MC4 disconnect tool that actually fit MC4 connectors

[pclausen]

I have gone through 3 different brands of MC4 disconnect tools. What I'm finding with all of them, is that the "fingers" are too thick to fit into the MC4 connectors to disconnect them. The ones I tried were all sold as MC4 tools, not H4 tools, which I understand are slightly larger.

I'm talking about the MC4 connections on the panels themselves that connect to my micro inverters. I have a total of 128 60 cell panels, ranging from 265 to 300 watts from 3 different manufactures. They all supposedly have MC4 connectors and not H4.

Reason I need a good tool is that I often have inverters fail, and therefore need to be able to swap out inverters. I have had about 30 fail so far and currently have 9 additional failed inverters in my array just waiting for RMA replacements to show up. Most of my panels are ground mounted, but I do have 54 panels that are roof mounted. Un-clipping the MC4 connectors from a roof panels while they are still mounted is a real pain without a good fitting tool. Believe me, I know!

Any recommendations on a brand and specific model that will actually work, would be great appreciated! I don't mind paying a little extra for a quality tool that will work as opposed to the cheap plastic tools that are $6.99 on Amazon.

[bcroe]

I have gone through 3 different brands of MC4 disconnect tools. What I'm finding with all of them, is that the "fingers" are too thick to fit into the MC4 connectors to disconnect them. The ones I tried were all sold as MC4 tools, not H4 tools, which I understand are slightly larger.

Reason I need a good tool is that I often have inverters fail, and therefore need to be able to swap out inverters. I have had about 30 fail so far and currently have 9 additional failed inverters in my array just waiting for RMA replacements to show up. Most of my panels are ground mounted, but I do have 54 panels that are roof mounted. Un-clipping the MC4 connectors from a roof panels while they are still mounted is a real pain without a good fitting tool.

I experienced the same issues, the plastic tools just did not get the job done. My solution
was to cut an opening in a flat piece of metal, filed a bit to get the ideal shape. The one
most like the plastic tools was steel, but for some MC4s it was too thin. I made another
from thicker aluminum stock. Given the potential shock hazard, these were very well
electrical taped up except to the tip. Need a picture.

I only had to unplug a couple panels for failures in my simple string system. But the
wiring was rearranged quite a bit over time and more than a hundred panels were
unplugged at least once. It can still be difficult, but the metal never bends or breaks.

Bruce Roe

[bcroe]

I experienced the same issues, the plastic tools just did not get the job done. My solution
was to cut an opening in a flat piece of metal, filed a bit to get the ideal shape. The one
most like the plastic tools was steel, but for some MC4s it was too thin. I made another
from thicker aluminum stock. Given the potential shock hazard, these were very well
electrical taped up except to the tip.

It can still be difficult, but the metal never bends or breaks.
Bruce Roe

Here is a pic of the tools I use on MC4s, which can still be difficult. Bruce Roe

MC4metal.JPG

[pclausen]

Appreciate the feedback. Those tools look like they will last a couple of lifetimes! I'll see about fabbing something up from metal stock before I get going on replaced my failed roof inverters this go around. And I'll be sure to wrap them up well.

In hind sight, I should have just mounted them all on the ground. So much easier to maintain. Of course I never expected to be replacing inverters on a regular basis.