Cable Size for Solar Panels - How to Size Wire for Voltage Drop

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I'm here to shed light on a crucial aspect often pondered by solar enthusiasts: "What size solar cable do I need?" In this detailed video, I explore the intricacies of solar panel wiring, ensuring your setup is as efficient and safe as possible. Whether you're navigating the calculations for a single solar panel or delving into the complexities of a hybrid solar panel system, this guide has you covered.

Understanding how to calculate cable size for solar systems is vital for minimizing energy loss and enhancing the safety of your solar setup. We begin with a clear explanation of solar panel wiring basics, detailing how electricity flows from your solar panels to the charge controller and the role of a combiner box in parallel configurations. This foundational knowledge is essential, especially when determining how to size wire for solar panels correctly.

In the journey to optimizing your solar system, we dissect the differences between series and parallel wiring. I recommend wiring in series to leverage the maximum allowable input voltage of your charge controller, reserving parallel connections for specific scenarios like shading issues or when using a PWM charge controller. This strategy is key to ensuring your system operates at peak performance.

A practical example illustrates the simple process of wire sizing, considering both the current and the length of the wire. For instance, calculating the maximum current for a 100W solar panel and assessing the necessary wire size using an online voltage drop calculator showcase the process in action.

Further enhancing the guide, I delve into a more complex 2 series, 2 parallel (2S2P) wiring diagram, demonstrating the calculations and considerations for a system that incorporates a combiner box. This segment not only highlights the technicalities but also offers valuable tips, such as the cost-effectiveness of correctly sizing solar cables and strategically positioning the charge controller to minimize wiring expenses.

00:00 Introduction
00:40 Solar Panel Basics
01:34 Sizing a wire
04:07 Hybrid system calculation
05:49 Reduce wire cost