Solar combiner box

Look for plain junction boxes. They are solid and you can drill the holes you want. Then you can use strain relief/cable gland for water tight connections. Glue in your grounding blocks and your set to go.

pigman1 wrote:
I wasn't expecting it to last long either. I was planning on using it as a sacrificial cover but it lasted 4+ years on the last RV and when we traded it, it showed no signs of deterioration.

You live in Delaware . . . I'm in Arizona.

TechWriter wrote:

pigman1 wrote:
I've also covered it with common black split loom available at ACE or any electrical supplier or auto supply store.

I don't think that ACE stuff will last long.

I covered my solar wire with Eternabond tape.

I wasn't expecting it to last long either. I was planning on using it as a sacrificial cover but it lasted 4+ years on the last RV and when we traded it, it showed no signs of deterioration.

pigman1 wrote:
I've also covered it with common black split loom available at ACE or any electrical supplier or auto supply store.

I don't think that ACE stuff will last long.

I covered my solar wire with Eternabond tape.

A lot of good ideas here and all look like they work well. Just a note about outside wiring and UV deterioration. I've been using the grey Corlon PVC outside around the farm for the past 20+ years. In no cases have I had the stuff get brittle, break or otherwise become un-serviceable. A bigger problem is the cables from the panels to the box. We are using 10ga stranded sun resistant Romex we got from Northern Arizona Wind and Sun. I've also covered it with common black split loom available at ACE or any electrical supplier or auto supply store. The cables are much more susceptible to sun damage than the Corlon PVC.

Spent under $20 at Home Depot. Used plastic outdoor electrical junction box with 4 in/outlets and two bus bars with associated items for waterproofing. After mounted on roof, waterproofed with Dicor Caulk and a final layer of alum tape to reflect sunight. I have 4 cables coming from two solar panel arrays entering in two in/outlets from the panels and one set of wires existing in a single in/outlet to the solar controller. Have another empty in/outlet for one more array of panels if needed or desired in future with plenty of room on the bus bars. 720 watts of solar. Looked like this with more in/outlets, http://www.freesunpower.com/project2.php

rocmoc n AZ/Fld/Baja

I did look at a box at Home Depot it was 6x6x6 but that is quite large they also have a 6x4x6 but what do you glue the bus bars down with

I've just started building mine. Found a 5X7 weatherproof box on-line that didn't already have holes in it. I glued an automotive type fuse block inside that holds up to 6 fuses. For the grounds I'm just using a ground strip picked up at the local hardware store. All the wiring will be brought into the box with waterproof strain reliefs that I also picked up on line. 10g wire coming in from each panel, 6g dropping down to the controller, 5 panels hooked in series. The fuse box is pretty small so I debated using a 4X4 box but it would have been pretty tough to run all the strain reliefs into it.

westend wrote:
... and filled the center with caulk, once pulled

This is what I was about to ask/suggest - in light of the missing fridge vent - why not exiting #4 from the box right into the roof? Then there will be only one 2*#10 connector into the box. How #4 exits down the hole, is not important because the box is weatherproof and sitting flat on the roof, screwed to plywood, in a pool of Dicor.

IIRC, Renoman on the list of completed projects did exactly this. With LiquidTight plastic conduit fitting for exit. OP will have to make this big hole at some place anyway.

Learning curve...

red31 wrote:

Colo Native wrote:

red31 wrote:

Colo Native wrote:


I already have the wire with tyco connectors.

open up the box on the back of the panel and get rid of them!

hook anything to them you'd like.

That is easier said than done as they are direct wired besides I have the wire with connectors already. The deal on the panels was to good to pass up.

so you've opened em and looked.

with wires with connectors already, hook it up already!

Yes and there is no way to remove them from the box