Mc4 Exterior Socket

[Severals]

Hi Guys,
This seems a very friendly and informative forum and this is my first post.
Got the base van, I am in the process of having a T6 professionally converted to a campervan, the converter is on holiday this week.
During this hiatus I was thinking about solar panels for off grid trips, the portable panel option is the one that appeals most.
Is there such a thing as a weatherproof MC4 panel that is mounted on the outside of the van and connected to the charge controller inside the van?
If not, what route do you normally use to connect the panel(s)

Best regards,
Dave.

 

[Dellmassive]

Hi dave.

MC4 and Anderson plugs are great for solar hookups.

I normally use MC4 for the PV solar side, and Anderson connectors for the power/battery side.

A bit more info over here 》


What Solar Panel & Controller ?

Solar Panel Cutting Hole In Roof !!!

300w Solar Club -- How I Done It --

.
Mobile Solar Panels ? . . . - How I Did It -
.

 

[Severals]

Hi Dellmassive, thanks for the quick response.
My (wishful?) thinking was that the charge controller would be permanently wired to the battery and the MC4 exterior socket (if that exists) and connecting the panels without having any windows or doors partly open.
Would this setup cause any risk to the PV panels?

 

[Dellmassive]

MC4 style connectors are more of an inline male/female connector, they dont realy come as a surface socket/plug.

you would be better of using Anderson connectors in that situation. (or other types depending on the panel amperage)

all the Ozzy guys use Anderson for both PV side and Power side......

So yes . . . . fit the solar controller inside and connect to your battery bank. . . .

then run your PV feed wires to where ever you need them . . . . .

Then just use Anderson or other connector to connect your panels..


Its just a case of cutting off the MC4 connectors and soldering on Anderson (or other)

examples here:

MC4

.

anderson

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mobile panel.

.

 

[Pauly]

MC4 connectors are a bit of a bitch to undo, im not actually sure they are designed to be plugged/unplugged multiple times ?
We have a special release tool in work that comes with the crimper/installation kit (rooftop PV)

Personally i think there would be better solutions out there, personally i have a mobile panel we use when camping and it has a plug/socket on the cable between the solar panel outside and my DC/DC charger inside but the joint is only waterproof when connected

 

[Dellmassive]

@Loz had this solution.

Connection Of Portable Solar Panels To Leisure Battery

.

 

[Dellmassive]

a nice example of external anderson here>>>

.

 

[Pete C]

We use the gas drop out vent in the rear of the van as a cable entry point for our solar panels (which are portable). We constructed this vent in such a way that the usual mesh over the top is removable.

An Anderson connector fits through it.

Pete

 

[Loz]

 

[Severals]

Brilliant! The external surface mount with the hinged cover is exactly the solution as to how I pictured a connection from the Renogy? 100w portable panels. Are the Anderson housings available in the UK?
The setup I envisioned was to mount the MPPT inside at the tailgate end of the van, wired through to the leisure battery under the drivers seat, then through the floor of the van to the Anderson housing underneath the van, anything that I should be concerned about?

Thanks for all your replies.​

All I need now is to take delivery of the converted van

 

[Dellmassive]

View attachment 50661
Brilliant! The external surface mount with the hinged cover is exactly the solution as to how I pictured a connection from the Renogy? 100w portable panels. Are the Anderson housings available in the UK?
The setup I envisioned was to mount the MPPT inside at the tailgate end of the van, wired through to the leisure battery under the drivers seat, then through the floor of the van to the Anderson housing underneath the van, anything that I should be concerned about?

Thanks for all your replies.​

All I need now is to take delivery of the converted van

there on ebay etc . . . . . external anderson plug | eBay

 

[Severals]

there on ebay etc . . . . . external anderson plug | eBay

View attachment 50670

I saw these Ebay listings, all from Australia, the shipping cost is more than the product so I was hoping for a UK supplier
Above is what I wanted to save having to solder or crimp the cables, but AD don't ship to the UK, even if they did the delivery charge would be similar to Ebay.

