DIY Off Grid Solar: Assemble & Wire a Combiner Box (Part 4)

[@Guildbrookfarm]

You would NOT believe some of the challenges we have encountered building this solar system! We will tell ya all about it in our final video on "The Good, The Bad, and the Ugly of a DIY Solar Install"...but next video in the series is on our charge controller. Stay tuned! As always...links to products discussed and related videos in the description. Thanks for watching!

[@787Earl]

day two passed my father's rules for working in his shop no watch or anything else on wrists. Thank you for your videos.

[@787Earl]

He built commercial buildings we wired everything except the lead from the transformer. He paid a certified Electrician to inspect and complete.

[@robsadler5605]

Very excited to see more in this series. Can't wait for your lessons learned video.

[@TheTyrial86]

Would you be able to post a parts list of what your system needed? Or what kits you used?

[@Guildbrookfarm]

We post links in each video to the components we used in the video. Next video I’ll include a complete list.

[@suzie2080]

All I can say Jeremy is if I even got under that deck I'd would never get back out. You have a great way of explaining things. You are doing an excellent job.

[@suzie2080]

Great videos Jeremy. You do an excellent job of explaining things.

[@kevchard5214]

The best solar install vid on the web. Great job!

[@robertjackson9601]

This has been an inspiring series. I have not been able to find this kind of complete detail. Thanks.

[@Guildbrookfarm]

Neither could I so I wanted to try and make a series that explained the things I was trying to learn. Hopefully it’s working a bit.

[@mingo5435]

I was in the Navy in "advanced Electronics" in the 1970s - 1984. It taught me to respect electricity but not be afraid of it. You certainly show that in your videos. Good job on your install.

[@robsadler5605]

I love how responsive you guys are after posting videos. Thank you for your time, teachings and friendliness!

[@tomteseletec2072]

Bravo! I think you'll tackle about anything. You just roll up your sleeves and dive in. Really great instructional. Although, I would slip all that cable into metal flex. The squirrels and other rodents love the insulation on electrical wire. As a journeyman electrician I have had the displeasure of replacing much wire after the little pests got into an attic or under a house.

[@terawattyear]

Looks like professional work to me Jeremy. You don’t give yourself enough credit. Thanks for the demo. You explained it such that I do think I can do it now. Eventually I probably will.

[@Guildbrookfarm]

You can totally do this stuff. 😉

[@mikecompton8931]

Wow! The video on how to prepare the combiner box was fabulous. I'm not an electrician and have taken on installing 12 panel Unbound solar off grid system for a friend. I've never done anything with an electrical panel but after watching this video I had no problems getting the combiner finished in about 15 minutes. Plus, I now know how to connect the panel cables into the box. Great video - keep it up.

[@Soli_Deo_Gloria_.]

Your closing was awesome ! Thanks for sharing your knowledge in a clear and concise way without all the superfluous stuff that unfortunately gets thrown in on to many KZbin videos... Well done. God bless

[@craigsymington5401]

Tip for free: lose the watch and ring (all jewelry) while working with power circuitry! Firstly it will save your jewelry, more importantly could save limb or life.

[@robsadler5605]

Loving this series!

[@frugalfishguy4870]

Loving the Hair Cut.

[@sam88484]

Love the methodology in explaining everything. ...this is how every instructional video should be. ..1. assume zero knowledge at viewer end 2. Simplyify it all the way down . Thumbs up guys

[@mloomis1978]

Man, I have looked everywhere for a detailed video on these combiner boxes. Yours was what I've needed. Thanks for making this video. It helped me completely understand how to wire mine up.

[@lisabooker6405]

Jer it’s still all French to me but once we’re actually doing it I know it’ll make more sense. Never done anything like this either. You are extremely generous to share everything step by step and I’m grateful for it. Like I mentioned we’re going to be wiring a van/RV build so having something like this will help. Obviously not to this scale. You are really good at showing the step by step.

[@ruralsolutions825]

Thank you sir, I have just had a clarification on a serious doubt I had about combiner box. I am so grateful. Keep up!!!

[@redsandsracing]

Thanks for the vid!!! Weve been off grid for 8 months now and just been charging our bank with the generator. Going to install our 5kw array next week

[@davidkilbourne6778]

You've answered all the questions I've wondered about and I'm glad you put out these videos. Taking the time to explain all the little things also helps to understand how the whole system works. Great videos and excellent job!

