Ray: Thanks for sharing the research. If you could forward to me of-line an email contact and part number I need to order for 4/0.
Miller Solar > On Apr 30, 2014, at 10:22 AM, Ray Walters <r...@solarray.com> wrote: > > What I'm finding in my research is that most of the manufacturers are just > not keeping up with this requirement, meanwhile the use of fine stranded > cable is increasing dramatically. > ILSCO, BURNDY, and Quick Cable all barely mention fine strand ratings. I > have their catalogs in hand. Even the SMA manual does not mention this > issue, I had to call tech support. > BTW, there appears to be some big name integrators just using flex > cable directly. Meanwhile, I can share a pic of the one lug I torqued down, > and didn't like, which lead to all this: > Little copper hairs tearing, or not part of the connection at all. > How did we survive the 90s stuffing welding cable into Heinemann breakers in > Trace DC boxes? > > Also, when you go into major Electrical suppliers that sell the flex cable, > and ask if the connectors are rated for fine stranding, all you get is that > "deer in the headlights" stare. > I was used to having to figure all this out in the old days of solar, but now > that every electrical supplier in town is claiming to be a solar expert/ > distributor, I really should be able to just walk in and get the parts I need > for a Code compliant installation. If you sell the inverter and the cable, > you really should stock the connector. > > On another note, the ferrules/ sleeves seem to be the ticket, as confirmed by > Schneider. Also they appear to be 40 times cheaper than pin adapters, and > don't take up extra room in the wiring compartment. Now I just have to find > some TODAY. Ugh... > > And like Allan, I lost sleep over this issue last night. > R.Ray Walters > CTO, Solarray, Inc > Nabcep Certified PV Installer, > Licensed Master Electrician > Solar Design Engineer > 303 505-8760 > On 4/30/2014 10:38 AM, Glenn Burt wrote: >> There are many available lugs that are listed for use with finely stranded >> conductors - this is not an excuse to not use the proper lugs and required >> equipment to ensure a safe and reliable installation (per the NEC). >> >> Thomas & Betts is the manufacturer I use. >> Indeed the tool is pricey, however it is necessary to produce a compliant >> installation (per 110.3(B)). >> >> -Glenn >> >> -----Original Message----- >> From: re-wrenches-boun...@lists.re-wrenches.org >> [mailto:re-wrenches-boun...@lists.re-wrenches.org] On Behalf Of jay peltz >> Sent: Wednesday, April 30, 2014 10:09 AM >> To: RE-wrenches >> Subject: Re: [RE-wrenches] Flexible stranded Connectors >> >> Hi ray >> >> As an FYI. Most of the lugs we all use are not "rated" for fine stranded >> wire. >> Quick cable is the only one I'm aware of that if you use their tool and >> ends says its UL for fine stranded. >> >> I prefer ferrules for those applications vs pin adapters. >> (Schneider XW inverter BOS box comes with arctic ultra flex wire with >> ferrules) >> >> Jay >> >> Peltz power >> >> >>>> On Apr 29, 2014, at 10:48 PM, Ray Walters <r...@solarray.com> wrote: >>>> >>>> Hi All; >>>> >>>> In order to avoid any of my work showing up in someone's slideshow of >>> horrors, I'm trying to find the correct way to wire 3 Sunny Islands with >>> Cobra X flex cable. >>> While it doesn't actually mention it in the SMA manual, a call to SMA tech >> support confirmed my suspicions: the DC lugs in the inverter are NOT rated >> for flex or fine stranded cable. >>> Both SMA and CED recommended I try Grainger's for crimp on adapters. >> Grainger had no clue, and nothing came up in searches there. >>> From a trade show, I have an ILSCO lug book, that shows a crimp on >>> pigtail adapter. It does not mention whether its flex rated though on the >> crimp side of the adapter, as the adapter is used primarily to land over >> sized cables into smaller lugs. (2/0 to #1, for instance) The best I've >> found so far, is NSI, which makes sleeves, that are installed around the >> wire, right in the connection: >>> http://www.nsiindustries.com/products/electrical/connectors/compressio >>> n-connectors/copper-compression/fsflex-cable-sleeve.aspx >>> I also found a Schneider white paper recommending sleeves with their lugs: >>> http://static.schneider-electric.us/docs/Circuit%20Protection/0515DB03 >>> 01.pdf >>> >>> So who has used these sleeves, and where do I get them? >>> The sleeves seem like a decent compromise, whilst the ILSCO pigtail >>> adapters are coming in at $40/ ea...... (ouch) >>> >>> On the internet, I'm seeing several examples of X flex used directly (no >> adapters) with the Sunny Islands, so are folks just blowing off articles >> 690.31(F) and 110.14, that specify the connector be rated for flex cable? >>> And finally, couldn't SMA use a lug that was flex rated? >>> For example, Marathon makes Class K rated mechanical Lugs: >>> http://www.marathonsp.com/NewRatings.html >>> I'd use THHN, but I really don't feel good about wiring the Heineman >> breakers with that stiff a wire. I've cracked breaker cases >> before......that's why the X flex is industry standard for off grid DC. >>> Thanks for your help, >>> >>> -- >>> R.Ray Walters >>> CTO, Solarray, Inc >>> Nabcep Certified PV Installer, >>> Licensed Master Electrician >>> Solar Design Engineer >>> 303 505-8760 >>> >>> _______________________________________________ >>> >> _______________________________________________ >> List sponsored by Home Power magazine >> >> List Address: RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org >> >> Change email address & settings: >> http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org >> >> List-Archive: >> http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org >> >> List rules & etiquette: >> www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm >> >> Check out participant bios: >> www.members.re-wrenches.org >> >> >> _______________________________________________ >> List sponsored by Home Power magazine >> >> List Address: RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org >> >> Change email address & settings: >> http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org >> >> List-Archive: >> http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org >> >> List rules & etiquette: >> www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm >> >> Check out participant bios: >> www.members.re-wrenches.org >> > > _______________________________________________ > List sponsored by Home Power magazine > > List Address: RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org > > Change email address & settings: > http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org > > List-Archive: > http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org > > List rules & etiquette: > www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm > > Check out participant bios: > www.members.re-wrenches.org >
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