Using Regular Solid Copper Wire

[Alex9]

Hi, I'm helping someone start a barebones cheap system. They'll have 3x145w panel on their roof with a 30ft wire run to a 12v battery in the house. Are there any concerns using regular 10-12awg solid copper wire vs stranded copper?
Thank you

[Sunking]

How are you going to terminate it?

[Alex9]

How are you going to terminate it?

I'm thinking I can solder them.

[inetdog]

I'm thinking I can solder them.

Soldering stranded wire to a connector of any kind makes it more likely to break than if just a proper compression crimp is used. Probably not as much of a difference on solid.

Whenever you solder, you should plan on some sort of strain relief on the wire side of the connection past the point that the solder has wicked up to.

If you are thinking of just soldering your wire directly to the module leads and wrapping tape around it, that would be a very bad idea. You have to be able to disconnect for maintenance, testing, etc.

[Alex9]

Soldering stranded wire to a connector of any kind makes it more likely to break than if just a proper compression crimp is used. Probably not as much of a difference on solid.

Whenever you solder, you should plan on some sort of strain relief on the wire side of the connection past the point that the solder has wicked up to.

If you are thinking of just soldering your wire directly to the module leads and wrapping tape around it, that would be a very bad idea. You have to be able to disconnect for maintenance, testing, etc.

Thank you. Is it ok to crimp and/or use the compression terminals with solid copper?

[inetdog]

Thank you. Is it ok to crimp and/or use the compression terminals with solid copper?

If and only if the terminals are rated for that use. It depends....

[Alex9]

If and only if the terminals are rated for that use. It depends....

Is it a matter of losses and for just a 435watt system is it something to be concerned about? Again just trying to help them get by because they have almost no money and are without electricity.
Thanks again

[green]

Maybe you could pick up a terminal block or a buss bar of some sort and come up with a junction box and make your connections with that.

Just a thought,
Green

[Alex9]

Maybe you could pick up a terminal block or a buss bar of some sort and come up with a junction box and make your connections with that.

Just a thought,
Green

Thank you

[inetdog]

Is it a matter of losses and for just a 435watt system is it something to be concerned about? Again just trying to help them get by because they have almost no money and are without electricity.
Thanks again

It is a matter of losses mostly when putting batteries in parallel or when drawing high DC current into an inverter.
The rest of the time the concern is generating heat which can damage the connection or the wire, causing more heat and/or arcing and potentially starting a fire.

[Alex9]

It is a matter of losses mostly when putting batteries in parallel or when drawing high DC current into an inverter.
The rest of the time the concern is generating heat which can damage the connection or the wire, causing more heat and/or arcing and potentially starting a fire.

Thank you very much