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    <p><font face="Verdana">We have used <font face="Verdana">a<font
            face="Verdana">ll mentioned here<font face="Verdana">. <font
                face="Verdana">I</font></font>f you <font
              face="Verdana">use the crimp and cap method, what<font
                face="Verdana"> do you do to "waterproof<font
                  face="Verdana">" the connection? Same question with
                  the <font face="Verdana">other splice type <font
                      face="Verdana">connectors.<font face="Verdana"> </font></font></font>
                  Some inspect<font face="Verdana">ors will no<font
                      face="Verdana">t allow this connector to be use<font
                        face="Verdana">d in this type of </font>connection
                      <font face="Verdana">if it is</font> made in an
                      out<font face="Verdana">side JB.  Thanks for any
                        insight.</font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></p>
    <p><font face="Verdana"><font face="Verdana"><font face="Verdana"><font
              face="Verdana"><font face="Verdana"><font face="Verdana"><font
                    face="Verdana"><font face="Verdana"><font
                        face="Verdana"><font face="Verdana">Chris Warfel</font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font><br>
    </p>
    <br>
    <div class="moz-cite-prefix">On 4/7/2017 9:55 AM, August Goers
      wrote:<br>
    </div>
    <blockquote
      cite="mid:a8c26d1ca4bd4a4a36d23e95341273bc@mail.gmail.com"
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        <p class="MsoNormal"><span
            style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif">Hi
            All –</span></p>
        <p class="MsoNormal"><span
            style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"> </span></p>
        <p class="MsoNormal"><span
            style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif">I’ve
            never been a fan of splice block style connectors for
            rooftop junction or combiner splices. They are expensive,
            bulky, and questionably rated for wet locations. They are
            also easy to forget to tighten all the way which will
            definitely lead to arc failures. </span></p>
        <p class="MsoNormal"><span
            style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"> </span></p>
        <p class="MsoNormal"><span
            style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif">It
            sounds like Eric has switched over to splice cap crimp
            connectors. We have too and haven’t looked back. I highly
            suggest that everyone still using wire nuts or splice blocks
            to try these out:</span></p>
        <p class="MsoNormal"><span
            style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"> </span></p>
        <p class="MsoNormal"><span
            style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"><a
              moz-do-not-send="true"
href="http://www.idealind.com/ideal-electrical/us/en/products/wire-termination/60-crimp-connectors/copper-splice-cap-crimp-connectors.aspx">http://www.idealind.com/ideal-electrical/us/en/products/wire-termination/60-crimp-connectors/copper-splice-cap-crimp-connectors.aspx</a></span></p>
        <p class="MsoNormal"><span
            style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"> </span></p>
        <p class="MsoNormal"><span
            style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif">Among
            other sources, Amazon is a fairly easy way to try them out
            by getting some splices, insulator caps, and the matching
            crimp tool.</span></p>
        <p class="MsoNormal"><span
            style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"> </span></p>
        <p class="MsoNormal"><img style="width:2.0in;height:2.0104in"
            id="Picture_x0020_1"
            src="cid:part2.647202AF.395BBEB1@entech-engineering.com"
            height="193" border="0" width="192"><span
            style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"></span></p>
        <p class="MsoNormal"><img style="width:2.8541in;height:2.625in"
            id="Picture_x0020_2"
            src="cid:part3.71000682.0D3755C7@entech-engineering.com"
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            style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"></span></p>
        <p class="MsoNormal"><span
            style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"> </span></p>
        <p class="MsoNormal"><img style="width:6.2708in;height:3.6041in"
            id="Picture_x0020_3"
            src="cid:part4.0FC52BD8.1E408AD3@entech-engineering.com"
            height="346" border="0" width="602"><span
            style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"></span></p>
        <p class="MsoNormal"><span
            style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"> </span></p>
        <p class="MsoNormal"><span
            style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif">August</span></p>
        <p class="MsoNormal"><span
            style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"> </span></p>
        <p class="MsoNormal"><span
            style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"> </span></p>
        <p class="MsoNormal"><span
            style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"> </span></p>
        <p class="MsoNormal"><span
            style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"> </span></p>
        <p class="MsoNormal"><span
            style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif"> </span></p>
        <p class="MsoNormal"><b><span
              style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif">From:</span></b><span
style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif">
            RE-wrenches [mailto:<a moz-do-not-send="true"
              href="mailto:re-wrenches-bounces@lists.re-wrenches.org">re-wrenches-bounces@lists.re-wrenches.org</a>]
            <b>On Behalf Of </b>Rebecca Lundberg<br>
            <b>Sent:</b> Friday, April 07, 2017 6:36 AM<br>
            <b>To:</b> <a moz-do-not-send="true"
              href="mailto:re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org">re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org</a><br>
            <b>Subject:</b> Re: [RE-wrenches] Polaris gone bad?</span></p>
        <p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
        <div>
          <div>
            <div>
              <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:12.0pt">Eric,</p>
            </div>
            <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:12.0pt">I am aware
              of a similar experience. Knowing the PV will hopefully be
              in place and without maintenance needs for decades does
              seem to warrant putting the most robust connector in
              place. Inverter errors is what first identified the
              problem. We did question the supplier to see if anyone
              else was having trouble, thinking perhaps it was a bad
              batch with some kind of defect? The only thing we could
              come up with is that perhaps the wrong size screwdriver
              for securing the wires could cause it. Some brands require
              an allen wrench (which now makes sense to me) but the
              brand we had was a straight-head screw. We found that a
              slightly too big screwdriver worked for the first few
              turns but then hit the rim inside the insulated connector
              and wouldn't fully tighten the wire down. IF that were the
              cause then it was essentially arcing because of a loose
              connection. However, a pull test on the wire would have
              discovered a loose connection AND analyzing several of the
              incidences we saw each seemed to have very tight wire
              connections, so I'm not convinced this was the problem.
              Your post is the first I've read of anyone else having
              this trouble, but I think most installers use wire nuts.</p>
          </div>
          <p class="MsoNormal">Rebecca Lundberg</p>
          <div>
            <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:12.0pt"> </p>
            <div>
              <div>
                <div>
                  <div>
                    <blockquote style="border:none;border-left:solid
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                      6.0pt;margin-left:4.8pt;margin-right:0in">
                      <p class="MsoNormal">Wrenches,<br>
                        <br>
                        We have been having Polaris connectors start to
                        fail on older installs. About 4 or 5 years ago
                        we abandoned wire nuts in favor of the much more
                        pricey, but deemed safer Polaris insulated tap
                        connectors in our combiners. About a year ago we
                        transitioned, about 80% away from Polaris to
                        Buchannon connectors. We have had two recent
                        call-backs on systems downed due to Polaris
                        connectors burning up inside of boxes. (No
                        damage beyond the connector itself). Recently we
                        interfaced with another solar install firm that
                        has gone back to wire nuts due to this same
                        problem. Anyone else seeing this? Wondering if
                        this is an industry-wide issue regarding a
                        Polaris manufacturing defect or if we're still
                        in the realm of isolated flukes.<br>
                        <br>
                        Eric<br>
                        SunHarvest<br>
                        <a moz-do-not-send="true"
                          href="tel:%28530%29%20559-5023">(530) 559-5023</a></p>
                    </blockquote>
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</pre>
    </blockquote>
    <br>
    <pre class="moz-signature" cols="72">-- 
Christopher Warfel, PE
Entech Engineering, Inc.
401-466-8978</pre>
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