Solar Help
I have an older Class B motorhome and have been thinking about solar. I can boondock now for 2 days before I have to recharge my 125ah battery. The only thing that draws power is the 12V fridge whic...
Forum Discussion
From the panel to roof junction box you use the stock cable with MC4 connectors that comes with the panels, #10 or #12. It is UV-stabile, normally. Cables from both panels will connect in parallel on the bus in that box, cut the MC4 connectors off, you won't need them in this scenario. Only if you need to use MC4 extension cable for one of those #12 cables to reach the box, you may keep MC4 connector on that cable. Then you run a single cable of proper ampacity from the box to controller, doesn't matter UV-stabile or not, because it won't be on the roof.
Yes, there is a common recommendation to buy a single MC4 extension cable and cut it in half and connect to the existing pair of MC4 "tails" on the panel, so that it will have bare ends on the roof junction box end (or on the controller end, if controller is really close). The only purpose of this is to avoid cutting the existing MC4 connectors, because cutting would void the panel warranty. I see it this way: if panel works when you pick it up (easy to test with multimeter), then it will work many more years, screw the warranty.
How to test solar panel - note that this one doesn't have cables with MC4 connectors.
Yes, there is a common recommendation to buy a single MC4 extension cable and cut it in half and connect to the existing pair of MC4 "tails" on the panel, so that it will have bare ends on the roof junction box end (or on the controller end, if controller is really close). The only purpose of this is to avoid cutting the existing MC4 connectors, because cutting would void the panel warranty. I see it this way: if panel works when you pick it up (easy to test with multimeter), then it will work many more years, screw the warranty.
How to test solar panel - note that this one doesn't have cables with MC4 connectors.
