viper_za Posted December 16, 2015 Share Posted December 16, 2015 Hi Guys What would be the best way to accomplish this. 2x 16mm cables into the CBI main breaker. The breaker will easily take 1 cable but no way of getting 2 in there. Thanks Thys Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Hobson Posted December 16, 2015 Share Posted December 16, 2015 Photos? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
viper_za Posted December 16, 2015 Author Share Posted December 16, 2015 Photos? Hi Chris Sorry only saw your response now. The problem is that the terminal is too small for me to fit in both cables. I need to fit the second one to feed the inverter "clean power" before my E/L. Will it be a problem if I drop enough strands on both cables till they fit? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Hobson Posted December 17, 2015 Share Posted December 17, 2015 16mm2 seems to be a mismatch (I am not an electrician I am a farmer hence treat the following with due caution). 16mm2 would be right for about 50A and a distance of 6m single phase AC. Does your inverter really need 50A? A drawing or photo of what you are trying to achieve would help me. I can understand that one cable is 16mm2 (mains feed in) but how much is your inverter going to draw, match your cabling to that. Breakers terminals are matched to their capacity so if your breaker is sized correctly then you should get the cables into the terminals easily. That said I managed to squeeze 16mm2 into my inverter's 10mm2 PV terminals, so sometimes things are mismatched but rarely. If you really need 16mm2 mount a large terminal block (I think that is what they are called) that can accept both wires. Dropping strands is not my favoured solution as at terminals there maybe a poor connection and now you have reduced strands too. ___ 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eugene Posted December 17, 2015 Share Posted December 17, 2015 Hi Guys What would be the best way to accomplish this. 2x 16mm cables into the CBI main breaker. The breaker will easily take 1 cable but no way of getting 2 in there. Thanks Thys You don't mention the size of the circuit breaker. Connect the 2 cables into a busbar the 1 cable to mcb. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
viper_za Posted December 17, 2015 Author Share Posted December 17, 2015 16mm2 seems to be a mismatch (I am not an electrician I am a farmer hence treat the following with due caution). 16mm2 would be right for about 50A and a distance of 6m single phase AC. Does your inverter really need 50A? A drawing or photo of what you are trying to achieve would help me. I can understand that one cable is 16mm2 (mains feed in) but how much is your inverter going to draw, match your cabling to that. Breakers terminals are matched to their capacity so if your breaker is sized correctly then you should get the cables into the terminals easily. That said I managed to squeeze 16mm2 into my inverter's 10mm2 PV terminals, so sometimes things are mismatched but rarely. If you really need 16mm2 mount a large terminal block (I think that is what they are called) that can accept both wires. Dropping strands is not my favoured solution as at terminals there maybe a poor connection and now you have reduced strands too. Hi Chris Sorry for the late response spent the day with my daughter. Just some quick info, my inverter is installed more than 6m away from my main DB +-9m that is why I opted for 16mm2 cable. Will be feeding from the 63A CBI Mains Isolotar before the E/L to the inverters own set of breakers 40A (plan to have 2 inverters later on) Will I still get a CoC when using a terminal block? No photos yet as I am planning before I get someone to come open the lock on the utility supply so that I can start connecting the main DB You don't mention the size of the circuit breaker. Connect the 2 cables into a busbar the 1 cable to mcb. CBI miniature 63A 2P Isolator Will the busbar comply with CoC regulations? What I'm hoping is maybe you get a farrel that has 2 inputs to 1 output, no idea if something like this exists Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Hobson Posted December 17, 2015 Share Posted December 17, 2015 At 40A and 9m 10mm2 should be OK. Check with an electrician though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
viper_za Posted December 18, 2015 Author Share Posted December 18, 2015 At 40A and 9m 10mm2 should be OK. Check with an electrician though. Already have the 16mm2 cable so need to make it work My plan create my own farrel use 1x 16mm2 farrel and then push that into a 35mm2 farrel. Strip the 2x16mm2 cables long enough and feed as much as I can all the way to the bottem 16mm2 farrel and the rest into the 35mm2 farrel crimp and heatsrink it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eugene Posted December 18, 2015 Share Posted December 18, 2015 Correct procedure would be: Main Isolator or Breaker feeds a busbar, busbar feeds circuit breakers in DB, a circuit breaker feeds the Inverter via an adjacent Isolator. 16mm2 cable is rated up to 89A AC, voltage drop calculated at 2.8mV/A/m Your ferrule would have to SABS approved. Chris Hobson 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
viper_za Posted December 18, 2015 Author Share Posted December 18, 2015 Correct procedure would be: Main Isolator or Breaker feeds a busbar, busbar feeds circuit breakers in DB, a circuit breaker feeds the Inverter via an adjacent Isolator. 16mm2 cable is rated up to 89A AC, voltage drop calculated at 2.8mV/A/m Your ferrule would have to SABS approved. Thanks Eugene. Another question then are you allowed to have a Live busbar, I have always just seen a neutral busbar Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eugene Posted December 18, 2015 Share Posted December 18, 2015 Larger DB's employ copper busbars connected directly to the main mcb or via tails, smaller domestic DB's would use off the shelf busbar on the top of the mcb's. The busbar you need would fit between 2 insulated endcaps. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eugene Posted December 18, 2015 Share Posted December 18, 2015 We have gone off track here, what you need to comply: Main mcb feeds 50A SP mcb in main board (labelled 'Inverters'), 16mm2 cable to Sub-board mounted adjacent Inverters with 60A DP Isolator, feeding 2 x 40A SP mcbs, one for each of the Inverters. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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