Enecsys, the Cambridge-based micro-inverter company, has selected Wieland gesis RST 25i3/i5 connectors for connecting its solar inverters to the electricity grid system on the AC side of photovoltaic (PV) installations. The pre-wired, ‘plug and play’ Wieland connectors are factory tested and offer higher reliability and faster installation compared to onsite wiring.
Traditionally, PV solar panels are connected in a string feeding into a string or central inverter that then converts DC power to AC power for export to the electricity grid. However, this configuration allows for inefficiencies and can fail to harvest the maximum power from each PV panel.
Use of Enecsys Micro-inverters on each PV panel overcomes this ‘domino effect’ and eliminates the need for a string or central inverter. Instead, each micro-inverter is connected to a distribution block using Wieland pre-wired plugs and sockets, meaning that installation time is reduced. Further, since all of the connections are pre-tested in a factory environment, there is minimal risk of failed connections.
Tests by Wieland have shown that use of such modular wiring systems for the AC side of PV installations can reduce installation times by as much as 20%.
The Wieland gesis RST 25i3/i5 connection system provides ingress protection to IP68 (equivalent to Nema ratings 6 and 6P) and comprises connectors for pre-assembly on site, cable assemblies and device connections for inverters and main distributors.