My friend-- that was very, very helpful. Thanks so much for taking the time to go through this. - Dan

The 'electrons flow down the surface of the copper' is called skin effect and only happens with AC currents at high frequencies of many Mega Hertz. It has no effect what so ever at DC. What matters is the total cross section area and how flexible the cable is if it is going to be subject to any movement or vibration. Cheap crimp tools do work but are prone to giving weak grip on the wire. After crimping always test the joint with a good firm tug to prove it's secure. Using other types of cable may not form a water proof seal to the MC4, water, even humidity will over time destroy the joint with surface corrosion, especially with a DC current flowing. The other important point with DC solar connections is never to plug or unplug with a current flowing. It will arc and burn the surface of the connector. Dave. "I'm an engineer so let's save time and accept that I'm right"

The connectors are a little pricey but worth it. Thanks and more videos like this.

Good that you mentioned the solar rated cable, if mounting on roof, wiring should be that cable only, but once you go off the roof and go conduit or ground mounted use cheaper cable...

This was helpful to me as a newbie to this type connector. However, I believe I will limit these to outdoor use only, and only to mate to what is on the panel I purchase. Once indoors or even under the building/out of the elements, I will switch to more conventional (and cheaper) DC wiring hardware and techniques. Also, having a lot of experience in crimping, I would suggest getting a crimper that exerts 360* crimping pressure if possible. If you can't find one, crimp AND do a careful and minimal soldering on the contacts to ensure a good, long-lasting connection. Buy a few extra 'pins' if you're unsure of your soldering prowess.

@FoodOnCrack

9 жыл бұрын

snowbird29803 this isn't helpful at all. This is very dangerous what he is showing. this must be done by electricians with a proper crimping tool made specific for MX4 connectors. IF you do this with the kind of plier he showed you are making a terrible connection. The crimping part of this plier is made for insulated cable shoes, not MX4 connectors because mx4 connectors use trapezium crimpers.

Sorry on a debunk channel. I wouldn't use the MC4 connector for nothing. I saw when this trashy connector was release by I think it was 3M. They were trying to a similar style connector for fiber which wasn't popular. If it was me depending on the current and voltage I would use a good ole XLR connector. The solar industry can just change. Most people I know just cut those connectors off and don't use them.

I have the same problem with one of mine I messed up on. wonder how I could make a tool what does it look like?

Thank you for the video. Very much appreciated :)

how do you remove the center contact after inserting it into the plastic housing , the wrong ends got put on by mistake

There's an updated version of the newer style MC4 connectors and proper style crimper on my channel if anybody's interested.

I have solar pv connectors rated @ 30amps but my panel setup puts out 40amps, would they burn out my connectors if i attach them?

@2:25: At DC no skin effect is present. So you can actually use solid wire.

Just the video I was looking for. Thank you. Do you know who sells MC4 connectors?

good job, thanks

Good little video. Now, how do I connect the solar wires to my charge controller?

@pauls0416

8 жыл бұрын

+Jesse Toler Most charge controllers just take bare wire because it has screw terminals. So, if you used 10 gauge wire like this guy did, connect your MC4-crimped side to the solar panel and strip the other end of your 10 gauge wire, twist the strands together, and insert the wires into the + and - screw terminals of your charger controller (PV terminals!! not battery or load terminals!) :)

Thanks !!!! very usefull!

It's better not to pre-solder the wire. This adds resistance to the end of cable. It's better to only use solder when attaching the wires to each other or a solar panel etc, without adding extra solder before-hand. The reason for pre-soldering is when pre-stripping copper wires that you don't want to oxidise.

You did not show the only thing I was really interested in - How to crimp the connector to the wire. Please explain, since you did not show that. Thank you..

You didn't show much. Just a before and after shot of each step.

No need to solder the wire too? Many people do, why or why not?

@hilarylatham3917

7 жыл бұрын

There is no need to solder crimp connections - the solder makes the strands of wire too rigid.

Don't spread false info. Electricity flows through the copper metal, not the surface of it regardless of wether it's solid or stranded wire. Higher amperage requires a bigger cross section or "gauge" wire (lower numbers are bigger wire). The only difference between solid and stranded wire is flexibility.

You need to explain the names of the mc4 :/

With plans from Avasva you can make it really easy.

I made it by myself. I used Avasva solutions for that.

net kink the wire but should be nick the wire.

like listening to paint dry

The best thing I've found on the net was plans from Avasva .

THEY ARE NOT MC4 CONNECTORS BUT COPIES! THIS GUY DOESNT KNOW THE DIFFERENCE. THE CABLE USED IS NOT CROSSEDLINKED, AND HE STRIPPED BACKED TOO FAR. THIS GUY IS DANGEROUS

The claim about electrons and the amount of wire strands is just plain wrong! Electrons do not flow down the outside of cables. They flow inside the cable. (Just like water flows inside a hose, not on the outside. )A thick, single-strand, copper wire will allow more electricity through than a bunch of thinner wires. Thicker wire also allows higher amperage because there's less resistance. The only reason for multiple wire strands is to all the cable to be flexible without snapping.

Useless... you skipped over the difficult parts. AND THE NUMBER OF STRANDS MAKES NO DIFFERENCE ON CONDUCTIVITY IT'S DETERMINED BY THE TOTAL CROSS SECTIONAL AREA OF THE COPPER

Why did you waist a bunch of time showing that is totally use less and then miss showing the improtant part of process, the striping of insulation with strippper and crimping part with crimper.

This time I'll use woodprix instructions to make it by my hand :)

Agreed-solar retailers perpetuate the myth that stranded wire has less resistance than solid core. Not true for Direct Current. The resistance of a conductor at DC (0 Hz) depends on its cross sectional area. Larger area = lower resistance. For low AC frequencies, the effect is negligible. The skin effect causes the resistance to increase with increasing frequency AC only.Tesla sitting in a room surrounded by lightening was safe because the Ultra High Frequency Current would not penetrate body.

Heya! Have you thought about - Maxim Earth 4 Energy (just google it)? Ive heard some pretty good things about it and my mate got big results with it.

Wrong type of crimper.

Good video. Hello friend, we are a MC4 connector manufacturer in China, welcome contact to get more information if you have are intrested.

@jbgeorge1972

10 жыл бұрын

and the picture you have are NOT real MC4 connectors and you are not producing MC4 for Multi-Contact and you dont work for Multi-Contact

@summerxia8016

10 жыл бұрын

Hehe... you can go to my website to see our main products www.topsun-pv.com

@FoodOnCrack

8 жыл бұрын

+Summer Xia that's not the official mc4 connector on your profile pic. WE have tried a LOT of different chinese mc4 connectors at work and they are ALL rubbish. most of them are a few mm too long or too short so they don't fit into the locator af a crimping plier properly. Or they are made out of steel/iron instead of aluminium (better conductivity). Never going to get chinese connectors again they are serious fire hazards. IT's a mystery how they still can be manufactured in your country.

@jbgeorge1972

8 жыл бұрын

Thing is FoodOnCrack they are not MC4's they are copies. the MC in MC4 stands for Multi-Contact who created these to begin with same as the MC3 and everyone has copied and think that they are ours but there is ways to tell a copy from an original and i have been to solar farms where they have failed and they think they are Multi-Contact MC4's and we have had to walk away because they are not and not much we can do, so only buy the original which you can only get from Multi-Contact and certain representatives around the world..

With plans from Avasva you can make it really easy.