I've been watching CL for a deal on wire before i had to buy it retail. Today I picked up 100 ft of 1/0 for $150, a little big for my needs but cheaper than buying a smaller gauge at retail.It will be the run down from the three panels running 30a plus at 30v or so. It will have to be good enough for the run from the controller to the batteries, just getting it into the terminals will be interesting.

Go Jim!You may have to fashion some reducers to get down to the size compatible with the controller. My controller listed #8 as the largest size possible but I bought gold plated spade connectors for car audio that fit the AWG 4 and the controller terminals. Good luck with the new power plant, Jim!

is that copper ?or copper clad Aluminum ?IIRC anaconda is/was an Aluminum company

Why such overkill? Seems like a big waste and a lot of effort for connections. Please explain.Dave

Jim, I use heavy duty terminal ring connectors, with no more than a 5/16" hole, and modify them to fit the screw down. I simply cut off all but a section about 3/16" wide, by whatever thickness the connector is (say 1/8"). This gives me a tab about 3/16" wide x say 1/8" thick x about 5/8" long. These make for a very secure connection with any screw down connection.Heavy Duty Tinned Copper EndsIf they interfere with each other, i.e; if the slots on the solar controller are too close together; you can turn the modified connector ends sideways, for the same secure connection.

Voltage drop shouldn't be a issue I hope. | Good Sam Community

29 Replies

RLS7201
Explorer II
Oct 23, 2016
MrWizard wrote:
What does 70sqmm equal in awg
My HF crimper has dies to 00 gauge

Answer on youtube.

Richard
ktmrfs
Explorer III
Oct 23, 2016
MrWizard wrote:
is that copper ?

or copper clad Aluminum ?

IIRC anaconda is/was an Aluminum company

I lived for years near the main anaconda wire mill. it was all copper, copper coming from the mine in butte.
but i'd still check
JiminDenver
Explorer II
Oct 23, 2016
I picked up the pin lugs from Morris products, 1/0-2 gauge. They look great except the 1/0 hasn't a chance of fitting. I thought of sending them back and getting a bigger size but the larger sizes have larger pins too. Luckily I haven't packed up the drill press yet and can run a 3/8 bit down each to open them up enough.
RCMAN46
Explorer
Jun 18, 2015
MrWizard wrote:
is that copper ?

or copper clad Aluminum ?

IIRC anaconda is/was an Aluminum company

Anaconda copper was at one time one of the largest copper producers. Think Butte Montana.

Anaconda was first a copper company and added aluminum in 1955. First started as a copper company in 1899.
MrWizard
Moderator
Jun 17, 2015
well with dies for 90mm sq and 120mm sq
it should be More than large enough
it certainly looks to be a healthy size
time2roll
Nomad
Jun 17, 2015
JiminDenver wrote:
I decided to buy a crimping tool after looking for the vise plates for a while this morning. I found a half a dozen smaller crimpers but nothing big enough to do 1/0.

I didn't buy the HF tool because of the small dies and it would have to be shipped here. I found this one on ebay with a few dies bigger for $39 including shipping. Most of the less expensive ones only had dies up to the 70 size, I wanted to make sure I had one big enough.

click.

Should serve you very well.
JiminDenver
Explorer II
Jun 17, 2015
The 50 is suppose to be 1/0 or at least I saw that on a number of them that said they did 1/0. I believe the 70 is for 2/0 and that's what most of the ebay ones had. For me getting the extra larger dies means less of a chance of having the same issue the HF tool has and also not duplicating the smaller sizes I already have tools for. Some of the die sets were for 1/0 and larger.
MrWizard
Moderator
Jun 17, 2015
What does 70sqmm equal in awg
My HF crimper has dies to 00 gauge
westend
Explorer
Jun 17, 2015
Jim,
Please, let us know how the crimper works out. It's one tool that I don't have and would come in handy for various projects.
TIA
JiminDenver
Explorer II
Jun 17, 2015
I decided to buy a crimping tool after looking for the vise plates for a while this morning. I found a half a dozen smaller crimpers but nothing big enough to do 1/0.

I didn't buy the HF tool because of the small dies and it would have to be shipped here. I found this one on ebay with a few dies bigger for $39 including shipping. Most of the less expensive ones only had dies up to the 70 size, I wanted to make sure I had one big enough.

click.