Where's a good place to order 4ga copper wire?

SolarLakeHouse2
SolarLakeHouse2 Registered Users Posts: 16 ✭✭
in Solar Beginners Corner #1
I know there's alot of cheap wire..some ebay stuff I got is all aluminum 4ga..need 100' x 2 where's a good place to order good/pure copper dc wire?
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  • DConlyGuy
    DConlyGuy Registered Users Posts: 80 ✭✭
    edited June 2016 #2
    not 4 gauge but i bought my thhn wire 6 gauge from home depot was only 59 cents a foot for me at the time. and they had it in big spools there and i got the right amount of feet of the wire i needed
    600 watts of solar panels,Epever 30 mppt , 2 PWHR12500W4FR battery's in 24 volt setup
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  • Vic
    Vic Solar Expert Posts: 3,208 ✭✭✭✭
    #3

    Yes,  Home Depot sells most wire that they carry  by the foot.  This will usually be THHN copper 19-strand cable.

    Vic

    Off Grid - Two systems -- 4 SW+ 5548 Inverters, Surrette 4KS25 1280 AH X2@48V, 11.1 KW STC PV, 4X MidNite Classic 150 w/ WBjrs, Beta KID on S-530s, MX-60s, MN Bkrs/Boxes.  25 KVA Polyphase Kubota diesel,  Honda Eu6500isa,  Eu3000is-es, Eu2000,  Eu1000 gensets.  Thanks Wind-Sun for this great Forum.
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  • oil pan 4
    oil pan 4 Solar Expert Posts: 767 ✭✭✭✭
    #4
    The hardware store.

    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.

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  • Mountain Don
    Mountain Don Solar Expert Posts: 494 ✭✭✭
    edited June 2016 #5
    I got my 2 AWG from my local Lowe's.
    Northern NM, 624 watts PV, The Kid CC, GC-2 batteries @ 24 VDC, Outback VFX3524M
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  • BB.
    BB. Super Moderators, Administrators Posts: 33,642 admin
    #6
    Is this buried wire or strung over the ground between poles?

    Getting the correct insulation is critical to long life/safety.

    Is this from solar array to solar shed/controller/battery bank?

    -Bill
    Near San Francisco California: 3.5kWatt Grid Tied Solar power system+small backup genset
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  • mike95490
    mike95490 Solar Expert Posts: 9,583 ✭✭✭✭✭
    #7
    you do NOT want pure copper wire.  it is soft and WILL creep out from places it is supposed to stay. 
      Get the wire from a electrical department or electrical supply store.   Do not use "automotive" wire.
    Powerfab top of pole PV mount | Listeroid 6/1 w/st5 gen head | XW6048 inverter/chgr | Iota 48V/15A charger | Morningstar 60A MPPT | 48V, 800A NiFe Battery (in series)| 15, Evergreen 205w "12V" PV array on pole | Midnight ePanel | Grundfos 10 SO5-9 with 3 wire Franklin Electric motor (1/2hp 240V 1ph ) on a timer for 3 hr noontime run - Runs off PV ||
    || Midnight Classic 200 | 10, Evergreen 200w in a 160VOC array ||
    || VEC1093 12V Charger | Maha C401 aa/aaa Charger | SureSine | Sunsaver MPPT 15A

