Cables are essential in solar energy systems. Cables are needed at the connections of the various components in a solar system so that a closed loop can be formed. When you are connecting the solar inverter to the solar battery, do you know what size of cable to use? There are many specifications for cables, but this makes it more difficult for you to choose. But you still have to choose the right cable, otherwise, there may be a problem of overloading or overheating as the inverter is not able to support the input of the solar battery. In this article. We will take you through how to choose the right cable.
1. How to choose the right cable?
The cable connected to both ends of the inverter and the battery, its role is mainly to ensure the normal operation of the inverter and the cable, so the specifications of the cable are also mainly related to the rated power of the inverter and the rated voltage of the solar battery.
Determine the rated power of the inverter: You can find out the rated power of the inverter in the manual of the inverter. However, you should note that you need the power rating of the inverter, not the maximum PV input power or the maximum output power of the inverter.
Know the voltage rating of the solar battery: You can also find out the voltage rating of the solar battery from the solar battery’s manual or from the solar battery’s label.
Once you know these two figures, you can calculate the maximum current that can be passed through the cable using the company below.
Maximum current through the cable = Rated power of the inverter / Rated voltage of the solar cells
If the power of the inverter in your solar system is 5000W, and the rated voltage of the solar battery is 48V, the maximum current of the cable is 5000W/48V=104.2A. According to the cable specification table below, we know that in the case of 5000W rated power of the inverter, and 48V rated voltage of the solar battery, the cable specification you can buy is 2AGW 1/0AGW, 2/0AGW.
The most suitable cable size for you is also based on the distance between the inverter and the solar battery. If the distance between your inverter and the solar battery is between 0 and 15 feet, you can choose a 2AWG cable. If the distance between your inverter and solar battery is 15 to 25 feet, you can choose 1/0AWG cable. If the distance between your inverter and solar battery is 25 to 30 feet, you can choose 2/0AWG cable.
2. Considerations for purchasing cables to connect the inverter to the solar battery
The material of the cable: the material of the cable is usually copper, aluminium, and so on. There will be a constant power output between the inverter and the solar battery, it is more recommended that you choose copper cable, which has better conductivity and lower resistivity, which can reduce the loss in the circuit, but the copper cable may be more expensive.
Safety certification: when you buy cables, you also need to pay attention to whether the cable has the relevant safety certificates, such as CCC, CE, etc., these certificates can guarantee that your cable is in line with national or industry standards, to ensure that the cable in the use of the process of more safety.
Cable brand: for the cable between the inverter and the solar battery, this cable to ensure the quality of the product and the product warranty service, to prevent frequent replacement of the cable, which requires you to be now a good reputation of the brand.
Conclusion:
When choosing the cable between the inverter and the solar battery, you should first understand the specifications of the cable, and choose the specifications of the cable you need through the total power of the solar panel array and the power of the load working at the same time, so that you can choose the right cable.
