Wire from PV to EG4 6000XP Distance = 150' and bury with or without conduit?

[hoosierhog88]

I'm slowly prepping to get my solar panels (12) and racks hooked to my new EG4 600XP. Distance to the inverter to the PV array is about 150'. Any suggestions regarding wire size, type, etc. and if I should bury in conduit or if just bury them? Awesome forum and thanks to all for your help!

 

[ricardocello]

I assume you will have large junction boxes at both ends of the 150', one at the array, and one at house.
At a minimum, you must have PVC stubs from the junction boxes going into the ground to protect the cable (rigid conduit better).

You will probably run 10, 8, or 6 AWG cable depending on how many amps your arrays will be delivering.
You can also breakup the 12 panels into 2 independent MPPTs since the 6000XP has two.
So maybe run +, –, +, –, Ground

Option A
Direct Burial cables UF-B, URD, some PV cable, others
Typically 24" minimum depth required, depending on local codes
Not cheap, not expandable for future runs, no protection from roots, etc.
Don't forget to run a ground wire (not just + and –). UF-B solves that problem

Option B
Buried PVC Conduit buried with THHN/THWN2 pulled through later
Typically 18" minimum depth required, depending on local codes
Cheapest conduit, schedule 80 is thicker than sch 40
Some expansion for future runs, much easier if you use 1.25" or bigger diameter conduit
Run what you need now (+, –, Ground), spend more later if you expand

Option C
Buried Rigid conduit with THHN/THWN2 pulled through later
Typically 6" minimum depth required, depending on local codes
Extremely expensive these days, but should last forever
Some expansion for future runs, much easier if you use 1.25" or bigger diameter conduit
Run what you need now (+, –, Ground), spend more later if you expand

 

[wpns]

I'd bury PVC conduit (in fact I did, and now that I'm replacing my inverters, I'm having to run new wires, and it's going to be _SO_ easy!)

 

[Zwy]

I'm slowly prepping to get my solar panels (12) and racks hooked to my new EG4 600XP. Distance to the inverter to the PV array is about 150'. Any suggestions regarding wire size, type, etc. and if I should bury in conduit or if just bury them? Awesome forum and thanks to all for your help!

10AWG works for most situations. PVC conduit allows you to run THWN wire. THWN can be sourced in 500 foot long rolls.

Junction box at each end and use a slip coupler between the box and the conduit buried in the ground if you have frost in your area.

I use 1.5" SCH80 PVC the whole way. Costs more but you can have a gopher digging in the yard like I did after I installed the run the year before. They were running fiber optic cable for the internet here and had to cross the conduit. The gopher didn't punch thru the conduit when he was digging with the shovel. Don't know why they didn't use a Core Vac.

 

[timselectric]

Definitely PVC.
100%

 

[Madcodger]

Any good ides for what to do when running over exposed bedrock ("ledge", as we call it)? I have some great locations for a ground mount that could anchor to that bedrock, but then running the wire back to the house or barn becomes the problem.

 

[timselectric]

Rigid conduit.

 

[wpns]

Any good ides for what to do when running over exposed bedrock ("ledge", as we call it)? I have some great locations for a ground mount that could anchor to that bedrock, but then running the wire back to the house or barn becomes the problem.

Check with your AHJ, either metal conduit or there may be specs for burying PVC conduit under concrete, but My Good Friend Google seems to be all over the map on this, and mostly refers back to the AHJ.

 

[Madcodger]

Thanks, folks. Basically no AHJ here (very rural) but want to be safe, of course.

 

[dopeassjackson]

I would just direct burry wire and avoid conduit if you can. With no junctions underground and short of the wire not going under a driveway you shouldnt have a problem. If you do have a problem then the conduit could also be compromised rendering your "future proofing" useless.

I have MHF wire ran directly through my driveway in clay and dinner plate sized rock for a 100a sub pannel. It's been 10yrs with no conduit. The wire is designed to do this.

 

[wpns]

So it’s all about protecting the wires, over ledge you want metal conduit or PVC conduit with concrete over it, but the former is going to be the cleaner solution

 

[hoosierhog88]

I assume you will have large junction boxes at both ends of the 150', one at the array, and one at house.
At a minimum, you must have PVC stubs from the junction boxes going into the ground to protect the cable (rigid conduit better).

You will probably run 10, 8, or 6 AWG cable depending on how many amps your arrays will be delivering.
You can also breakup the 12 panels into 2 independent MPPTs since the 6000XP has two.
So maybe run +, –, +, –, Ground

Option A
Direct Burial cables UF-B, URD, some PV cable, others
Typically 24" minimum depth required, depending on local codes
Not cheap, not expandable for future runs, no protection from roots, etc.
Don't forget to run a ground wire (not just + and –). UF-B solves that problem

Option B
Buried PVC Conduit buried with THHN/THWN2 pulled through later
Typically 18" minimum depth required, depending on local codes
Cheapest conduit, schedule 80 is thicker than sch 40
Some expansion for future runs, much easier if you use 1.25" or bigger diameter conduit
Run what you need now (+, –, Ground), spend more later if you expand

Option C
Buried Rigid conduit with THHN/THWN2 pulled through later
Typically 6" minimum depth required, depending on local codes
Extremely expensive these days, but should last forever
Some expansion for future runs, much easier if you use 1.25" or bigger diameter conduit
Run what you need now (+, –, Ground), spend more later if you expand

Excellent! Thank you!