    solar: http://tinyurl.com/LMR-Solar
    gen: http://tinyurl.com/LMR-Lister ,

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  • Johann
    Johann Solar Expert Posts: 245 ✭✭✭
    edited June 2016 #8
    mike95490 said:
    you do NOT want pure copper wire.  it is soft and WILL creep out from places it is supposed to stay. 
      Get the wire from a electrical department or electrical supply store.   Do not use "automotive" wire.
    Last time I checked, electrical wire is a pure copper wire. Not only that, it is what is called a oxygen free copper. Electrical stores and suppliers are selling this every day.  Specialty wires made for high tempertures may have impurities like nickle, zinc steel etc in it to raise the temperure rating, but may also have higher resistance.
    Depending on use, automotive wire may be ok to use. Automotive wire  has a rating of 60 volts and a temperature rating of 80 C (about 175 F), at least the ones I checked.  Compare to THHN wire which is rated for 600 volts and has a temperature rating of 90 C ( about 190 F ).
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  • Johann
    Johann Solar Expert Posts: 245 ✭✭✭
    #9
    Honedepot, lowes hardware should have it, You also want to check with electrical supply distributors and stores, they do not advertise to sell to the public but around here they do.
    Buy local and you save the shipping cost.
    I just checked on a 500 foot reel # 10 thhn wire that I need and Lowes was $68 and Ebay for the same brand ,size etc was $158 with shipping.
    A 500 foot reel may be cheaper per foot, than buying it ''by the foot''. So check and compare. If they do not have the wire you are looking for at the store they may be able to order it for you and it still may be cheaper. They even may have 100 foot rolls.
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  • oil pan 4
    oil pan 4 Solar Expert Posts: 767 ✭✭✭✭
    #10
    Agreed, do not use that unlabeled cheap automotive wire for anything, not even for automotive use.
    I get partial rolls of THHN wire from the scrap yard for a fraction of the price of new, most of its 10 gauge and larger.

    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.

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  • mike95490
    mike95490 Solar Expert Posts: 9,583 ✭✭✭✭✭
    #11
    Fine.  Use whatever wire you want.  OFHC wire is used in stereo systems and such,  For Power systems and house wire, there are specific alloys of copper wire that are resistant to cold flow, so they will stay bolted in.  Any wire you purchase at an electrical supply house will have conductor and insulation rated for a specific use and printed on the jacket.  Sometimes the inspector even looks at the wire code to make sure you used the right stuff.   If it says Monster 600V you flunk inspection,
    Powerfab top of pole PV mount | Listeroid 6/1 w/st5 gen head | XW6048 inverter/chgr | Iota 48V/15A charger | Morningstar 60A MPPT | 48V, 800A NiFe Battery (in series)| 15, Evergreen 205w "12V" PV array on pole | Midnight ePanel | Grundfos 10 SO5-9 with 3 wire Franklin Electric motor (1/2hp 240V 1ph ) on a timer for 3 hr noontime run - Runs off PV ||
    || Midnight Classic 200 | 10, Evergreen 200w in a 160VOC array ||
    || VEC1093 12V Charger | Maha C401 aa/aaa Charger | SureSine | Sunsaver MPPT 15A

    solar: http://tinyurl.com/LMR-Solar
    gen: http://tinyurl.com/LMR-Lister ,

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  • SolarLakeHouse2
    SolarLakeHouse2 Registered Users Posts: 16 ✭✭
    #12
    Windy nation has some wire that looks ok..I've used some before..I think it's welding wire..4ga for 100 red and 100 ft blk.is 194.00 shipped..gona hit lows today and look at the thhn 6ga..
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  • Vic
    Vic Solar Expert Posts: 3,208 ✭✭✭✭
    #13
    SolarLakeHouse2 said:
    I know there's alot of cheap wire..some ebay stuff I got is all aluminum 4ga..need 100' x 2 where's a good place to order good/pure copper dc wire?


    Hi S L H2,

    May we ask,  what is the application for the #4 AWG cable that you are looking for?

      Do you really need Fine-Stranding for ultimate flexibility?
      Will you be pulling this cable through conduit?
      Will this cable be exposed to the outdoor elements?
      To what will this cable connect,  and how will you terminate the cable ends,  where the connections occur?

    ...  and so on.   Thanks for any clarity that you can add.    Vic

    Off Grid - Two systems -- 4 SW+ 5548 Inverters, Surrette 4KS25 1280 AH X2@48V, 11.1 KW STC PV, 4X MidNite Classic 150 w/ WBjrs, Beta KID on S-530s, MX-60s, MN Bkrs/Boxes.  25 KVA Polyphase Kubota diesel,  Honda Eu6500isa,  Eu3000is-es, Eu2000,  Eu1000 gensets.  Thanks Wind-Sun for this great Forum.
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