4mm or 6mm cabling for Solar Panel installation (1 Viewer)

[Wollow007]

Hi Guy's,

Got the cabling coming from the room from suppliers.

Want to go for a decent internal cabling from regulator to batteries so going to get some tri-rated cable.

Question is 4mm, which has the sufficen load capacity or 6mm to keep the loss low?

Cheers :thumb:

 

[SuperMike]

Always, the bigger the better. As the actress said to the bishop.

 

[Wollow007]

Ordered 6mm

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[Ridgeway]

2mm will make the difference, said the actress

 

[scotjimland]

Cable sizing calculator for solar panels..

http://www.solar-wind.co.uk/cable-sizing-DC-cables.html

 

[Reallyretired]

Depends on how many/how big the panel(s) are. My 325W has 16mm cable giving a potential 2% loss in 3M which I think is acceptable.
This thickness of cable is available from Maplins where it is sold as speaker cable for those thumping bass systems in boy racers bangers.

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[Wollow007]

Calculator very cool thank you.

Looks like 160w of panels over 6mm 10awg with a run from regulator to batteries is around 4% loss. I guess the solar cable to regulator has the same loss calculation?

What you guys do about fuses, trying to find an inline to connect near the batteries on the live feed from the regulator?

Cheers guys :thumb:

 

[Reallyretired]

Make sure you have a fuse between the panel and the regulator as well, this can be removed to protect the regulator if you need to disconnect the battery at any time. Maplin do in line fuse holders for standard blade fuses up to 40A and for giant blade fuses up to 150A (though you only need big ones for an inverter).