how to use wire tap conetion for solar crash course

by Esteban Collins 10 min read

How do you use a wire tap connector?

0:272:39T-Tap Quick Slide Connectors For "Tapping" Into an Existing Wire or ...YouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipAnd close this just right over it so the blade is coming over the top take your pliers. And you'reMoreAnd close this just right over it so the blade is coming over the top take your pliers. And you're just going to squeeze it down until you hear it click. And you are done with that part.

How do you connect solar wire connectors?

1:373:27How To Make MC4 Connectors (For Wiring Your Camper Solar Panels)YouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipPlace the stripped wire into the open end of the male copper pin and squeeze my crimpers. Until theyMorePlace the stripped wire into the open end of the male copper pin and squeeze my crimpers. Until they release. Give the connector a solid tug just to make sure it's secure.

How do t-tap connectors work?

A T-tap connector works best by simply closing it over the wire and applying a slight crimp with a pliers. The single blade tin-plated brass will then self-strip the wires insulation and allow you to connect into the circuit. T-Taps can connect into the circuit through a male tab push-on terminal at the opposite side.

How do you crimp a solar connector?

0:582:30How to crimp and assemble a MC4 solar connector - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipHere ready to strip the solar cable for MC. 4 insert the cable into the 10 gauge cavity. Now stripMoreHere ready to strip the solar cable for MC. 4 insert the cable into the 10 gauge cavity. Now strip the cable removing. The outer jacket. Now we'll crimp the female pin onto the cable.

What are solar connectors?

Solar connectors facilitate electrical connectivity in solar energy systems. Numerous versions of connectors or standard non-connector junction boxes are employed in the solar industry and are the primary characteristic elements of solar modules.

Are all solar panel connectors the same?

These solar panel connectors are available in male and female types made to snap together. Connectors are of various types, the major ones being MC3, MC4, PV and Tyco Solarlok. Similarly, they come in many shapes such as T-Joint, U-Joint, X-Joint or Y-Joint. The most common type of solar connector is the MC4 connector.

What is a tap connector?

Tap connectors are used to connect hot and cold taps and come in metal or plastic options. They are designed to be quick and easy to use and range from versions suitable for regular household use to more robust, heavy-duty options for commercial systems.

How do you wire a quick connector?

1:293:21How to Use Push In Wire Connectors - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipPull it and twist it at the same time the connectors clamp Marrs the copper. The connectors can beMorePull it and twist it at the same time the connectors clamp Marrs the copper. The connectors can be reused but there's three conditions.

Are t tap connectors reliable?

T-tap connectors are unreliable and don't guarantee a secure connection. Posi-Taps provide ultimate wire penetration for a solid connection and a secure twist for reliable securement.

How do you use a solar connector tool?

0:041:19How to use MC4 Assembly/Disassembly Tool | RenogyYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipTo be able to use it for leverage tighten. The screw cap. To disconnect your mc4 connectors justMoreTo be able to use it for leverage tighten. The screw cap. To disconnect your mc4 connectors just take one of the MC for assembly tools using the two prongs. Place in between.

How do I check my MC4 connector?

Just like before, insert the stripped wire into the female pin. Place the pin's metal fins in your MC4 crimping tool. Crimp the pin to the wire. Give the crimp a little tug test to make sure the connection is solid.

How do you crimp MC4 connectors without tools?

0:427:59How To Make/Crimp MC4 Connectors - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipAnd slide it over the crimped wire and you want these little these little wings these little flapsMoreAnd slide it over the crimped wire and you want these little these little wings these little flaps down here to go down to the edge of the insulation.

Setup

For the sake of simplicity, I will use a specific set of equipment in the scenario described below. Obviously there are hundreds of different panels and charge controllers that can be used, but they are not all compatible with this example.

Using Your System

With this system, you can expect to be able to run about 1.6 kwh. This is equivalent to a small DC freezer, a 12vdc pump for 1 hr, a laptop for 3 hours, a Ham radio for a half hour, and several 12v LED lights for several hours per night. Or you can just run a single super-efficient AC Upright fridge/Freezer (not recommended)!

Charge Controllers and Why the Midnite KID?

PV panels can be directly hooked to a battery… BUT there are LOTS of problems with this. One, without blocking diodes, the batteries will back-feed the panels at night. Two, most panels (30 cell panels are the exception) can quickly overcharge and destroy your batteries.

Wires and Fuses

The Uni-Solar PVL-136 panels come with the older mc3 style connectors (not UL listed). Amazon and Ebay are full of MC3 style connectors. You can find MC3 branch connectors that will combine your pv positive and pv negative wires together. The “right” way to connect PV strings together is with a commercially available combiner box.

Batteries

I am assuming that you will be using standard Lead-Acid, AGM, or GEL batteries. There are more technologies out there, such as Nickel Iron and LFP, but they require more specific charging parameters. Most car batteries are Lead Acid batteries with liquid electrolyte.

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1. Backplane connector

Connects a daughter card and a backplane in a 90° vertical structure. Can transmit high-speed differential signals or single-end signals and large currents. Basic classification: DIN41621 connector; hard metric connector.