[@Guildbrookfarm]

Awesome. Thanks David. 👍🏻

[@issa3522]

A well explained video in great details from A to Z specially about the unpacking and installation of the combiner box which my initial search of MidNite Solar Combiner Box MNPV6 has brought me to your video. Thanks kindly for taking to shoot and uploading this excellent educational video. You might not be a licensed electrician but you are truly a master a DIY installer in my book. Well done Sir. 👍👌

[@kenlee5015]

Brother, you're very thorough and it's great that you're willing to share this experience. TY

[@keithdeshong9612]

This is a great series Jeremy. Your explanations are very clear and easy to follow. Don't stop!

[@Guildbrookfarm]

Awesome. Thanks Keith!

[@valramsingh8360]

Very good presentation//well paced and explained with the right camera illustrations..thanks.

[@adex2000ng]

Fantastically well done job. Thanks for the video. Great insight is provided in setting up a combiner box

[@charlescomstock7418]

Hey dud, y'all are great! The information you and your wife provide is incredible. Because I have a huge amount of construction knowledge the canning and preserving info is better for me . But y'all are great at helping folks. Thank you.

[@MichaelSmith-jv1vn]

Thanks for a straightforward approach to stringing a combiner box!

[@nyxie86]

I love watching and learning. Thanks for making this series!

[@ehole593]

Fantastic in-depth wiring basics for a DC system. Nice job guys!

[@props-model-shop]

Very helpful video on showing the setup of a combiner box. Many thanks.

[@Edgardocelectric007]

Very good video and lots of good and useful information as a 30 year plus trade electrician I'm am never surprise any of what I have seen out there posted as fact. One small tip on your ground, and I will explain why best practice. Take your ground from your array should be 6ga. to 8ga. Bear copper wire and connect straight to your ground rod. Also do the same for your combiner box. The reason for this is that all your devices are isolated from say a lightning strike. It goes straight to ground, any riseual feed back will be better absorbed by your ground fault and not send a jolt back to your charge controller, which should have the same protection. If you are using wire gauge higher than 8 gauge all that will happen melt the wire instead of going to ground. Just a tip

[@Guildbrookfarm]

Great suggestion. On the permanent install that’s exactly what I’ll do and with proper racking and lugs.

[@pnowikow]

Another best practice I've seen is to ground your panels as well. They make small devices which bite through the powder coated aluminum frames so you effectively connect them together and only need one ground cable.

[@Guildbrookfarm]

That’s what I did here. I think he’s talking about grounding the bonded panels directly to the ground rod without going into the combiner first, and grounding the combiner to the rod separately.

[@easymac79]

I could watch your videos all day. You are very knowledgeable and convey information in a very easy to understand way. I am not an electrician either, but know a decent bit on the matter, some from college education (I was going to be an electrician). The way you explain things, it is so concise, every detail is covered. I just wanted to say thank you, as I hope to build an array on a future homestead and this and your other videos are very helpful.

[@kalypsoisland]

You cannot imagine how much this has enlightened me. Thanks

[@j.d.wilson7134]

Great videos, I love the details as I learn more about a solar set up. My job deals with outdoor wiring, so I have a couple of things for you to think about when you move them to your permenant setup. First, run your cables from your combiner box to the battery bank in schedule 80 PVC conduit. This will protect your cables better, and in 20 years, if you have to replace a cable, you just hook the bad cable to the new to pull in the new. It makes replacement easy when you get older. Also, sun and wind is a killer for the insulating jacket on any outdoor wiring. I love that you wire neatly and label, but use some clear tape over the labeling to keep it from rubbing off in 20 years. Great job in sharing what you have learned about this subject. Both of you keep it up.

[@Guildbrookfarm]

Yes. In the permanent install, everything will be in conduit.

[@cayminlast]

Very well done , some of us learn better by watching, rather than just reading the instructions/manual ect. It's great to watch and learn, excellent.

[@rcagle123]

Coming from an Electrician you understand this very well!

[@TheKiloG69]

Nice job showing how this is done.It takes lots of effort to make videos when U are trying to also build the system U are realy going to use every day to live. Doing the same starting a new land development starting my new living off grid life at 64 in TN.

[@aleksilaine4942]

"I'm just a dude who figures this stuff out by watching youtube videos" :) you have the right approach

[@lenwhatever4187]

Good comment on the fact that the breakers are rated DC. A 250v AC breaker is generally only good for 24v DC. An AC breaker with higher voltage DC can arc on opening and continue conducting so you think you have turned it off but there is still power jumping the contacts. Regardless of breaker type or switch position, treat all wiring like it is live (like a gun is always loaded). Measure the voltage after turning the power off (you have multiple sources and breakers do fail). Yeah, I've been buzzed a few times :)

[@josephhgoins]

Completely off topic here but I gotta say that the haircut looks awesome on you!!

