CIE Components in Electronics
Production volumes of the panel mount connector are now available from Molex production sites and through approved distribution channels.
“The panel-mount DC Connector for solar inverters complements the SolarSpec range, which now includes a junction box for silicon photovoltaic panels, crimp terminal DC connectors for direct attachment to solar junction boxes, field installations and photovoltaic grid wiring and DC cable assemblies,” said Peter Commane, product manager, Molex. “In-house design and manufacture of the SolarSpec range will ensure high-quality and reliability, whilst at the same time being cost-competitive. Customers will also benefit from exclusive design features including moulded surface ribs and low contact resistance when compared to equivalent DC connectors.”
Offering exceptional efficiency, the contact resistance of the SolarSpec panel-mount DC Connector remains below 0.5 milliohms. The connector can handle as much as 30.0A and accommodates 2.50mm2 and 4.00 to 6.00mm2 (14 AWG and 12 to 10 AWG) cable to meet a wide range of customer requirements. Polarised panel cut-outs help prevent rotation of the connectors and ensure no cross-assembly of male and female connectors when applied to the bulkhead panel.
The SolarSpec panel-mount DC Connectors are IP67-sealed to protect against the ingress of dust and water and the housing body is resistant to UV and ozone damage. The touch-proof safety design protects installers and maintenance engineers from electrical current even during mating and decoupling operations. The connectors feature exclusive moulded surface ribs to allow secure gripping, especially while wearing work gloves.
The IEC, NEC 2008 (690.33) and NFPA 70 US code-compliant solution developed by Molex is an innovative interlocking mechanism that protects against accidental and unauthorised decoupling of the connector during field application and provides for reliable connection and safe handling. For ease of assembly, a simple nut mechanism on the SolarSpec panel-mount DC Connector is tightened using a standard wrench, to secure onto the bulkhead of the inverter panel – also for additional security a Molex field service tool is required to disengage the latch when unplugging.
Another feature is that the same Molex application tooling is suitable for both the panel mount and standard DC crimp terminals. This includes the hand crimp tool and the Mini-Mac bench applicator.
