Big Wire? [RE-wrenches]

[Ron Schroeder]

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Joel Davidson wrote:
> 
> Hello Ray,
> PV costs are down, but wire is still cheaper than voltage drop. Even a 
> small
> percentage of energy lost over the life of a PV system can add up 
> whereas
> wire is a one-time cost. As a percentage of system cost, wire is not a 
> place
> to economize. Also, old copper wires are recycled. Sometimes, sad to 
> say,
> new copper wire is stolen and recycled.
> Best regards,
> Joel Davidson
> 

Hi Joel,

If the bigger wire cost more than a panel, and the reduction in power 
loss is less than the production of a panel, then the panel is a better 
choice for it's entire life.

I saw one job where going up one gauge would have cost $2000 more in 
wire cost alone but only reduced cable loss by 40 watts.  $1800 dollars 
bought 4 more 80 Watt panels (and their mounts and wire) and added 320 
wats to the system.

Ron
EES
WD8CDH
Brookhaven National Lab

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