[@Guildbrookfarm]

Thanks. Back to my old hairdo lol.

[@AutoCrete]

Excellent work Jeremy! I know most of this inside out but will always watch a new video that makes sense just in case I can learn something new.. My biggest take aways from this video is how to make the labeling crystal clear and wire up a very tidy combiner box. Thank you for sharing.

[@honestjobslave1122]

thank u for explaining the combiner box to solar panals from beginning to end

[@wendygerrish4964]

Excellent tutorial. Can't believe all that you covered. I am new to hardware mounting etc and I found this helped fill in alot of gaps that others fail to mention. Thanks..

[@jameswitte5167]

Would have run the neg from surge protector around the perimeter of the box rather than under the breakers ... Just to be safest ... Used to install alarm systems ... Neat and trim in the box is good ... Excess wire outside the box always got coiled and zip tied out of the way for future modifications ... Better too long then too short ... You are doing a job ...

[@suttonbogedain5874]

These are good tips. I would suggest waterproofing spacers between the combiner boxes and wood. (wrap a couple steel washers with rubber tape and pierce it with the screw). This will seal the box mounting holes which otherwise degrade over time. Water creeps everywhere. Retired master electrician. I heard you say you would eventually move the system. That's good because the point where the screws pierce the wood is the weakest point of the mounting system. In a few years it will degrade and loosen. If your system stays there more than five years you could just increase the size of the mounting screws, Or right now, caulk every mounting point just before you crank it down for the last time. Ju Keepin y'all safe and making the system last.

[@michelalcenat2251]

Thank you so much I learn from you to install my combiner box perfectly. Very instructive

[@mountainviews5025]

Great job with all of the wiring labeling clean & neatly put together I personally would put my pass label on your box again great job and video

[@mbuguamiruru4550]

Thank you sir! I have trying been trying to understand more of the solar connections and by far this is the best video I have seen for the combiner box. Congrats!!

[@africanhomestead]

I’m just getting back to finishing this video series. Thanks for putting it together! Which KZbin channels and solar forums did you find most helpful?

[@michaelsadach3571]

Thank you for the video. I feel better installing mine. Still going to read the manual.

[@6sensory]

Better to not run both lines for SPD alongside each other, negative better direct to negative bussbar. And the reason the crimp tool exists is for greater surface contact as it surrounds the conductors clamped tight - not just mashed in one spot, especially when everything gets loose in the sun. Ferrules would help as well to keep conductor filaments from tearing when tightened down

[@herbertpoland6321]

Good job! just what I was looking for midnite combiner box. Thanks

[@MichaelPNW1982]

Keep it up, guys. Great explanations and great video/editing quality. Love your content!

[@tommathews3964]

Well done, sir! Every time I see an electrical box, especially since you punched a "knock out", it reminds me of the time when I was about 6 watching my dad install a box for an overhead light at my Granny's house. Of course, if you are staring straight up your mouth is open...….yep, knock out right down my throat! Immediately started throwing up (thankfully!). Couldn't have done that if we tried!

[@Guildbrookfarm]

Wow!

[@starrmcurry2718]

Again, Jeremy great demo video. I had no clue about solar, but now at least grasp the content...thanks to you and Jamie! BTW like the hair cut! Blessings!

[@cjc9088]

Wow...you made that look so easy! And I know its incredibly complicated! Great vid Jeremy.

[@pcguysoffgridcabin]

I have learned more today from watching your videos than I thought I knew about all this. thanks

[@Guildbrookfarm]

Glad it was helpful! 👍🏻

[@donaldsmith3048]

First Thank You for the information!! I live in South Florida, Lighting Alley! You can add more protection almost anywhere by putting in MOVv's

[@Beecozz7]

Very impressive, well done! Thank you! Great series.

[@mikejamesss]

Great video this was the best video and nice detail good picture and very clear demo I really learn a lot tonight Thank you

[@lisasavagewellness]

Wow the hair! Looking good ;) Could you possibly do some videos about what you are currently eating and your your grocery budget?

[@rsinfelt1]

Good job......now I'm just another dude that learned more about this stuff from watching you on you tube videos....thank you!

[@Guildbrookfarm]

It’s like The Matrix. Wanna learn to fly a Huey?

[@aliciamcnamar8203]

like the short Do. will be putting this series on my back burner to dig into educationally...

[@justme-uw6bz]

Oh my goodness, hope you don't mind me saying this but, your very good looking with your hair cut.

[@sulebo2153]

Yeah - looks 20 yrs younger!

