advise: wire connectors for portable flex solar panels

[iloozyun]

i'm using two 100 watt flexable solar panels.  they came with the mc4 connectors, and i do not like them for my portable set-up, since i store my panels in the van and set them up away from the van in the sunshine, and the mc4's are too much of a pain to connect and disconnect every time. what i've done so far is took an mc4 y-connector that i use to connect the two panels, cut off the mc4 connector on the single leg, and spliced on an sae quick disconnect for the run between the panels and the charge controller- this has worked without any loss in amps produced.  but i still have the 4 mc4 connections from the panels to the y-connector to deal with.   i just got some anderson pole connectors, thinking to replace all connections with these, but in testing it out on an old panel, it seems like the anderson connectors don't input as much juice to my batteries as the mc4 or sae connectors.  plus, since these connections are outside, i am concerned about long-term exposure to the elements.  long story short, anyone have ideas on connectors for my application?  i'm using 10/2 low voltage landscape wire right now that i picked up in yuma on a whim, which, surprisingly to me, pumps as many amps into my battery as the stuff sold as solar wire, and this new wire is built like household appliance wire- super flexible, dual run, and takes up less space than the heavy, stiff solar wire.  i'm just a bit stumped on the best way to make connections to replace the darned mc4's.

 

[John61CT]

may be overkill

http://m.northerntool.com/products/shop~tools~product_200659216_200659216

less robust

https://www.amazon.com/CES-Gauge-Quick-Disconnect-Harness/dp/B006ZOGYUU

True Andersons should be high-current, maybe you got knock-offs?

 

[iloozyun]

may be overkill

http://m.northerntool.com/products/shop~tools~product_200659216_200659216

less robust

https://www.amazon.com/CES-Gauge-Quick-Disconnect-Harness/dp/B006ZOGYUU

True Andersons should be high-current, maybe you got knock-offs?

• hey, thanks!  the northern tool link looks like for really heavy wire only, but yes, that exact ces quick disconnect is exactly what i went with at first, and seems to be great except i'm concerned for it being outside.  i did heat-shrink it up good though.  so you think that one is fine- good, since it's what i came up with after a lot of research- should have asked you first and saved some time hey.      regarding the andersons, i ended up ordering the ones with 30 amp fittings, but the metal bit you crimp the wire to was really too tight for my 10 awg wire ( which i crammed in there anyway), and then i read that i probably actually need 45 amp connectors for my 200 watt solar system, so i just ordered some of those.  will that be likely to allow more amps to flow into my batts?  i'm pulling about 5 amps per panel with the 30 amp anderson, when i usually pull 6 with the mc4.   i'm fairly sure i got genuine andersons, and i saw that the crimp parts are interchangeable in the housings for 15/30/45, which is cool- i really wanted to use anderson all around after reading about them, since they come so well-recommended by the folks using them, even though i could not find anyone using them in a solar application.

 

[John61CT]

Always "round up" rather than down to ensure low voltage/power drops.

But the thicker gauge for carrying current long distance does not need to be carried through all the way to final termination.

No problem "converting" diameter with the right "step down butt splice".

So going UP in size before the end is of course OK if you like a particular connector style.

Keep testing until you match the MC4, quality of your termination crimps is critical.

https://www.google.com/search?q=Maine-Sail+crimp+termination

 

[John61CT]

Thicker gauges for the ​universal 2-way flat molded connector loop type.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B01GK9HV9C

 

[Michael4104]

On the MC4 connectors just remove (cut off) the locking tabs. Life will get much better. ?

 

[Trebor English]

spliced on an sae quick disconnect for the run between the panels and the charge controller- this has worked without any loss in amps produced

I also use the 1/4 inch spade quick disconnects.  I put the female with heat shrink over it on the hot side and the exposed male connector on the load side just like 120 volt household plugs.  I mark them with red and black permanent marker so that I don't plug things in backwards.

