Long DC runs or long AC runs on ground mounted systems

[Earthstore]

It is spelt boat (with a sail)

Hope this helps

 

[JD6400]

Hi moggy , The 16mm should be quite easy i would have thought you will just need some extra help ( be it mechanical or several pairs of hands ? ) to get it on to the cable jacks .
The jacks or rollers are essential and if you do not have them ask at your wholesalers as they usually keep a set to hire / lend if needed !
As for the joints , i to be honest would deem it to be bad practise to introduce unnecessary joints in to run .
Good look with it and just make sure you have allowed for enough man power !!!!!

 

[powervan]

it is spelt boat (with a sail)

hope this helps

posh boat

 

[powervan]

Hi moggy , The 16mm should be quite easy i would have thought you will just need some extra help ( be it mechanical or several pairs of hands ? ) to get it on to the cable jacks .
The jacks or rollers are essential and if you do not have them ask at your wholesalers as they usually keep a set to hire / lend if needed !
As for the joints , i to be honest would deem it to be bad practise to introduce unnecessary joints in to run .
Good look with it and just make sure you have allowed for enough man power !!!!!

As with any job its all about having the KIT!! once ur backs gone its gone for LIFE!!

 

[TedM]

My wind turbine is connected with 450m of 3 core 16mm SWA (the turbine output is 3-phase wild AC). Putting it in was pretty easy even from a 500kg drum held just off the ground on a scaffold frame. I'd also suggest avoiding joints.

 

[moggy1968]

thanks for the tips guys. I was thinking hiring a cable roller trailer to attach on the back of my landrover might be the way ahead. just drive along slowly and spool the cable off the back.
do you know any good suppliers of large SWA like this. can't see CEF doing it too cheaply!!

 

[JD6400]

You could use CEF , but newys tend to be better on price !
You can deal direct with the likes of Batt cables or Cleavland if you can be arsed to open up account .

 

[yellowvanman]

thanks for the tips guys. I was thinking hiring a cable roller trailer to attach on the back of my landrover might be the way ahead. just drive along slowly and spool the cable off the back.
do you know any good suppliers of large SWA like this. can't see CEF doing it too cheaply!!

Any wholesaler can supply that sort of cable, they would just get it delivered direct from the supplier. I've ordered 560m of 10mm SWA before. I generally use 2 core if I can, saves a bit of money.

Ask all the suppliers in Blandford for a price!

 

[moggy1968]

beleiev it or not, no accounts with suppliers in Blandford!
Most of my business is actually in Poole so have accounts there, might try Kew electrical tomorrow.

 

[danesol]

All cables should be as short as possible as good practice IMO, but remember that the most efficient way of transferring electricity is High Voltage Direct Current, so with this in mind, I would say more notice should be taken over AC connections ( ie. size of cable used and the length used - always best to oversize perhaps seeing the cost of cable is really insignificant especially SWA) , however the absolute length is really out of your control when the inverter is close to the PV array in the loft and the cable is therefore routed by the most direct route to the CU

In the case of ground mounted systems - most I've seen have the Inverters immediately under the panels, but I would think you would be better off having the Inverter "safe" in an actual building and running long DC cables with SWA given that say DC is the most efficient way of transport ??

Summary:- In essence I think this depends on the actual size of the system - the bigger the system ( G59 ), the greater important of using longer DC runs possibly - check the sums !
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[Mark42]

… do you know any good suppliers of large SWA like this. can't see CEF doing it too cheaply!!

Have a look at:

Industrial SWA Cables

I bought some 10mm 4-core recently and they were a pound a meter less than anyone else. (And it didn't have mud all over it and the end hacksawed off )

16mm 2-core £3.40/m Not sure how it compares. TLC is £4.05.

Evel cables also used to be good, but their web site has been ‘closed’ for ages.

CSE, last time I got a quote for SWA, was expensive.

 

[powervan]

My wind turbine is connected with 450m of 3 core 16mm SWA (the turbine output is 3-phase wild AC). Putting it in was pretty easy even from a 500kg drum held just off the ground on a scaffold frame. I'd also suggest avoiding joints.

Get U MY WIND TURBINE !!! lol 450mtrs wots volt drop on that?? oh yeh is it that far cause u have a big garden or u nicked a supply from the local wind farm ps NO JOINTS always trouble (in the end)

 

[yellowvanman]

16mm 2-core £3.40/m Not sure how it compares. TLC is £4.05.

Got mine @ £3.30/m last week from my local wholesaler, sorry!:smug2:

 

[moggy1968]

who was that off matey?

 

[SolarCity]

£3.30/m for 16mm 2core? That's almost '90s prices!

 

[yellowvanman]

who was that off matey?

Cribbs

 

[Mark42]

Got mine @ £3.30/m last week from my local wholesaler, sorry!:smug2:

Oh don't apologise It's not ME who's flogging cable - that was a link to an internet reseller I use. I don't know if I misinterpret it, but they do appear very cheap.

 

[TedM]

Get U MY WIND TURBINE !!! lol 450mtrs wots volt drop on that?? oh yeh is it that far cause u have a big garden or u nicked a supply from the local wind farm ps NO JOINTS always trouble (in the end)

My 'garden' is 18.5 acres. :43:

 

[JD6400]

Just got a price out of interest from our rep at CEF and we get it at £3.18/m , with our early settlement discount it would be £3.10/m .
Reckon you could batter your suppliers down even more !:6:

 

[moggy1968]

I'm looking at 4 core, cos I'm running two strings. (the run is for the DC)
the internet guys above came out at about £2700 for 400m