[@justme-uw6bz]

Absolutely

[@locksbog4270]

Looks professional enough to me 👍👍👍😃

[@johnralston5818]

.... Great video Jeremy... i mostly take that same approach when it comes to installations & services... i see the people who they send out & say to myself: if they can do this, so can i. ;). Thanks for the video & we look forward to the next one.

[@missrzhrtjennieruthdelurey2908]

This is very informative ... my experience in anything remotely electronic was just wiring lighting and fan fixtures in the mid to late 80’s when I worked at Monkey Wards

[@klassica]

Great video, but just a nit: The SPD positive running behind the negative bus bar (exposed to sharp bare negative wire ends) is less ideal.

[@flyingdiscproductions]

are you saying the insulation can't handle?

[@wendygerrish4964]

Good point. Something to consider atleast.

[@TinyHouseLife]

WOW thanks guys this was really helpful..i will def have to watch this video 5 times to soak in all the details. you really made putting the box together seam very simple..thanks again. look forwards to all the solar videos to help me with mine

[@BottomNotchGarage]

Thanks for the video. Well done!

[@MadStylesGooffy]

Thank you appreciate the setup. Help me alot understanding the process.

[@jerrycoon4504]

Another great vid. Great job Jeremy. Looking forward to the next one.

[@kathleenzimmerman8227]

WOW!!! LOVE your new haircut!!!!!!! Enjoying and learning from your videos! TFS!!! :-D

[@diydan6045]

Great video thanks for posting. When I saw your ground mount rack it gave me an idea to use palets.

[@drewskihikes5981]

Great video 👍

[@sandraburke2403]

Oh my.I haven't watched you lately:( sorry. Wow the hair cut looks great :).

[@Guildbrookfarm]

Thanks. Donated 11” so mission accomplished.

[@sandraburke2403]

As Always resourcing resources. Good idea,maybe I need to do that as well. Sometimes the braiding daily makes me wonder why I keep it. Well I gotta catch up on your vids. Weather finally broke allowing the grands and myself the yard work and gardening duties. I purchased a canner late last fall,you had me convinced of how simple it is to use. Now I'm hoping our green thumb provides yield for the many jars I have been accumulating. I did give it a trial run from store purchased foods last year,it works great. THX you 2 + 2 :) I have enjoyed the education. I too want to start on solar,hopefully this fall the budget allows my piece work purchasing supplies-equipment. I nearly have my chicken necessities purchased,given the boys appetites I am looking to keep 25 year round. It's so nice to have the handi-man knowledge. My son gets all my carpenter work,poor guy every year I have him building something. Have a great day tomorrow:) GN

[@douglasarnoldakers]

Great video. Thank you so much. I subscribed. You should have over a million subscribers. I'm sure you will.

[@CountryViewAcres]

Good video. I saw a few things I hadn't on other video.

[@sunshinegalkw9675]

You look great! Love the new look! Perfect for summer!

[@Guildbrookfarm]

Thanks!

[@jimsfarm]

Good job Jeremy, I enjoy you attention to detail. BTW, not sure how much wind/storm you guys get, but you might want to think about anchoring the mounts down, those panels act like sails in wind. Just a word of caution from a bad experience.

[@MrMReed-bo6th]

Nice video. I liked how you showed lots of the little details. People often gloss over them and it those little details that will eat you alive. I'm sure lots of people will find this very helpful. Two things for you that might help later. Aluminum wire is a wonderful thing as the larger sizes are cheaper and bunch lighter when compared to the copper. For stuff outside and it is really critical I always add some of the electrical oxidization preventive grease, even on copper.

[@donaldsmith3048]

Sorry! fat fingers hit the wrong button. MOV's Metal Oxide Varistor! Most surg protection use them. But you can get the part that does the work. Metal Oxide Varistor become almost a short when the voltage gets too high to take away the Surge. I have seen where the MOV was distroyed but the equipment was good, only found small parts of it in the bottom of the of the box and little bit of wire that came out of it. The MOV took the surg its self! Lighting is always looking for the easy way to ground! The more ways you give it to get to ground the better you will be! I spent over 30 year repairing electronics in South Florida, burger alarms, 2way radios, and other things.

[@mmeyer9317]

Outstanding video guys!!! Greatly appreciate all the information that was provided, well organized perfectly choreographed...☝️❤️ by far this video exceeds the top of the list on KZbin.. subscribed to you..👍👍👍

[@honeybadgers1996]

Awesome video. You always save my time without me keep digging through how to do things with solar system. Appreciate that👍 Do you have a video how to ground solar panels? I’m in the process of moving all my solar system to a permanent location and want to make sure I’ll do right from the basics. Thanks!

