Solar Portable solar panel extension lead - wire size?

dosmos

Member
Nov 15, 2012
52
10
8
SE Melb, Victoria
Hi all,
I'm about to make up an extension lead for my portable solar panel with anderson plugs etc.. What size wire should I use for about 10 metres of lead? Thanks DOS
 

mikerezny

Well-Known Member
Sep 11, 2016
1,630
2,728
113
Mount Waverley, VIC
Hi,
In theory, the wire size would depend on the current going through the cable which will depend on the size of the panels.
But in practice, thicker is better since you won't always have the same size panels and any extension lead you make up will certainly find a use somewhere else.

That is a long way of repeating the suggestion from @Drover, 8B&S will handle 80A.

But you could also consider 10B&S: 28A, or 12B&S: 20A.

Altronics, Jaycar, or Road Tech Marine have it.

Also worth getting dual core double insulated since extension leads cop a hiding.

take care
Mike
 

Drover

Well-Known Member
Nov 7, 2013
12,723
19,450
113
QLD
I have a Ebay shop I buy my cable from, https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/10m-MET...e=STRK:MEBIDX:IT&_trksid=p2060353.m1438.l2649
I have boought a bit of gear from them.............

My 2 cables get used for the portable panel as well as running a compressor or anything else that needs 12v, all my gear has an Anderson plug fitted....8B&S is enough to carry the compressor load which is the biggest and is overkill for the solar but is more than enough if you stuff up and have too much shadow, joined together 15 mts and bugga all power drop with the panel a long way away, it is also robust, can even use it as a snake whip.... not that I would harm a Joe Blake BUT is handy to know.