ECO Worthy Combiner Box Wiring problem

[thealaskan]

Picked up some CSUN 305W solar panels, and an eco worthy combiner box that I new I was going to have to re wire a bit. I'm doing a 2S, 2P 4 panel configuration was going to rewire in the box so all 4 panels plugged into it, and into a MPP LV2424.

What I found is all wiring and polarity's are different than the markings on the items in the box, which is a 2 wire output surge protected grounded unit, and I don't understand.

I do know in Europe that Blue is designated as the +, in a 2 wire grounded circuit but when I look at this, they have the+ male plugs on Blue wire into the - designated pieces, they have red wires on the - female MC4 plugs with the fuses on the - side of the circuit? C Sun panels are clearly marked uncolored +.- , with the male MC4 connector on+ witch is correct.







I guess my question would be:
1. Are the fuses supposed to be on the + or - side of the circuit?
2. Not familiar with the surge protector, is it polarity sensitive?
3. Are the color codes wrong and this came out of a backdoor shop?
4. I was going to use the 10A fuse as one per panel, with the C Sun panels 8.5A max power current, did I order the wrong unit for my application?
5. What about polarity into the LV2424?
6. Should I just re wire the whole thing with the known color codes to be uniform, because this to me looks like some one could get hurt?

The price wasn't that expensive, for all the pieces and parts I would think to get it all here and put together I did good.

 

[Ampster]

Hurt? When you get whacked by AC while on a ladder the current is going to ground. With DC you would would have to touch both colors and I do not think the current cars which hand is on the positive and which is on the negative so I don't see the colors as creating a safety risk. A label inside might be informative. I would see if the breakers have a polarity before I rewire them. I tried to address your color questions but did not calcultate the breaker question. Off the top of my head the breaker is to protect the wire and should be sized for the wire.

 

[John Frum]

When you get whacked by AC while on a ladder the current is going to ground.

Is the AC current going through the ladder and ultimately going back to the transformer from whence it originated?

 

[thealaskan]

Just trying to be uniform, fuses on - side or + if some one walks up to this? And is the surge protector polarity sensitive?

Thanks guys

 

[gnubie]

Is the AC current going through the ladder and ultimately going back to the transformer from whence it originated?

Speaking only in the Australian context, neutral (centre of the 'Y', LV is usually 3 phase with each premises between one phase and centre),is staked to ground at the distribution transformer, every few poles / pits along the street, and also at the earth bond point in the premises so exactly where the current would flow in that situation would be a bit complex especially considering that older premises used the water pipes as their earthing system so earth current could in fact be returned partially via the neighbours' premises through the water pipes, but essentially that.

 

[HighTechLab]

Blue is typically neutral or negative and then the red positive and often times in the presence of a blue neutral/negative, the positive is brown. They also refer to the hot / positive as "active".

 

[thealaskan]

So why is the - wired to the + plugs?

 

[Ampster]

Is the AC current going through the ladder and ultimately going back to the transformer from whence it originated?

It was an analogy to make the point that I did not think color mattered in terms of safety with DC the same way it matters with AC. That of course assumes the DC is floating and neither polarity is grounded.
To further explain the AC example lets assume the aluminum ladder had good connection to ground and part of my skin is touching the ladder. If another part of my body touches the white wire (neutral in the USA), nothing happens. But if I touch the black wire (hot in the USA) I will get shocked. Yes, to answer your question, the current would go through the ladder to ground to the ground rod at my panel which is closer than the transformer and ultimately to the transformer.

 

[thealaskan]

I don't recommend this but if you put a screw driver on the as known blue and your in bare feet you could get hurt, I guess i'm going to just re wire the whole thing, with the fuses on the supply, color coded to U.S. .

I guess I'll post a picture when I get done, I'm gong with fuses on + and surge protector as marked, please correct me if i'm wrong.

Thanks

 

[Ampster]

I don't recommend this but if you put a screw driver on the as known blue and your in bare feet you could get hurt

I don't recommend a screwdriver either. A voltmeter would be better. The other thing to remember is that with string inverters like mine the string voltage can be as high as 600 volts. Maybe those volts might not kill you because the shock would knock you off the ladder and would keep the Amps from killing you. But the fall from the ladder might kill you.

 

[thealaskan]

I'm a 30 year HVAC Tech and in my line of work, the amps hurt worse and will put you on your rear, I have done the don't do that, on a emergency basis.

 

[Ampster]

So why is the - wired to the + plugs?

I always get confused by the gender of those MC4 conductors. I think the female is supposed to be the negative but gender is not always what it looks like on the outside. The gender is not based upon the plastic part. So the plastic part that looks like a male is actually a female connector on the inside.
I bought a bunch of used Sunpower panels with those old connectors and when I crimped the new MC4 every few I did were the wrong gender. I should have done them on the ground with a system but I did them on a ladder over time so I made a lot of mistakes.

 

[Ampster]

I'm a 30 year HVAC Tech and in my line of work, the amps hurt worse and will put you on your rear, I have done the don't do that, on a emergency basis.

I had a long discussion about that on another forum because I said that only Amps kill, so we don't need to be afraid of high voltages. He quickly reminded me that higher voltages can overcome skin resistance and allow lots of current to flow. You have experienced that first hand.

 

[John Frum]

Yes, to answer your question, the current would go through the ladder to ground to the ground rod at my panel which is closer than the transformer and ultimately to the transformer.

So the transformer(the micro-inverter) in this case is grounded?

 

[thealaskan]

I guess I made a mountain out of a mole hill, put to much emphases on color code, good unit.

 

[Off grid Colorado]

You can run 2s2p and depending on you run to the scc, what wire gauge you use, you can just plug in to two inputs it will increase voltage not amps so it will be 78v 8.5 amps so safe to use like that, and have room for more panels if you run 6 awg it's good for 55 amps and low voltage drop at 100 feet.

 

[Ampster]

So the transformer(the micro-inverter) in this case is grounded?

The example I was using was a 120v light fixture with a white and black wire. I thought you were talking about the power transformer in the vault by my neighbors house.

 

[thealaskan]

You can run 2s2p and depending on you run to the scc

Did I do some thing wrong? That is the way I wired the box I thought


panels plug into the box direct, and the series and parallels are in the box wiring

 

[Ampster]

Are the breakers polarized?

 

[thealaskan]

Are the breakers polarized?

Fuse per panel on + Breaker and surge protector are polarized