Usually a good stout jerk on the wire will pull it out of the connector if the crimp isn't right.  I haven't had any issues with high resistance connections.  I put a bit of silicone grease on the wire before I crimp it to keep water and corrosion out of the connection.

If you already have quick disconnects in the 10 amp wire with both panels connected, the same connectors should be OK in the 5 amp wires from the two individual panels.  You need some 2 inch long pieces of smaller wire like 12 gauge to make quick disconnect Y connectors.

 

[highdesertranger]

Stern Wake needs to chime in here. I have Andersons on my jumper cables they have been exposed to the elements for 20+ years and still work fine. you can get a tool for MC4 connectors that make unplugging them easy, https://www.amazon.com/KINGSOLARTM-...=UTF8&qid=1490970369&sr=8-2&keywords=mc4+tool . highdesertranger

 

[SternWake]

SAE connectors wear out quickly and can only handle 20 amps with 10AWG wire for brief periods.


How are you measuring this 'seemingly less juice' from the panels through anderson powerpoles?

I regularly pass 40 amps through my 45 amp powerpoles.  Yes they get warm, but the SAE connectors I had employed widely before would get plastic melting hot at 25 amps.

Properly crimped and assembled powerpoles  in the 30 and 45 amp flavors are much better connectors than SAE with much more surface area making contact and much more spring pressure keeping the contacts together.

They are not perfect, but they are far superior to SAE 12v connectors in my opinion and experience.

I have several on 10-2 landscape lighting, which I do not consider to be very flexible, but it is more flexible than some dedicated 10 gauge solar wire I bought which uses only 7 copper strands.

Mc4 connectors are obviously not designed for repeated connecting and disconnection cycles and will likely wear out prematurely and cause more and more resistance.

 

[iloozyun]

On the MC4 connectors just remove (cut off) the locking tabs. Life will get much better. ?

huh, light bulb moment here- i can't believe i didn't think of that before,  thank you!  i'm going to do that right away, while i work on other connector solutions that are 'slimmer', less bulky than the mc4, but bravo, mc4 tool hassle eliminated.

 

[iloozyun]

How are you measuring this 'seemingly less juice' from the panels through anderson 

Properly crimped and assembled powerpoles  in the 30 and 45 amp flavors are much better connectors than SAE 


i 'measured'- very unscientifically-  by checking input on my charge controller with the anderson versus the sae connector head-to-head, and i was getting 5 amps with the andersons versus 6 with the sae...  so i think you make a great point, one that i need to follow up on, in that i'm new to these anderson powerole connectors, and maybe i need to re-do my crimping and check the results.  also, i did not realize that my initial order of the powerpoles were 30 amp (too small diameter for my 10 awg wire really, and probably not enough to carry 200, sometimes 300, watts of solar?) so now i ordered the 45 amp metal contacts, and will see if that helps.  i really like the anderson concept- i like that there is no spliced wire like with the sae connectors- nice and neat-, that the male/female parts are singular (way less confusing and much neater wiring in the end when marrying two panels), and they have a fantastic reputation from what i researched, so with everyone's input and help here, i bet i can get this done right...

 

[SternWake]

Properly crimping the 45's without their special crimping tool is difficult.  I've gotten 8awg into them but have to destrand to 10AWG thickness right at the crimp.  I Solder over the crimp, and use the dremel if i have to to get it to fit in the housing.  Screwed up more than a few too doing this  Their special crimper is desirable, and can be used on regular crimps too.

What I really disliked about the SAE connectors was it was easy to mistake a output plug with an input and cause a reverse polarity or a direct short.  Double checking it was mandatory

I have one 30 amp powerpole on 10-2 landscape wire that regularly passes 40 amps/ 600ish watts without issue.

Losing an Amp in the connector, it would get seriously hot.

 

[John61CT]

Sure would like to be able to use my AMP "Rota Crimp" 600850-1 for these, any suggestions?

Rather than having to pay $250+ each for the official ones.

At the low end, is the West Mountain crimper better than the PowerWerx one?