Wire help please

Chris11 · June 2017

Howdy All,

I'm almost ready to connect all the parts and pieces into one large bon fire....oh wait, NOT a bon fire but a working system.

The last wiring I have to do is run wire from the combiner to the Controller. I have the 12 volt panels, 5 in series for now, using 12 gauge stranded wire to the combiner. I've run out of 12 gauge stranded. Can I run 12 gauge single strand (Pump wire I have left over) from combiner to the controller? It's only about 2 feet. I just don't know it the single strand is just as good. (Yes, I know I don't need a combiner but the other 5 panels are in the future so don't yell at me.

)

Thank you, Chris

littleharbor2 · June 2017

You should run larger wire to carry the full ampacity of the finished system. So you might as well use stranded wire if you need to get some. Solid wire, while ok to use with DC voltage gets tough to work with as the gauge increases.

2 feet, that's pretty funny.

Chris11 · June 2017

Thanks. I was tending towards buying more 12 gauge stranded...you've convinced me.

Why is 2 feet funny? The combiner is beside the controller.

Horsefly · June 2017

I'm guessing it is funny because it looked like a typo. If you are only going 2 feet, you probably don't need to worry too much about what wire you use. The only thing is the number of amps that will be going through the wire.

I am a little confused about your system. If all you have is five panels in series, what is the purpose of the combiner? Normally, a combiner is used to tie parallel strings of panels together into a single pair of wires to your controller.

Maybe if you describe what you have a little better we can give you a more enlightened set of answers.

littleharbor2 · June 2017

The last sentence of the OP's letter clearly explains that he is adding another string.

2 feet just sounded funny to me because typically the combiner is at the array eliminating the need to run multiple home runs to the controller.

Chris11 · June 2017

Hence my request not to yell at me.

I'm building a Western town and originally planned to run wiring to every building from my main one KW system.

My plan has changed since I find individual systems on each building are better. I have a legal outhouse with flushing toilet on it's own 12 volt 80 watt panel powering a simple pump and lights system. I have a deep well with it's own 24 volt to 120 volt pump system. The "large" system will still power 5 buildings but running the underground wires is a pain. Keep in mind lights are the only concern...i've quit thinking about beer coolers etc....... for the few times per year we have family get togethers we can use ice.

I'm 71 years old and am not as smart as I used to be, but still outstandingly gorgeous. I hope people here don't get pissed when I ask the same questions over and over...I simply don't remember I asked it previously. Please forgive me.

Horsefly · June 2017

What an awesome post!

I'm sure you are outstandingly gorgeous. As the father of two millennials, I will tell you that although we are actually smarter than we ever have been, we get told otherwise all the time by kids who are certain they will never be as smart as they are now!

There's got to be a very interesting back story here. building a western town. Wow. Just wow.

But to simplify this to something we can help you with: These things you've described (flushing toilet, deep well, and the large system) are - I assume - not all tied to these five panels you've described, right?

So help us out, even if you need to address each system separately. You've got these five panels. How are they connected, and what can we help you with?

Steve

P.S. A couple of other things: (1) Never, ever give up on the cold beer. (2) Mostly, this group here is a completely awesome group that will only want to help you. No shame or ridicule. I've learned a ton here, and they are really smart folks that really want to help. Now and then you'll get a useless or mean comment, but just don't judge the rest by that. We're really all just wanting to help you succeed!

westbranch · June 2017

Now that we have a rough outline of the use of the PV power, regardless of AC or DC, can you show us a rough sketch of the layout and distances between buildings etc that use power of one form or the other... this will get the old synapses firing on all 4 cylinders....me thinks there are other alternatives... tks

Chris11 · June 2017

I really do apologize for not being clearer.

But let me begin at the beginning.....

i've always loved the history of the old west....basically the freedom of those who wanted more freedom. When we traveled I always stopped at all touristy western whatevers. Drove my wife crazy...lol. (Perhaps that was my ultimate reason.

)

When I retired I wondered what to do, what to do. As the world turned goofier I thought we have to become preppers, We bought some land down by Springdale, WA with the idea of protecting ourselves and our family from what may be the coming Hell. Just prepping for prepping itself didn't make sense to me if Hell didn't present itself so we combined prepping and my old love of the old West. A western town with prepper ideals.

We now have 9 buildings, not just facades, with more planned.... plus Boot Hill....(don't piss me off, I still need the first occupant

Solar, year round creek, lotsa trees, pasture, great neighbors and my determinator 338 Lapua.

Naturally my solar questions are asked here...you guys are always helpful and I thank you for that.

Horsefly....I have the systems mentioned up and running. The "large" one is planned to be 10 100 watt panels which I have on hand, just not operational. The mount will hold all ten but as I mentioned my plans have changed so I only have 5 mounted and ready to go. The other five will be added once I have the first five operational if that makes sense, using the second circuit breaker in the combiner. I have a lot to do on the town so the final five may have to wait.

Oh, gotta mention this...my newest building is two stories....bottom is the second saloon (hey, all western towns had plenty of saloons...hahahaha) and the top floor is the whore house. I just bought a female manikin from Ebay to put on the second floor balcony so she can wave to the cowboys coming into town after the cattle drive.

Thanks for your help, and if you're ever over this way gimme a yell, put on yer cowboy hat and join us.

Chris

littleharbor2 · June 2017

To keep it authentic are you trying to keep the solar panels out of sight? Keep in mind multiple systems will require multiple charge controllers, and multiple batteries, which need to be replaced periodically. All doable, and if mainly for lighting, not ridiculously expensive.

Lumisol · June 2017

An old friend did the same thing you are starting to do. He has 32 or so buildings in his town complete interiors and all including replicas of the buildings in Tombstone and a few extras. There have been movies filmed there too. Are you going to be leasing it as a set when you are not using it?

myocardia · July 2017

Hi, Chris. I would recommend you take a trip into Spokane, and go to one of the car stereo stores they have*. You can buy large gauge stranded wire by the foot, at pretty much any car stereo store. I'd go absolutely no smaller than 4 gauge, and preferably 2 gauge. The larger the wire size, the less power you lose. Since you are running it such a short distance, larger makes more sense to me, since the added cost will be next to nonexistent, at those lengths.

Look up Aspen Sound, on N Division St. They are open until 7pm Monday-Friday, and are likely open on Saturdays as well. Their telephone # is (509) 484-1516. I have no affiliation with that company, btw. They just have good reviews, and seem to have been in business for years.

As far as the rest of your system, you might want to consider moving your combiner outside near the panels, where it was designed to be used. You already have more than enough 12 gauge wire to handle all 10 panels, since it would only require sending two 12 gauge wires into the house, from the combiner box.

One last thing. Are you planning on having an all DC system, or are you planning on sending the power out to the other buildings as AC? I'd definitely recommend either having each building having it's own panels, charge controller and batteries, or sending power out to the other buildings as AC. 120V AC can be sent hundreds of feet, with only a slight voltage loss, using cheap 12 gauge Romex. 12 or 24V DC can only be sent a few tens of feet, without having to use larger and larger wire size, which starts to get expensive rather quickly! Good luck, and let us know how it all turns out.

*I would only recommend that if you are dead set on leaving the combiner box where you have it now, next to the charge controller. Moving the combiner box near the panels is honestly the way to go.

Wire help please

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