Curly solar cable

[webcraft]

I need to add some curly cable to my solar panels so I can swivel them to horizontal.

Anyone know where I can get some? Any 4mm2 curly wire would probably do.

- W

 

[rotrax]

You can wind your own. I use a bit of 6mm studding and just wind the cable around, ensuring the end is loose so no twist occurs. Once the amount you want to be coiled is complete it can be taped in place overnight. I have done it loads of times with perfect results.

 

[lamdar]

I bought this from ebay a few month ago for my 50W solar panel

Pardon our interruption...

As I remember oddly this is the only tinned coiled wire from this seller.

 

[lustyd]

I bought this from ebay a few month ago for my 50W solar panel

Pardon our interruption...

As I remember oddly this is the only tinned coiled wire from this seller.

That's 1mm² cable so not ideal for solar installations. At 3m length (.75 is coiled length) it'll drop around half a volt on a 50W panel and almost 1V on a 100W panel. That might even be enough to prevent an MPPT from working when you add in the additional cable between that and the MPPT since you need 5V above battery voltage at the MPPT inputs.

 

[GHA]

That might even be enough to prevent an MPPT from working when you add in the additional cable between that and the MPPT since you need 5V above battery voltage at the MPPT inputs.

This is incorrect, with Victron MPPT's anyway. They need solar voltage to be 5v above bat voltage to turn on in the morning but that takes next to no light as the panels are open circuit. Panels need to be 1v above battery volts for the regulator to stay turned on.
Others have posted the same misinformation in the past as a reason to go with series panels. So if you get here from google...

9. Technical specifications

1b) The PV voltage must exceed Vbat + 5V for the controller to start. Thereafter the minimum PV voltage is Vbat + 1V.

 

[lustyd]

It also has to do with ability to pull the power through, so you'll get a lot less yield with lower voltage. Either way, a volt of drop is a bad thing in solar installs.

 

[GHA]

It also has to do with ability to pull the power through, so you'll get a lot less yield with lower voltage. Either way, a volt of drop is a bad thing in solar installs.

this is the bit you got wrong - since you need 5V above battery voltage at the MPPT inputs.
takes just a few seconds these days to check if you are about to post misinformation for the masses to read ....
https://www.perplexity.ai/

 

[rogerthebodger]

You can wind your own. I use a bit of 6mm studding and just wind the cable around, ensuring the end is loose so no twist occurs. Once the amount you want to be coiled is complete it can be taped in place overnight. I have done it loads of times with perfect results.

I did the same think for the curly cable for my radio hand set

 

[lustyd]

this is the bit you got wrong - since you need 5V above battery voltage at the MPPT inputs.
takes just a few seconds these days to check if you are about to post misinformation for the masses to read ....
https://www.perplexity.ai/

OK GHA is obviously having a bad day. Hope things improve for you soon.

Voltage drop is voltage drop, if the voltage is too low it's too low and you won't get the yield from the panels. We often get people complaining that their panels aren't getting the stated yield and this is one reason why not. Dropping 1V will lose you 4A on a 50W panel and 8W on a 100W panel.

Your pedantry added nothing to the conversation whatsoever.

 

[GHA]

Your pedantry added nothing to the conversation whatsoever.

Might do the world a favour and stop you posting misleading incorrect information in the future though, only takes a moment to check . Give it a go

 

[lustyd]

Might do the world a favour and stop you posting misleading incorrect information in the future though, only takes a moment to check . Give it a go

I didn't post anything misleading. You interpreted it poorly to justify being an arse on a forum.

 

[PaulRainbow]

this is the bit you got wrong - since you need 5V above battery voltage at the MPPT inputs.
takes just a few seconds these days to check if you are about to post misinformation for the masses to read ....
https://www.perplexity.ai/

Constantly posting ai on here is getting boring now, same as when every post you made was about SignalK.

 

[wonkywinch]

This forum seems to be going downhill with the continued bitchiness, old blokes rants and general disgreements. I can count on the fingers of one hand who is involved. I bet none of you would dare speak to someone face to face like this.

PS I could also count on the fingers of one hand how many chainsaw accidents I've had

 

[webcraft]

You can wind your own. I use a bit of 6mm studding and just wind the cable around, ensuring the end is loose so no twist occurs. Once the amount you want to be coiled is complete it can be taped in place overnight. I have done it loads of times with perfect results.

Do you use solar cable for this? Will it work with rwin core cable like this?



- W

 

[webcraft]

As for the rest of you - I asked a simple question and got a load of irrelevant squabbling. Some of you need to get a life.

I want coiled twin core 2.5mm2 cable to avoid voltage drop, OK? Also, the solar connectors I have will not fit 1mm2 wire.

- W

 

[Alex_Blackwood]

Do you use solar cable for this? Will it work with rwin core cable like this?

View attachment 185468

- W

At a guess, probably not, that cable is more like flat twin. As far as I can make out from the picture. I think that you will have difficulty finding 2 core 4mm curly coiled cable, not saying impossible but it will cost if you can find it. I have had a search and can't find anything. Probable best do as Rotax said and use something like this.
CM02/09 4.0mm Oceanflex Twin Core Tinned cable - Marine Electricals

 

[Daverw]

Have you looked for a small 13amp extension lead, these can have coiled leads, probably be white only though

 

[webcraft]

At a guess, probably not, that cable is more like flat twin. As far as I can make out from the picture. I think that you will have difficulty finding 2 core 4mm curly coiled cable, not saying impossible but it will cost if you can find it. I have had a search and can't find anything. Probable best do as Rotax said and use something like this.
CM02/09 4.0mm Oceanflex Twin Core Tinned cable - Marine Electricals

I will be happy with 2.5mm

So Oceanflex round 2 core 2.5mm would coil satisfactorily, you reckon?

— W

 

[webcraft]

Have you looked for a small 13amp extension lead, these can have coiled leads, probably be white only though

I need 2.5mm cross section to make good connections and avoid a voltage drop.

- W

 

[rotrax]

Do you use solar cable for this? Will it work with rwin core cable like this?

View attachment 185468

- W

It will work with any cable. I first did it with 3 core mains cable that fed a 240v lead lamp for illuminating cars in our pit at the garage. It wound itself up and kept the cable off of the floor of the pit.

When you think about it, how else can they possibly make close coiled cables!