Battery-inverter cables upgrade

[Stinsy]

Ah, think I've got the smaller nh00 keto, which has m8 bolts&lugs. Did your batteries come with the cables? Like your say, shame to butcher them, but it'll make it a simpler install and saves cables/busbar & extra connections.

Yeah I ordered 2x 15kwh cases from Colin on here.

Came with 2 lots of 35mm² cables with the snap on connector (unsure proper name for it) to go on the power terminals on the batteries. It was just annoying that the batteries only had 1 positive and 1 negative terminal on each battery, otherwise it would have been a bit more straightforward.

Those are “SurLok” connectors.

[Richard77]

Ah, think I've got the smaller nh00 keto, which has m8 bolts&lugs. Did your batteries come with the cables? Like your say, shame to butcher them, but it'll make it a simpler install and saves cables/busbar & extra connections.

I think I need to go with the NH1 ones as need at least 200A. Going to probably go to 250A just to be sure. I think the 35mm² cables rated at 240A so anything more than that is overkill.

[Richard77]

Ah, think I've got the smaller nh00 keto, which has m8 bolts&lugs. Did your batteries come with the cables? Like your say, shame to butcher them, but it'll make it a simpler install and saves cables/busbar & extra connections.

Yeah I ordered 2x 15kwh cases from Colin on here.

Came with 2 lots of 35mm² cables with the snap on connector (unsure proper name for it) to go on the power terminals on the batteries. It was just annoying that the batteries only had 1 positive and 1 negative terminal on each battery, otherwise it would have been a bit more straightforward.

Those are “SurLok” connectors.

Ah ok... Thanks.

[Joeboy]

Richard,you can literally do anything you want. My personal caveats though are.

1. As long as you go bigger (think busbar thickness).

2. As long as you have good communication between materials. (Think heat/spark).

3. As long as you protect from wee fingers. (Think Grandchildren).

Them's the basics.

[Richard77]

Richard,you can literally do anything you want. My personal caveats though are.

1. As long as you go bigger (think busbar thickness).

2. As long as you have good communication between materials. (Think heat/spark).

3. As long as you protect from wee fingers. (Think Grandchildren).

Them's the basics.

Yeah just want to:
1. Ensure it's safe (not blow up or go on fire) and prying fingers can't do themselves any harm.
2. Not damage any equipment by installing the wrong stuff.
3. Make sure the stuff installed doesn't compromise the performance of the equipment.
4. Not looking like spaghetti junction!

[Stinsy]

Additionally, you should ensure that the risk of an accidental short is managed. Even an unlikely set of circumstances eg an open garage door and a Mylar balloon, or a dropped spanner, or whatever…

[pudding]

Just to finish this off, all new cables just fitted.

New cutters worked a treat, nice clean tidy cuts on the 50mm cable:



Lugs slot on nicely, chock full of the cable before crimping, then nice and tight afterwards, finished with some electrical tape (couldn't wait for heat shrink to arrive!)





M6 lugs inside the 5kW Sunsynk


Then thankfully 2xM8 lugs fit inside the NH00 disconnector for the 2lots of Pylontech cables at the bottom, avoiding the need for an extra pair of ables and busbar/joining box.


Pair of 160A fuses from Bimble in there, and then the re-jig of cables for the 6 batteries into 2 parallel stacks of 3 effectively, job done! Current limit bumped up to 120A on the inverter and now time to hopefully benefit from the full 5kW charge/discharge from the batteries now.

[Stinsy]

Some really nice pics there and a tidy install!

It is probably worth running it flat out for an hour or so and using an IR thermometer or thermal camera on all the cables/joints to spot any hot points.

[Richard77]

Nice one pudding.... Looks great mate. Wanna do mine? Hehe

What was the reason you went with 50mm² to the inverter?
I've got the 8.8kw ECCO SunSynk and was going to stay with 35mm² as that seemed sufficient.

[pudding]

Cheers, will dig out the IR thermometer ive got somewhere for later when it starts charging, although all the connections inside the disconnector are hidden when its in use so i'll only be able to look at the lug inside the inverter and cables themselves.

Reason for the 50mm2, nothing major, just a few guys said never a bad thing to overspec and go up a size in cable, so I did just for a few extra quid. Future proof, and those cables should handle way more than the 105-100A the 5kW inverter can put through them. Just go for it Rich, nothing too complicated really, post up pics etc with the kit you get and im sure plenty here will be able to assist and put you right if needed.