Wire Size Load Rating
Choosing your wire sizes
When wiring up both the solar panels to the batteries and our loads in our house or cabin, using sufficient wire is critical. Just as when we are trying to calculate what size batteries and solar panel array we need to know what current (amps) our cables are going to carry. Just looking at the current rating or ‘ampacity’ of the wire is not enough. We have to look at reducing our voltage drop across the wire. For this reason low voltage cable runs except for very low currents need to be heavier than that which is normally used for ‘town’ power.
I get much of my info regarding this sort of stuff from an Australian company called ‘Rainbow Power Company‘. I get no kickbacks for referral or ‘affiliation’ money by the way, I just find them helpful and their web site very informative. They sell stuff that many solar power shops particularly in Australia don’t have, particularly in the way of 24 volt stuff.
Keep checking this space for more info. I have begun to string up the wire in my house at the moment. So this stuff is kind of on my mind at the present.
Tags: Choosing Wire Size
