Blue Sea or Waytek

Fisherguy wrote:

westend wrote:
For clarification--Waytek Wire is a distributor of electrical products. I don't think they make anything, at least there is no factory at their headquarters location. I've bought a few things from them and pick up direct at their headquarters.

I built my combiner box and used a gray 1 1/2" PVC LB. I see these all day long on the sides of buildings near service entrances and they are all intact. I dunno', maybe in 50 years the plastic will dissolve (but I doubt it). Actually, my conduit run on the outside of the trailer is painted, to match the exterior color of the trailer. Psheww, dodged a bullet, I guess.

BTW, I also used 4 ga. welding cable from combiner to controller.

Do you have a thread on your install? Don't see it in the thread where they're all listed.

Never mind, found it, quite the job you're doing on that trailer.

Good data mining on your part. Yes, my solar installation isn't included in the forum member's solar installation thread. Just as well since everything I did is done as well or better by someone on that list. :B
FYI, I currently have 1-235W module and Morningstar MPPT controller. I'm thinking about more panels to run a small window AC. Expansion was in mind when choosing 4 ga cable from the roof. I also included a pair of 14 ga wires to the combiner in case I need connectivity to the roof for something else.

westend wrote:
For clarification--Waytek Wire is a distributor of electrical products. I don't think they make anything, at least there is no factory at their headquarters location. I've bought a few things from them and pick up direct at their headquarters.

I built my combiner box and used a gray 1 1/2" PVC LB. I see these all day long on the sides of buildings near service entrances and they are all intact. I dunno', maybe in 50 years the plastic will dissolve (but I doubt it). Actually, my conduit run on the outside of the trailer is painted, to match the exterior color of the trailer. Psheww, dodged a bullet, I guess.

BTW, I also used 4 ga. welding cable from combiner to controller.

Do you have a thread on your install? Don't see it in the thread where they're all listed.

Never mind, found it, quite the job you're doing on that trailer.

Thanks Steve, so 25 foot runs of 6 ga should do it for a max of 4-150 panels? That's good, will fit in my 3/4 conuit better than the 4 ga.

Wes, how long is your run and how many watts worth of panels, PWM or MPPT.
Thanks guys
Will

Fisherguy wrote:
I'm going for the max 3% loss Morningstar recommends, that's why the 4 ga. 3-150 watt panels with room to add a 4th, Tristar 45amp PWM controller.

I think you are overdoing it for PWM. My calculator say #8 is fine or kill it with #6.

Those panels should produce fine at 17 volts so even with a full 2 volt drop you will still be hitting the battery with up to 15 volts and Isc.

For clarification--Waytek Wire is a distributor of electrical products. I don't think they make anything, at least there is no factory at their headquarters location. I've bought a few things from them and pick up direct at their headquarters.

I built my combiner box and used a gray 1 1/2" PVC LB. I see these all day long on the sides of buildings near service entrances and they are all intact. I dunno', maybe in 50 years the plastic will dissolve (but I doubt it). Actually, my conduit run on the outside of the trailer is painted, to match the exterior color of the trailer. Psheww, dodged a bullet, I guess.

BTW, I also used 4 ga. welding cable from combiner to controller.

smkettner wrote:

Fisherguy wrote:
2-4 ga is better than 4-10 ga isn't it, as far as voltage loss etc? Not to mention the welding cable would be easier to work with than the UV rated MC4 cables I'd think..?

Depends on equipment. How many amps and what controller? Expansion plans?

You probably had a thread on it....

I pulled #10 MC4 wire through the strain relief, down the fridge vent, through the wall to the furnace, through the floor, across underneath, forward to the front compartment, through that wall and up to the cut off switch. Yes it took some time but not exactly difficult. Yes the wire is a bit stiff but that also helps it hold the position and push through any drilled holes. Smaller drill bit also. 7.5 amps, 90 volts DC.

To make pulling wire easier be sure to unroll the coil same as it was created. If you just pull off the side and straighten the resulting spring-coil you will add a bit of a twist to the wire and it will be more prone to kink.

Ya, I was a tel lineman, I get the kinky cable thing.

I'm going for the max 3% loss Morningstar recommends, that's why the 4 ga. 3-150 watt panels with room to add a 4th, Tristar 45amp PWM controller.


My 4 ga will come down the fridge vent, through the bottom of it into the power centrer area, through the floor and to the front of the trailer via 3/4" PVC conduit underneath the trailer and back up into the area under the sofa where my PD and Inverter are, that's where the controller will go.
2-4ga in the 3/4" conduit will be tight (plus the phone cable for the remote display). 25 feet of 4 ga, don't think that would work with 4-10 ga.

Powder coating and aluminum seem to do OK on my roof. The 4-panels use water-proof rubber coated conduit that was expensive 20-years ago. The Crown bus roof is arched. Tough to work on.

Fisherguy wrote:
2-4 ga is better than 4-10 ga isn't it, as far as voltage loss etc? Not to mention the welding cable would be easier to work with than the UV rated MC4 cables I'd think..?

Depends on equipment. How many amps and what controller? Expansion plans?

You probably had a thread on it....

I pulled #10 MC4 wire through the strain relief, down the fridge vent, through the wall to the furnace, through the floor, across underneath, forward to the front compartment, through that wall and up to the cut off switch. Yes it took some time but not exactly difficult. Yes the wire is a bit stiff but that also helps it hold the position and push through any drilled holes. Smaller drill bit also. 7.5 amps, 90 volts DC.

To make pulling wire easier be sure to unroll the coil same as it was created. If you just pull off the side and straighten the resulting spring-coil you will add a bit of a twist to the wire and it will be more prone to kink.

TechWriter wrote:

smkettner wrote:
Sure, why not?

https://www.solarblvd.com
(item in center of picture)

Or use Metal Strain Relief Fittings.

BTW, I used those plastic electrical boxes that some here have suggested in my first solar install -- never again. The plastic and/or the rubber gaskets will degrade and warp after a few years in the sun.

Thanks. Funny people were questioning the UV resistance of something I was going to put in the shade suggested plastic boxes on the roof that (it turns out) don't do so well in the sun.

I used a 4" weatherproof box on my A-Frame for fuses for my inverter and PD and a 6" for my shunt and so far they're holding up well, they're on the inside of the A-frame though, doesn't get a whole lotta sun there compared to being baked up on the roof.

smkettner wrote:
Sure, why not?

https://www.solarblvd.com
(item in center of picture)

Or use Metal Strain Relief Fittings.

BTW, I used those plastic electrical boxes that some here have suggested in my first solar install -- never again. The plastic and/or the rubber gaskets will degrade and warp after a few years in the sun.