Solar panels sit in the sun, rain and heat for 25 years or more. The cables that connect them must survive the same conditions, which is why solar systems use special DC solar cable.
Why not use normal house wire?
House wire is made for indoor use inside conduits. On a roof, sunlight (UV) and heat make ordinary PVC brittle and cracked over time. Solar cable has insulation made to resist UV, heat and weather.
4 sq mm or 6 sq mm?
- 4 sq mm is commonly used for panel strings in small and medium rooftop systems.
- 6 sq mm is used for longer runs or higher current, to keep power loss low.
The installer chooses the size based on string current and the distance from the panels to the inverter.
Installation tips
- Use red for positive and black for negative to avoid polarity mistakes.
- Use proper solar connectors and crimp them with the correct tool.
- Clip cables neatly under the panels so they do not hang or rub on sharp edges.
- Keep DC runs as short as practical.
Get Kanak solar cables in red and black for your rooftop or solar pump project.