[@davidkilbourne6778]

Jeremy you do a great job of labeling each wire, I plan to do something with my 3 acres that I own and its paid for,planning on building a small home and I'm single and my daughter and her boyfriend are living there in that house..I do know that it takes a lot of planning. I was a carpenter for 30 years and I won't have any issues with building also I was a liscensed contractor.I had a accident which I had to be on disability afterwards.. Still healthy but I had shoulder problems and also ancle problems also. But now with my daughter being 23 in July I can do some of the things I've been wanting to do such as building a small home and trying my hand at solar. mabe you could give me a few pointers at solar and if you needed some pointers on building I'm sure I could help if you had questions.I grew up around building homes all my life, and my dad was a contractor also. so just let me know and if I can I'll help u out and I've been around farms on my mom's side of the family, funny I've had a taste of a lot of farming too. But any way you've done a great job of putting out these videos and I'm still learning from them.You have a way of explaining all you do.I've learned a lot! Just from the small things and it helps learning the whole system. Thank you my friend!

[@larrymacdonald4241]

One thing I learned about when building ebike battery packs, it's what they call " galvanic corrosion " when you combined different metals like copper with brass connectors, galvanized connectors will corrode over time, but with any electrical connection like you are doing, soldering them on is really the best way to go. Just make sure you clean them with alcohol afterwards as left over solder paste can cause corrosion as well. I would also suggest using a military grade " no corrode " type of coating for your bus bars and any other bare electrical connection that is not in a waterproof housing, none-conductive grease is much cheaper but a bit more of a mess. If the air cant get to it, no reaction can take place, oxidization etc... I really like your choice of Lifepo4 batteries, do you use a BMS with a battery bank like that ?

[@Guildbrookfarm]

Each unit has a BMS built in

[@penniaskew6148]

Might still be dealing with long-term corrosion issue from dissimilar materials

[@pathopkins4500]

Very good job on building your solar system =)

[@pathopkins4500]

Jeremy ..... you are the first person that I have seen that knows what they are doing wiring up circuits and a connect box =) Even labeling the wires and circuits is a real must in any installation .... most people do not do just that one simple thing that save hours later on wondering what circuit goes where to what wire and box =)

[@1MasterLi]

Thank you for sharing, so detailed and well explained. Thumbs Up.

[@nikolatotev7926]

Good job mate. Thats what i looking for

[@TechStories79]

hanging for the next part!

[@CandiceWA]

Thank you! That is very helpful!

[@herbertpoland6321]

Great video!!! worth its weight in gold. Thank you.

[@Guildbrookfarm]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@50shadesofgreen]

great series !! easy to follow !! very interesting content guys

[@Guildbrookfarm]

Glad you liked it! 👍🏻

[@8260097]

Can you please show how to wire the midnite classic 150 charger controler using a combiner box?

[@phliptoutcool]

Absolutely great videos. You do a very good job of showing the know nothing folks; and even those who know everything, how to do it yourself!!! However, didn't you say that the male connectors were positive? After your first male connector you labeled it S3 negative. Just asking?

[@Guildbrookfarm]

That male connector plugs into the female/negative of the string so even though it’s a positive connector, it’s forming the negative lead back to the combiner.

[@JoseOPerezRuiz]

Well Done, need and clean.

[@DuncanCunningham]

i did my solar system differently but I'm on grid tied system with no batteries. So I've got my panels going to a micro-inverter (2 panels to each inverter) and so all the power is AC 240volts from the panels to the house and they have anti-islanding so it's safe when the power to house goes out.. they don't kill a line worker.. it needs to sniff a frequency from the service to allow the inverters to produce power.

[@Solar_Tech_Liam]

Nice work so far, my only constructive criticism would be that is not the correct MC4 crimping tool for those contacts (I actually have the Ampehonl tool for those exact contacts, which are kind of rare). The current rating on them goes out the window if they are not crimped to Amphenol specs, longevity is also a concern (oxidation or corrosion)

[@Guildbrookfarm]

These aren’t MC4 connectors.

[@williamlewis3965]

it looks good the only thing I would do different is go to home depot or an electrical supply house and get bottle of Noalox made by Ideal put some on all aluminum connections it will prevent corrosion outside it will corrode you can put it on copper too

[@drivin69]

i have a question buddy if lighting hits won't the breakers pop and save all the equipment .??? instead of all that lightning protectection... if i may ask

[@flyingdiscproductions]

circuit breakers are not really "fast enough" for lightning surges.

[@wendygerrish4964]

Those spds react in something like billionths of seconds!

[@drivin69]

@@wendygerrish4964 thank you miss...is that right. happy days

[@beachlife1411]

Super nice