You can’t install solar panels without wiring. Whether monocrystalline, polycrystalline or even thin film, all solar panels require wiring. You’ll need to connect the solar panels to each other – as well as other components – with wiring. Fortunately, photovoltaic (PV) wire is available for solar panel installations.
What Is PV Wire?
PV wire is a type of single-conductor electrical wiring that’s designed for use in solar panel installations. Like all electrical wiring, it serves as a conductive pathway for electricity. PV wire, though, is designed for use in solar panel installations. If you’re planning to install solar panels, you should use PV wire.
Underwriters Laboratory (UL) 4703 is the specification for PV wire. It lays out the design rules for the PV wire. PV wire, for instance, must be made of copper, copper-clad aluminum or aluminum. It must also have a temperature rating of 90 degrees Celsius when wet and 105 degrees Celsius when dry.
Common Features of PV Wire
Because it’s designed for use in solar panel installations, PV wire is resistant to sunlight. There are many different types of wires. When exposed to sunlight, some of them may degrade.
Sunlight can cause the jacket to dry out, thus making it brittle and prone to cracking. PV wire offers a high level of protection against sunlight. Even when directly exposed to sunlight, it will remain intact while preserving its enclosed conductor.
PV wire is also fire resistant. It doesn’t feature any combustible materials. PV wire consists of a metal conductor that’s wrapped in a thick plastic-like jacket or layer or insulation. As a result, it’s fire resistant. The fire-resistant properties of PV wire make it safe to use in residential solar panel installation.
PV wire has a thicker jacket or layer of insulation than that of other types of electrical wiring. The jacket or insulation wraps around the conductive core. And because it’s thick, it protects the conductive core from damage.
You may notice that PV wire is more flexible than other types of electrical wiring. You can easily bend it when installing solar panels. Bending PV wire won’t damage its conductive core. With its flexible properties, you can easily connect solar panels with PV wire.
In Conclusion
You shouldn’t use just any type of electrical wiring when installing solar panels. While other types of wiring may work, there’s no substitution for PV wire. PV wire is resistant to sunlight, resistant to fires and is flexible
