More and more people are deciding on a photovoltaic installation. Thanks to it, you can save a lot, and at the same time do something good for the environment. It is worth remembering that its extremely important element is the solar cable. It is worth learning more about it and choosing the right model.
What is a solar cable?
Each photovoltaic installation requires special cabling, and this is where solar cables come in handy, as they are used to connect PV installations together. It is worth paying attention to their characteristic structure. They are made of flexible copper wire, which has been galvanized to increase durability. Another important element is the insulation and coating made of halogen-free material. It is resistant to sunlight, but also to changing weather conditions. In addition, the coating is oil-resistant. You also need to know that solar cables can be used not only inside buildings, but also outside, and even in the ground. Solar cable is used in the production of electricity. It plays a very important role in solar cells or solar panel systems. It is used to connect individual panels, as well as panels with an inverter. The cables available in the Onninen wholesaler's offer can be easily adapted even to a large photovoltaic installation. In addition, they meet the most stringent quality standards. They tolerate temperatures from minus 40 to 90 degrees very well.
Check out the solar cables at the Onninen wholesaler
How to choose a solar cable?
Solar cable is also called photovoltaic cable, which is closely linked to the entire system. The operation of photovoltaics depends on its quality. Here, the question arises - how to choose a solar cable? Well, you have to take into account its strength parameters, as well as the type of insulation used. Another important criterion is the quality of the connectors, which should obviously be the highest. In this way, you can avoid system failure, which is associated with high repair costs. It is best to choose products that have double insulation, not only basic, but also additional, which are separated by a metal partition. In this way, you gain additional protection against fire or electric shock. You also have to remember that the bend radius of the cable should be large. In this way, installation is definitely faster and easier, and you also gain additional protection against internal damage. The flexibility of the core should be maintained in class 5 or 6. Cables connected using MC4 connectors definitely work well. They show really high resistance to weather conditions. Thanks to this, there is no need to use additional covers. Such connectors must be firmly attached to the rails, because in this way it is possible to minimize the penetration of moisture into them. It is not necessary to forget about the arrangement of solar cables. It is worth protecting them from friction and sliding.
Solar cable cross section
Solar cables should comply with the PN-EN 50618:2015-03 standard. When it comes to the grounding cable, you can choose a 16 mm2 model, which has a metal structure and radiation-resistant insulation. The core should be flexible and galvanized, preferably made of copper. In addition, the cables should meet the requirements of thermal resistance tests in accordance with the UNE-EN 60216 standard. They should be adapted to operate even at high voltages of up to 1000 VDC. The cross-section of the photovoltaic installation cable should be selected according to the parameters of the given installation, and here you should take into account the power of the inverter, the voltage level, but also the type of cable material. At a voltage of 320 V, a wire cross-section of 2.5 mm2 is most often used. You also need to calculate the length of the wire, and here the formula applies: L = L1 + L2.
Solar cable 4mm or 6mm
Solar cables play a very important role in every photovoltaic installation. They are one of the key elements of the entire system's operation. Therefore, they should be selected taking into account their quality, but also their cross-section. It is important to know that the permissible current intensity for a given cable must be higher than the maximum current that will flow through it.
To determine the cable cross-section, it is best to use the formula where the wire cross-section = (lxn)/Uxkx0.01
- n is the length of the circumference in meters
- l is the current intensity
- U is the circuit voltage
- k is the conductivity of the material
- 0.01 is the allowable circuit losses.
It is worth paying attention to the mechanism of selecting power cables for inverters. In the case of an inverter power of 3 to 7.5 kW, a 4 mm solar cable should be used, while in the case of an inverter power of 7.5 to 11 kW, a 6 mm solar cable will work well.