3. Connector for the automotive industry

Automotive connectors must comply with the USCAR-20 standard, which serves as a performance standard for automotive electrical connector systems, requiring electrical connectors’ contact surfaces to always be reliable throughout the entire service cycle of automobile connectors.

4. Board-to-board (BTB) connectors

They are indispensable miniature coupling plugs and sockets, and the power supply and signal between printed circuit boards (PCB) can be connected through pins of these connectors. They have the fastest transmission speed in comparison to the other types of connectors, going up to 28 Gbps.

5. Card edge connectors

The best example of these is the PCI slots on your PC. They are called card edge connectors because they sit at the edge of circuits. They are designed for high signal integrity (SI) on the printed circuit board.

6. Circular connectors

Circular connectors (circular interconnects), which were also commonly known as aviation plugs, are commonly used in aerospace applications due to their large through-current and good shielding capabilities.

7. D-sub connectors, D-sub miniature connectors

They are subminiature, D-shaped, connectors named after their shape. The typical applications of the D-Sub interface are VGA (DA15 female connector), parallel port (DB25 female connector), and COM serial port (DE9 male connector, RS232). Their screw-on design allows for high reliability. Although an old interface, they are still very common.

9. Fiber optic connectors

They are devices used for detachable (flexible) connection between optical fibers, which precisely connect the two end faces of optical fibers to couple the optical energy output by the transmitting optical fiber into the receiving optical fiber to the greatest extent, and minimize the influence of its intervention into the optical link on the system.

What happens when one item in a circuit is turned off?

Where one item or appliance in the circuit is turned off, the current will bypass it and access the parallel circuit appliances that are connected.

Is a single wire core a conductor?

Electrical wiring is categorized by the conductor type used. It can be a single metal wire core with a single-stranded conductor or it can be a multiple wire core with a multi-stranded conductor. The multiple stranded wire is better rated for performance in continuous vibration conditions, like that in trains, cars, planes, and boats.

Is PV wire more expensive than a thinner wire?

A thicker PV wire can support a higher amount of current (amps) but it is more expensive than a thinner wire. The extra initial cost for larger wires will provide a safeguard against any sudden power surges. You might accept the risk of a cheap undersized wire but be aware this risks suffering possible damages to the system when using a thinner wire than required.

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Setup

  • For the sake of simplicity, I will use a specific set of equipment in the scenario described below. Obviously there are hundreds of different panels and charge controllers that can be used, but they are not all compatible with this example. In this example (and what I am currently using), we will use four UNI-SOLAR PVL-136 panels and one Midnite Kid charge controller. Imagine you have ar…
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Using Your System

  • With this system, you can expect to be able to run about 1.6 kwh. This is equivalent to a small DC freezer, a 12vdc pump for 1 hr, a laptop for 3 hours, a Ham radio for a half hour, and several 12v LED lights for several hours per night. Or you can just run a single super-efficient AC Upright fridge/Freezer (not recommended)! If you were to upgrade to 6 of these panels, an Outback FM8…
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The Details

  • PV Panels and why UNI-SOLAR? The Uni-Solar are lightweight, easy to transport, and much more resistant to breakage. There are lots of other panels out there that will work, but they are heavier, fragile, and hard to transport. Four Uni-Solar panels can be rolled up and stuffed in an oversized duffel. Be careful not to roll them up too tightly as they CAN CRACK! The downside is that Uni-So…
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Charge Controllers and Why The Midnite Kid?

  • PV panels can be directly hooked to a battery… BUT there are LOTS of problems with this. One, without blocking diodes, the batteries will back-feed the panels at night. Two, most panels (30 cell panels are the exception) can quickly overcharge and destroy your batteries. I have connected 24v panels directly to a 12v battery in an emergency, and using a multimeter to constantly monitor th…
See more on survivalblog.com

Wires and Fuses

  • The Uni-Solar PVL-136 panels come with the older mc3 style connectors (not UL listed). Amazon and Ebay are full of MC3 style connectors. You can find MC3 branch connectors that will combine your pv positive and pv negative wires together. The “right” way to connect PV strings together is with a commercially available combiner box. But these are expensive and not as useful for smal…
See more on survivalblog.com

Batteries

  • I am assuming that you will be using standard Lead-Acid, AGM, or GEL batteries. There are more technologies out there, such as Nickel Iron and LFP, but they require more specific charging parameters. Most car batteries are Lead Acid batteries with liquid electrolyte. They WILL WORK on a solar electric system during an emergency but they are far from ideal. Deep Cycle batteries…
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Fridge / Freezer

  • I haven’t seen a lot of preppers planning to use a freezer long term, but I say why not?! I planned the above system around one to show that it is possible. The most costly part of adding a freezer to your system is the unit itself. Don’t skimp on this! Most of the “Cooler Style” dc freezers are too inefficient to bother with. The only brand I can currently recommend is the Steca chest style free…
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What Is “Series,” “Parallel,” and All This Other VDC, Vac, Kwh stuff?

  • Series: connecting the positive of battery #1 to the negative of battery #2. You then get double the voltage between the negative of battery #1 and the positive of battery #2. If you have two 12v batteries in series, you get 24v out. The same is true of solar panels. Two panels, each capable of 12volts and 5 amps, when hooked in series, become a 24v array with a 5 amp output. Parallel: h…
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