Cabling

Selecting too thin cables and wrong fuses or breakers (or omitting them) can damage your equipment and cause a fire! If you are not sure what you are doing, ask a professional to help you choose the right cable sizes, fuses or breakers!

Electrons travel through cables like water travels through pipes. There are different cables for different applications. Here are the different features:

The most important property. When a cable is too thin for the electrical current that goes through it, it can overheat, and even catch fire.

Shorter is better! A shorter cable loses less of the energy that passes through it. The longer it is, the thicker it needs to be.

The wire diameter is measured in AWG (American Wire Gauge). The higher the number, the thinner the cable is.

You can use the chart below to calculate the necessary cable size:

Source: https://www.bluesea.com/resources/1437

The metallic core of a cable is made of copper (better) or aluminum (cheaper). The plastic insulation prevents short circuits and injury through electric shock for the user.

Solar panel cables use a special plastic coating that does not degrade in direct sunlight.

• Solid wire is cheaper and more rigid. Movement or vibration, like they occur on a car or boat, can cause it to break and cause a fire. This is why this type of cable should only be used in buildings.
• Stranded cables are more flexible, and suitable for mobile applications.

Connectors are necessary to safely connect cables to devices like batteries and solar panels.

Crimp Connectors exist in a variety of forms, sizes and qualities. They work by squeezing a metal tube, holding the cable in place and creating an electrical connection. Specialized tools and kits can be found in most hardware stores. Ring-shaped connectors are often used to connect to battery terminals.

Video: How to crimp

MC4 connectors are the standard connector for solar panels. They are waterproof and resistant to UV light.

Kits that contain the connectors and a special crimping tools can be found online, so you can assemble a cable to connect the panel to the charge controller. An easier way is to buy an MC4 extension cable.

Breakers and fuses will burn or trigger when the electric current reaches dangerous levels. They are important to protect the batteries and the other equipment that will be damaged by a too high current, and even prevent cables from catching fire.