowerWerx. That made al, the difference.

Good suggestions on the waterproofing and strain relief.

 

[4x4junkie]

#12 or #10 for low voltage landscape lighting (i.e. Malibu).

Sold by the foot at Home Depot

Links for the lazy:

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Cerrowir...d-Landscape-Lighting-Wire-241-1602C/202206449
http://www.homedepot.com/p/Southwir...CU-Landscape-Lighting-Wire-55213499/204632888

I've had this stuff on my panels for 5 years. It gets stepped on, driven over by vehicles (often while in gravel), buried, hung from overhead, rained on, hailed on, sun-beat on... Never has missed a beat. Coils up nicely (I made a "reel" of sorts on the back of the panel for it).
And currently is only a hair over 43¢/foot for a 100' roll of #12 awg.

View attachment 153772

 

[dwh]

Designed to survive Mexican so-called gardeners.

Also has ridges on one wire to indicate polarity.

My #1 goto wire for all sorts of 12v needs.

 

[AndrewP]

I use that Landscape cord too. Also have a 10ga yellow extension cord, but it's bulky and not as easy to carry. I've never had a single problem getting Anderson connectors on the wire-that might be user error.

I also have used Marine duplex wire, but that's too good for this type of use.

Anyway, the Cerrowire landscape wire in 12 ga, comes out to $0.40 per foot roughly if you buy a spool, and it's perfectly adequate for this type of use.

I have found that if you're deploying on the ground, it helps to have 1 longer run, say 25 feet, and multiple shorter runs of various lengths to aid hooking it up on the fly. A couple of 10 foot sections, a couple of 5 foot sections and some short jumpers. So having a spool if it is really handy.