According to the research and analysis, we can say that the size of the cable depends on the voltage of the individual panels. If the voltage is high, you will require a thinner conductor and vice versa.
For the 200W solar panel, the size of wire you will require for the 200W solar panel is 5m cable, and 10AWG cable is sufficient for this kind of solar panel as it can hold up to a
maximum of 55Amps. If you can calculate the Amps and voltage of the solar panel, you can find out the wire for any voltage.
Different DC cables present in the market are 2.5mm, 4mm, and 6mm. The types of wires depend on the solar system and the electricity produced.
Choosing the right wire size for the solar panels
After installing the solar panels, it is essential to know which type of wire is needed for the smooth functioning of the solar panel with safety and security. Some people think that wires and cables are the same things, but generally different.
Solar wires are being used to install solar panels, known as Conductors. Solar cables are the group of wires/ conductors that are assembled.
Here are some of the materials that you can use in the solar panels that are installed in the industries and factories:
- Copper
- Aluminum
- PV wire
- USE-2 wire
The copper wire is a better conductor of electricity as it helps pass the current at a better speed. Aluminum is also a better source, but it has some liabilities which make people go for copper.
How to Measure the Solar wires?
The PV cable is measured or sized with the help of American Wire Gauge, i.e., AWG, to get information about the gauge scale. Different PV cables have different prices and different gauge sizes.
Each gauge size has its own AMP rating that can produce the maximum amount of AMPs that can travel through the cable safely.
Eng. Matthew Joseph Nandirio is the Founder of walkingsolar.
After graduating from the University of Houston in 2002, matt started working as a Solar Electrical Engineer for several multi-national solar energy companies.
He has a wide range of experiences including solar system requirement analysis, planning, maintaining, debugging and even solar device development through research.
He now shares his 20 years of expertise through his articles on the walkingsolar website.
Further, he is also the author of two books on Solar Technology, “Solar Power for Villages” and “DIY Solar System for Dummies”.