MC4 connector tool kit?

[TwoBlocked]

Looking for suggestions on a quality tool kit for making MC4 connections. Also a good supply house and manufacturer for connections and cable. They've been just snipping off the connectors that come with panels and wiring up to the battery box is various, ugly ways.

 

[ggunn]

Looking for suggestions on a quality tool kit for making MC4 connections. Also a good supply house and manufacturer for connections and cable. They've been just snipping off the connectors that come with panels and wiring up to the battery box is various, ugly ways.

When you cut the connectors off a module's conductors you are almost certainly voiding any warranty from the module manufacturer.

 

[jaggedben]

I don't have strong feelings about crimpers. Like, you could pay $300 for the 'original' Reinsteig version or $30 for any of a variety of knockoffs and the most important thing is to keep your truck organized so you don't lose it. Like, buy two cheaper ones so if something happens to one of them you can still do the work the next day. Expect to have to replace them every now and then no matter how expensive they are.

You want the two plastic doohickies for tightening the strain-relief part, too. Might as well get a set that comes with those.

 

[jaggedben]

I mean, if I recall your other posts you are servicing small off-grid installations. If you were making lots of connections on utility scale systems I might have slightly different advice.

Either way, buy your own PV wire or USE-2 you don't need to buy premade cables with connectors. Pay attention to matching the cable to the connectors in this respect. The connectors sometimes come with different size gaskets in the strain relief part depending on the conductor outside dimension.

 

[jaggedben]

When you cut the connectors off a module's conductors you are almost certainly voiding any warranty from the module manufacturer.

At the same time, if I found someone had already done that and it was water under the bridge, that wouldn't stop me from crimping my own connectors back onto the leads.

 

[TwoBlocked]

When you cut the connectors off a module's conductors you are almost certainly voiding any warranty from the module manufacturer.

What I often see in the field is the connectors cut off and THHN butt spliced out in the weather.

 

[JJWalecka]

What I often see in the field is the connectors cut off and THHN butt spliced out in the weather.

the connectors on the photovoltaic cables are cut and butt spliced to THHN? did i read that correctly

 

[ggunn]

What I often see in the field is the connectors cut off and THHN butt spliced out in the weather.

Regardless, and unless things have changed in the last few years, cutting off the connectors voids the module warranty. I was told that by several module manufacturers some years ago when our installation crew wanted to do that. My advice would be to ask before you cut.

 

[jaggedben]

This whole thread is about him trying not to cut them.

 

[TwoBlocked]

the connectors on the photovoltaic cables are cut and butt spliced to THHN? did i read that correctly

Yes you read that correctly. The same fine folks I have been following behind also connected some heat tape leads between the common and the normally open terminals on a temp controller contactor. Guess that's why they never got heat on them.

 

[JJWalecka]

Yes you read that correctly. The same fine folks I have been following behind also connected some heat tape leads between the common and the normally open terminals on a temp controller contactor. Guess that's why they never got heat on them.

i would love to know how that would pass inspection do you have any photos?

 

[TwoBlocked]

i would love to know how that would pass inspection do you have any photos?

Sorry, no photos. Also, no inspection. This was a stand alone, 24V solar powered, battery back-up, gas well pad installation. For that matter, it is common to get the meter base/breaker panel installed on a pole with a GFCI receptacle for the inspector to look at and that's it. There are no dwellings, and usually no buildings involved, so there is no building permit. Everything else is later wired without benefit of an inspector. There is also no statewide requirement for a Master/Journeyman license nor any procedure to obtain or be recognized as having one.