What is the PROPER way to route panel leads through roof to controller?

cupcake
cupcake Solar Expert Posts: 254 ✭✭✭

Hi Pals,

So as I continue mah quest to make my setup more 'proper' I'd like to know the PROPER/best way to rout the leads coming off the panels into the house from the roof...

Right now I got 3 280w pannels connected with mc4 connectors in parrallel on the roof, the final 2 leads (pos and neg) are going into a grey pvc tube, through the roof, then into the controller...

I just rigged 1.5" pvc pipe with a 45deg elbow to keep the rain out... been like this for a few years now...

SO - whats the more-proper way to do this, is there like a DC/solar 'enterance head' or something? theres gotta be something more proper than just any-old hole in the roof...

Thanks for helping cupcake again :)

--cakes
~1.5Kw PV in parallel
Morningstar MPPT-60 controllers (2) in parallel
3 Trojan tr-1275's in parallel 450ah total
Samlex 2,000 watt 12-volt inverter hardwired


Comments

  • BB.
    BB. Super Moderators, Administrators Posts: 33,433 admin
    I have seen Utility Style Weather Heads used on some commercial installs around here (service stations with gt solar).

    220px-Weatherhead.JPG

    -Bill
    Near San Francisco California: 3.5kWatt Grid Tied Solar power system+small backup genset
  • cupcake
    cupcake Solar Expert Posts: 254 ✭✭✭
    BB. wrote: »
    I have seen Utility Style Weather Heads used on some commercial installs around here (service stations with gt solar).

    220px-Weatherhead.JPG

    -Bill



    So does a grey PVC weather-head sound prudent to you??

    thanks

    --cc
    ~1.5Kw PV in parallel
    Morningstar MPPT-60 controllers (2) in parallel
    3 Trojan tr-1275's in parallel 450ah total
    Samlex 2,000 watt 12-volt inverter hardwired


  • BB.
    BB. Super Moderators, Administrators Posts: 33,433 admin
    I don't like plastic that is installed in sunlight--But if the Weatherhead is UL listed for the application (find something in the local hardware/electrical store)--I guess it is OK.

    -Bill
    Near San Francisco California: 3.5kWatt Grid Tied Solar power system+small backup genset
  • cupcake
    cupcake Solar Expert Posts: 254 ✭✭✭
    BB. wrote: »
    I don't like plastic that is installed in sunlight--But if the Weatherhead is UL listed for the application (find something in the local hardware/electrical store)--I guess it is OK.

    -Bill



    I usually paint any grey pvc exposed to UV with some enamel spray paint... especially out here in the desert..

    on this note, have you seen any new nifty combiner boxes for the roof latley? I fancy aluminum finishes.
    ~1.5Kw PV in parallel
    Morningstar MPPT-60 controllers (2) in parallel
    3 Trojan tr-1275's in parallel 450ah total
    Samlex 2,000 watt 12-volt inverter hardwired


  • cupcake
    cupcake Solar Expert Posts: 254 ✭✭✭
    ~1.5Kw PV in parallel
    Morningstar MPPT-60 controllers (2) in parallel
    3 Trojan tr-1275's in parallel 450ah total
    Samlex 2,000 watt 12-volt inverter hardwired


  • BB.
    BB. Super Moderators, Administrators Posts: 33,433 admin
    Very nice.

    -Bill
    Near San Francisco California: 3.5kWatt Grid Tied Solar power system+small backup genset
  • solarix
    solarix Solar Expert Posts: 713 ✭✭
    EMT conduit through the roof with roof jack flashing to weather it in, topped by either a J-box or a LB pull elbow. The roof jack needs to be properly slipped in to the shingle laps then the conduit inserted. And we don't trust the rubber booted kind to last 25 years so cover that with roof tape (alum. covered butyl membrane)
  • 2manytoyz
    2manytoyz Solar Expert Posts: 373 ✭✭✭
    I went with a product called "Soladeck". Made exactly for this purpose.

    soladeck1.jpg

    railf.jpg

    railg.jpg

    I had to drill a hole through the roof for the wires to pass thru, and I had to cut the shingles so the upper portion of the plate would slip under, and shed water. I buttered it in place with roofing tar (now available in caulk tubes). This product is all metal, and there is no seam between the box and the back plate. No joint for water to force its way inside the box. Bought mine here: https://www.infinigi.com/soladeck-078641-photovoltaic-combinerenclosure-p-3348.html?osCsid=8f8hr4gr7pf9m540uuja4vhde3 I have NO affiliation with anyone.


  • peakbagger
    peakbagger Solar Expert Posts: 341 ✭✭✭
    I used the Soladeck on my install. I have a Midnight Solar Surge protection device installed at the base of the unit in one of the knockout and a ground block on the interior. I really like the option
  • oil pan 4
    oil pan 4 Solar Expert Posts: 767 ✭✭✭✭
    How does that gray PVC hold up to sun light?
    Iron Bran wrote: »
    I was looking at that photo, and it looks like the electrician used the same spice on the hot wire that was used on the ground, and then covered the spice with some electrical tape. There are some marks on the metal conduit that shows a burn mark. When the wind blows, the metal splice may be hitting the metal conduit. This would energize the conduit, the metal box of the main panel, and back feed the ground bus to all the circuits in the house. I am not an electrician, but I can tell that there is probably a better way to splice incoming grid wires...

    There is always a better way but this is how they have done it for xx years, bla bla bla so on and so forth. It hasn't burned down too many houses so they keep doing it.
    What you have observed here is fairly common. The current house I live in had the service drop torn off the house by falling tree branch and redone in the early 2000s, before I moved in. Making the new service drop less than 10 years old.
    The tape was in the same condition; falling off, but not contacting anything.
    I put on my hot work gloves, cut the tape off and redid it right with splice tape then PVC electrical tape on top.
    That was 4 years ago and it still looks great as of last month.

    Solar hybrid gasoline generator, 7kw gas, 180 watts of solar, Morningstar 15 amp MPPT, group 31 AGM, 900 watt kisae inverter.

    Solar roof top GMC suburban, a normal 3/4 ton suburban with 180 watts of panels on the roof and 10 amp genasun MPPT, 2000w samlex pure sine wave inverter, 12v gast and ARB air compressors.

  • cupcake
    cupcake Solar Expert Posts: 254 ✭✭✭


    FYI -- I ended up going with the Sola-Deck roof-mount combiner box... worx great...
    ~1.5Kw PV in parallel
    Morningstar MPPT-60 controllers (2) in parallel
    3 Trojan tr-1275's in parallel 450ah total
    Samlex 2,000 watt 12-volt inverter hardwired


  • Surfpath
    Surfpath Solar Expert Posts: 463 ✭✭✭
    An anecdotal story:
    Literally a few minutes before my builder was going to pour the concrete to seal the slab between the floors in our house I found two lengths of spare 1.25" electrical conduit. I had him connect and install the conduit so that the top end nestled under a weather sheltered eve on the roof and the bottom end terminated close to my proposed tool/solar room. The run of 20 feet would be encased in concrete the whole way.

    At the time I did not know for sure we were going solar, but it turned out to be fortuitous and we use this conduit to now send down 30-50 amps of solar panel power from the roof. Putting in a new pipe now would be a real pain.

    I am glad that Cupcake got around his roof access issue. But if you are building a new house and are even just thinking of going solar, a few spare conduit runs is probably a good idea.
    -SP
    Outback Flexpower 1 (FM80, VFX3048E-230v, Mate, FlexNetDC) 2,730watts of "Grid-type" PV, 370 AmpHrs Trojan RE-B's, Honda 2000 watt genny, 100% off grid.