Cheap Solar

[gbkims]

howson I finally took the time and made a wiring diagram how I envision the install. One thing I'm fuzzy about is if the catastrophic fuse should be directly in-line with the positive cable from the Multiplus or if its supposed to be positive right off the positive terminal of the battery. I have opened a case with AMSolar requesting that they provide feedback regarding the diagram.

Today I was just working on the SPS and Inverter wiring and I found that its really hard to put the AM Solar 6 ga 3 strand wire into the Multiplus strain relief valve. Any tips for getting it in?

Victron Multiplus example drawing from https://www.victronenergy.com/suppor...stem-multiplus
It's for 24VDC but similar layout to 12V system https://www.victronenergy.com/upload...4V-120V-AC.pdf
Victron's Wiring Unlimited section 7,7 System Grounding has some info for DC side. https://www.victronenergy.com/upload...limited-EN.pdf

Also saw a Blue Sea link for inverter/chargers Grounding and Circuit Protection for Inverters and Battery Chargers
https://www.bluesea.com/support/arti...ttery_Chargers

[dgerfan]

howson I'm still reading your planning/install blog on the other site and can see lots of parallels to issues I've encountered or are currently encountering. It will be a valued resource that I will forward to others!

Regarding getting the 6/3 Romex pushed through the Multiplus's strain relief, I did what you recommended and removed them but don't see how that will help. The 6/3 cable diameter is 7/8 and the opening on the nut (left in picture) is 3/4. The opening for the one on the right is even smaller.



I'm wondering if we have the same cable. On your planning/install blog on Post # 191 the ground wire is exposed which I assume means it doesn't have any insulation which would decrease the overall cable diameter or maybe for some reason the strain relief on the Multiplus I have has a smaller diameter than yours. This is the cable that I have - https://amsolar.com/rv-cables/cable-6ga-3-gry.

Still waiting for a call back from AM Solar regarding my wiring diagram and will also pose this question to them. Due to current events they are being inundated with lots of solar inquiries and have to work through a backlog (my ticket is assigned to a tech but it has been open for 4 days).

[howson]

howson I'm wondering if we have the same cable. On your planning/install blog on Post # 191 the ground wire is exposed which I assume means it doesn't have any insulation which would decrease the overall cable diameter or maybe for some reason the strain relief on the Multiplus I have has a smaller diameter than yours. This is the cable that I have - https://amsolar.com/rv-cables/cable-6ga-3-gry.

We don't have the same cable.

Remember I said I wasn't an electrician?

I think I mentioned it, but AMSolar did not send near enough 6/3 (or 6/4) wire with my initial order. I didn't completely understand "6/3", "6/4" so I went down to Lowes and bought 50' lengths of what I thought was the right wire.

Long story short, after posting the initial pictures of the AC side of my install (and getting a lot of questions about the wire colors the way I had them hooked up) I ripped the brand new wires out and installed the correct wires. The new (new) wire is also from Lowes. The wire is flat as opposed to round, which is still exceptionally difficult to get through those inverter holders. (Why do they make it so hard?)

[dgerfan]

howson After fidgeting for way too long with the provided strain relief cable glands I decided to go to the local hardware store and purchase metal ones that have an adjustable opening. Doesn't look as elegant but it does the job.




gbkims thanks for the resources. I looked thru all the diagrams and most of them had the negatives and shunt integrated into one bus bar and a ground then run from the bus bar. Just to be sure I checked with AM Solar today and they confirmed that the positive bus bar should be in-between the Class-T Fuse and the batteries. Thanks again.

[howson]

howson After fidgeting for way too long with the provided strain relief cable glands I decided to go to the local hardware store and purchase metal ones that have an adjustable opening. Doesn't look as elegant but it does the job.

I was wondering how you were doing. I was just messing with mine (again) as part of my "down under" projects since I cheated and just laid the lines on the top of the coroplast when the system was initially installed. I disconnected the lines and pulled the wires all the way back to the hutch and then snaked them back forward through the frame (like they should have been from the beginning).

To get the wire back in, the bottom "nut" went over the wire first. Then the actual strain relief part with the retaining nut sitting on top inside of the inverter. The wire I'm using went through without too much issue, but it's quite the dance to get that wire bent just right to get everything screwed back together.

If your ground wire (not the neutral--ground) has a coating that may be the difference in our setups. As you can see below, the wire I'm using does not have a cover on the ground and it just barely works.