Solar Power Electric Distribution

Here you will find a variety of enclosures and safety devices to protect your solar power system from both the elements and from over current situations. Due to the expense of high-quality photovoltaic arrays, a durable and reliable solar power electric distribution system is necessary to protect one's investment and ensure the safety of both the equipment outside and the individuals using the power indoors. When designing a safe electric distribution system, always remember Murphy's Law: "Anything that can go wrong, will go wrong."

Circuit breakers and fuses offer over current protection by opening the circuit and stopping current flow during times when it exceeds the wire’s ampacity. Circuit breakers prevent irreparable damage to your solar power electric distribution system by stopping the current just before an overload damages the circuit. Fuse boxes can also be sufficient to prevent an overload. Fuses consist of a sire or metal strip that will burn through when a predetermined maximum current passes through the fuse. The primary difference between a fuse and a circuit breaker is that a fuse that has “blown” must be replaced, while a circuit breaker may simply be reset.

Other products like AC/DC enclosures, load centers, and array grounding lugs and clips protect your solar power electric distribution system from the elements. Properly installed and mounted grounding lugs decrease the chances of a nearby lightning strike from reaching and destroying expensive array components. Most, if not all, jurisdictions require properly installed safety labels, secure AC/DC enclosures, and safety switch disconnects in order to promote safety and reduce the risk inherent in homemade power stations.

A  typical solar power electric distribution system might feature 20 photovoltaic cells, 2 combiner boxes with 10 amp fuses, 2 75 amp breakers, and 2 grounding rods affixed to grounding lugs, one at the installation and one at the house.