[RE-wrenches] Enphase J-box brackets

Mon Dec 19 09:58:29 PST 2011

I'll try to get you a picture, but we typically use a 4x4x4 PVC box or
larger depending on how many strings we need and drill through the back
like you suggested. There is plenty of volume for the Enphase wiring.
The other solution would be to use some aluminum 2" x 1/4" bar material
or flat plates  to span the existing holes in the tabs and attach the
bar/plate to the rail using 3/8" hardware.

Jason Szumlanski

Fafco Solar 

From: re-wrenches-bounces at lists.re-wrenches.org
[mailto:re-wrenches-bounces at lists.re-wrenches.org] On Behalf Of William
Miller
Sent: Sunday, December 18, 2011 1:34 PM
To: RE-wrenches
Subject: Re: [RE-wrenches] Enphase J-box brackets

Jason:

How do you use 3/8" hardware to attach a bell box to a module mounting
rail?  Could you share a picture of your typical practice?

The standard bell box has small, flimsy tabs to be installed on opposite
corners of the box.  Only one of these tabs would line up with the slot
in the rail and the tab is too small to drill a 3/8" diameter hole.  (We
have drilled a hole in the back of these boxes and used hardware with
neoprene washers, but this takes up valuable volume inside the box and
is generally not a preferred method.  More importantly, this would not
allow the box to be mounted across the end of the rail, a most
advantageous position.)

You may not be aware that the brackets depicted have holes to allow 8/32
machine screws in each of the 4 corners of the back of the bell box,
making a very secure connection.  The bracket allows mounting a box
across the end of the rail opens many possibilities for conduit routing.
A lot of thought went into the design of these brackets and it is too
bad they are no longer made.  Do you have any spares you did not use?

William Miller

At 07:29 AM 12/18/2011, you wrote:

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Why not just use 3/8" hardware in the rail channel to attach the
junction box? Especially if your AHJ allows you to bury the junction box
under a module, this works and looks great. Otherwise, just extend the
rail outside the last module and attach the box there. I never saw the
point of the bracket.

Jason Szumlanski
Fafco Solar 

From: re-wrenches-bounces at lists.re-wrenches.org
[mailto:re-wrenches-bounces at lists.re-wrenches.org] On Behalf Of JRQ
Sent: Saturday, December 17, 2011 1:21 PM
To: RE-wrenches
Subject: Re: [RE-wrenches] Enphase J-box brackets

William,

I actually prefer to use Unirac L-brackets for mounting J-boxes.
Sometimes I'll use the Enphase one because it comes with the Enphase
whip (and therefore I save paying $2.75 on an extra L-bracket). However,
I find the L-brackets to be sturdier and less visible.

Jeffrey Quackenbush
NABCEP-certified PV installer
Ninja Solar

From: William Miller <william at millersolar.com>
To: RE-wrenches <re-wrenches at lists.re-wrenches.org> 
Sent: Saturday, December 17, 2011 11:33 PM
Subject: [RE-wrenches] Enphase J-box brackets

Friends:

Enphase has changed the design of the brackets they provide to support a
j-box.  This is a problem because the new ones are inferior for these
reasons:
1. They do not have a hole adjacent to the back of a mounted box (to the
best of our knowledge).  This hole allows for the use of the back hub in
a standard "bell" box.
2. They can not be mounted offset (to see the benefits and application
browse to:
http://millersolar.com/MillerSolar/practices/Technical_Procedures/micro-
inverter_wiring/_micro-inverter-wiring.html
3. They do not accommodate one and two gang bell boxes.

I'd like to buy a quantity of these brackets.  A jpg depiction is
attached.  Does anyone have surplus?

Does anyone else miss these enough to write Enphase and ask that they be
reinstated into the catalog?

Thanks in advance.

William Miller

Miller Solar
Voice :805-438-5600
email: william at millersolar.com
http://millersolar.com <http://millersolar.com/> 
License No. C-10-773985

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Miller Solar
Voice :805-438-5600
email: william at millersolar.com
http://millersolar.com
<http://millersolar.com/> License No. C-10-773985

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