What’s the best way to connect microinverter AC outputs to regular wiring?
Asked by CraftyCoder42
Hey everyone! I have some experience with standard house AC wiring and have wired several homes to code. I'm curious about how to connect the output from a microinverter AC. The inverter has a short, 6-inch, 3-wire appliance cord attached, and I'm not sure what kind of box or connector is appropriate for linking this to 10 or 12 gauge wiring. I can't find any waterproof junction boxes that are designed for this kind of wiring either. Do people usually splice on standard UF cable, perhaps with heatshrink, to connect it to a junction box? Any insights would be appreciated!
Answers
You can use a gland connector to attach that appliance wire to a junction box. Some brands, like APsystems, sell rooftop junction boxes with gland connectors to connect trunk cables, making it simpler for your wiring setup into the attic.
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Hoymiles offers a 'Power AC Trunk Connector' that lets you extend the wiring and connect multiple inverters to a single cord. Just keep an eye on the maximum load limits corresponding to what you're setting up.
CraftyCoder42: I just looked through the manual and saw something about the 'AC Bus' connector. I’m wondering if it's a standard type. Can't find good pictures of the Hoymiles connectors, though.
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Typically, those units are designed to plug into an outlet directly. However, it sounds like you're dealing with a 3-wire cable instead. You might need to create some cable extensions and seal them properly with epoxy-filled heatshrink for safety.
CraftyCoder42: Right, but I didn’t see any AC plug with it, so I'll have to make those extensions.
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CraftyCoder42: Oh right, I totally forgot about gland connectors. I might still have some from when I did my EV truck battery pack.