 

[Loz]

They don't need to be that big, plus a square hole takes longer. That is why I went for the Neutrik connectors.
NAC3MPB-1 | Neutrik Mains Plug Power Connector, 20A, Panel Mount, 250 V | RS Components Socket

NAC3FCB | Neutrik Mains Sockets Power Connector, 20A, Cable Mount, 250 V | RS Components Plug

 

[Dellmassive]

They don't need to be that big, plus a square hole takes longer. That is why I went for the Neutrik connectors.
NAC3MPB-1 | Neutrik Mains Plug Power Connector, 20A, Panel Mount, 250 V | RS Components Socket

NAC3FCB | Neutrik Mains Sockets Power Connector, 20A, Cable Mount, 250 V | RS Components Plug

i like those connectors. . . . . there used on a lot of newer PA / Disco sound systems for 240v power in/out (besause they lock!)

great solution though @Loz

i suppose you could always make us a short MC4 or Anderson to Neutrik adapter lead . . . . . . . if you wans always swapping panels and the like.

 

[Severals]

They don't need to be that big, plus a square hole takes longer. That is why I went for the Neutrik connectors.
NAC3MPB-1 | Neutrik Mains Plug Power Connector, 20A, Panel Mount, 250 V | RS Components Socket

NAC3FCB | Neutrik Mains Sockets Power Connector, 20A, Cable Mount, 250 V | RS Components Plug

Unless I am missing something (which is entirely possible!) the Neutrik housing doesn't appear to have any protective cover to mount it externally for easy connect and disconnect of the PV panel.
It also requires a 23.6mm hole through the van floor, which means buying a hole cutter that size, if that's possible.​

My wish was for a weatherproof socket that is outside the van, protected from the ingress of any dirt, rain etc. so that no windows or doors need to be partly open for cable connection to the PV panel.
The weatherproof Anderson surface mount housing, as proposed by Dellmassive, externally mounted would mean just one drilled hole big enough to thread 2 cables from the inside the van from the MPPT controller to the externally mounted Anderson housing.
It appears that I can buy MC4 to Anderson extension cables off the shelf.
So, if I can get hold of the surface mount Anderson housing, socket and plug, that would seem to be the solution.

 

[Loz]

.... okay, suggestion and help withdrawn...

I just slam my flat-twin speaker cable in the door...

 

[Severals]

.... okay, suggestion and help withdrawn...

I just slam my flat-twin speaker cable in the door...

Thanks for your input so far.
I hope that's not a permanent withdrawal
I expect I will need your help on other "essential" future mods/upgrades.

 

[Loz]

Thanks for your input so far.
I hope that's not a permanent withdrawal
I expect I will need your help on other "essential" future mods/upgrades.

only joking...

I thought about fitting an external socket but gave up looking for a suitable place that was easy to get to outside and easy to wire to inside.
I coupled the panels with MC4 connectors to some medium size speaker cable then put a neutrik plug on the end of the speaker cable.
Wired the vitron and socket to the passenger seat base.
I lay the panel on the roof or floor when it's parked up and plug the cable in under the passenger seat and then slam the door on the cable and it gets traps in the door seal with no damage..

 

[Severals]

only joking...

I thought about fitting an external socket but gave up looking for a suitable place that was easy to get to outside and easy to wire to inside.
I coupled the panels with MC4 connectors to some medium size speaker cable then put a neutrik plug on the end of the speaker cable.
Wired the vitron and socket to the passenger seat base.
I lay the panel on the roof or floor when it's parked up and plug the cable in under the passenger seat and then slam the door on the cable and it gets traps in the door seal with no damage..

Sounds like an alternative plan if the Anderson surface mount housing seems hard to get at the right price.
I did worry about shutting the door on cables, with my limited knowledge of electrical cable I was picturing much thicker cables than speaker wire, what rating is your panel?

 

[Pauly]

I just got waterproof connector (bog basic) and leave a length of cable connected to my charge system under passenger seat and if we go camping i leave my passenger window open an inch and feed the cable through the gap, we have wind deflectors fitted and coupled with a wrap around screen cover everything is well covered and no water can get in (even without the screen cover)