What's this tool?

[djohns6]

Does it inject some type of sealant into a connector ?

 

[iwire]

Marc is good, they are 'Sunpower' modules and Sunpower does have a UL listed grounding clip, but we are not using a Sunpower mounting system so no grounding clips, I had to run an EGC to each panel.

The tool is no doubt a modified caulking gun, our price for it was just under $300.00

The tool is used to force the weather proof boots over the crimped on plugs used to interconnect the panels to the homeruns.

You place the rubber boot on the white spindle, place it in the tool, place the wire with its crimped end into the spindle and start pumping the handle. That forces the rubber boot up the spindle and over the terminal on the wire.

 

[mdshunk]

Groovy, thanks. Now, who makes it? :wink:

 

[iwire]

Groovy, thanks. Now, who makes it? :wink:

The caulking gun or the boot tool? :grin:

The Caulking gun says "Made In England" but the crimp on connectors, rubber boots, the crimping tool and boot tool all came from a Switzerland based company.


http://www.multi-contact.com/

 

[ItsHot]

It's a apparatus!

 

[Dennis Alwon]

It's a apparatus!

No, It's an apparatus. I couldn't resist.

 

[mdshunk]

It's a apparatus!

Uh-huh. They call it "Assembly device PV-RWZ" Those wild and crazy Swiss.

It seems they make a connector system to let you just plug the PV panels into each other. That'll make things easier down the road. Hail damage replacement, roof repairs, etc. cool.

 

[Brady Electric]

What's this tool

What's this tool

Looks like he is assembling a solar panel and working on a bracket that holds it up.
Semper Fi Buddy

 

[Brady Electric]

What's this tool

What's this tool

Sorry Guy's
I answered before reading all the post.
Semper Fi Buddy

 

[iwire]

It seems they make a connector system to let you just plug the PV panels into each other. That'll make things easier down the road. Hail damage replacement, roof repairs, etc. cool.

All the panel brands we are working with use that style connector.

Evergreen Solar, Suntec, Sunpower and there is another I can not remember now.

The panels ship with positive and negative whips with these connectors pre-installed, the whips are long enough to reach the panel beside it. This works well as we place 8 to 15 panels in series to boost the voltage closer to 500 VDC.

 

[mdshunk]

The panels ship with positive and negative whips with these connectors pre-installed, the whips are long enough to reach the panel beside it. This works well as we place 8 to 15 panels in series to boost the voltage closer to 500 VDC.

Keying these connectors together at night, so you're not doing hot work? :grin:

 

[iwire]

Keying these connectors together at night, so you're not doing hot work? :grin:

They are 'finger safe' and can be done hot, but they are not to be opened or closed with a load on them.

Basically we land the Homerus in the combiner box first (Think of a fuse panel used in reverse) pull all the fuses then connect the panels to the homerus.

 

[wirebender]

....You can hold down the CTRL key and run the mouse wheel up and down to make the picture bigger and smaller.

Cool! Learn something every day.

Thanks, Marc.