We have had terrific success using Wagos in rooftop junction boxes for splicing #12 Enphase cable to #10 home run THWN. We have no issues whatsoever with these.
Unfortunately, the #10 PV wire insulation is too large for the Wago 221-6XX series. We have been buying #14-#4 Polaris taps and it's getting very expensive. I would like an alternative. For a while we were using the King Innovation AlumiConn purple "suitcase" connectors for Enphase, but they are only 300V rated and I don't think the PV Wire insulation fits in those, either, for <300V applications. I have seen people using MC4 connectors in rooftop junction boxes like Blake suggested, but I wasn't sure if that is acceptable practice to use them this way (in an enclosure), and it does require a pretty large junction box. We prefer to use the EZ Solar JB-# series of boxes. The rail mount ones (JB-3) are pretty small, but the tile roof JB-2 is huge, and the shingle JB-1 is sizable as well. I guess if there is no prohibition against using them in an enclosure, then it should be allowed. I do like the watertight nature of this solution. I have seen some clowns using MC4 connectors with #10 THHN wire to make these splices. That's obviously no bueno. Crazy stuff... Jason Szumlanski Principal Solar Designer | Florida Solar Design Group NABCEP Certified Solar Professional (PVIP) Florida State Certified Solar Contractor CVC56956 Florida Certified Electrical Contractor EC13013208 On Tue, Nov 11, 2025 at 4:44 PM Dave Tedeyan via RE-wrenches < [email protected]> wrote: > Hi Adam, > This response is just to you. Is NYSERDA the inspection agency you are > talking about? Cause they have given me issues about using Wago Nuts inside > a 3R box, even after I got a statement from Wago saying that it is okay to > put it inside a 3R box. But squirting a bit of No-Ox in there seems to make > them happy about it. The one time we put one inside a 3R panel board to > extend a short wire and forgot to put No-Ox on that one, they gave us a 2 > out of 5 on the inspection, even though that was the only thing noted in > the entire inspection report! But I would be curious if the point you make > above will work with NYSERDA? > > Cheers, > Dave > > On Tue, Nov 11, 2025 at 4:16 PM AE Solar via RE-wrenches < > [email protected]> wrote: > >> We had an inspection agency that was giving us a hard time about using >> buchanan crimps in junction boxes because they aren't rated for >> outdoor/damp locations. The point was made (on this listserve) that "*if >> the inside of a 3R enclosure isn't considered dry enough for a buchanan >> crimp/cap, then there's millions of 3R panels with breakers and busbars in >> them that would have the same problem*". The inspection agency finally >> relented. We put a little No-Alox in the cap. I know that's not what your >> initial post was about, but tossing that in for consideration just in >> case... >> >> Adam Katzman (he/him) >> Autonomous Energies | Owner/Operator >> www.AutonomousEnergies.com <http://www.autonomousenergies.com> >> (518) 567-1468 >> >> >> >> >> On Tue, Nov 11, 2025 at 3:51 PM Jay via RE-wrenches < >> [email protected]> wrote: >> >>> Hi Sam >>> >>> I can’t imagine being just copper it would matter, the AHJ might have a >>> different opinion however >>> >>> Question. >>> How are you insulating them? >>> >>> Jay >>> >>> >>> On Nov 11, 2025, at 11:15 AM, Sam Haraldson via RE-wrenches < >>> [email protected]> wrote: >>> >>> >>> Wrenches, >>> >>> On the attached product spec sheet for Ideal Copper Crimps (aka Buchanan >>> crimps) you'll see that max voltage for the crimp is rated at 600V but an >>> asterisk indicates up to 1000V when "in fixtures and signs". In our >>> application this is a 1000v system and we are joining pairs of #10 PV >>> wires. The junctions are made in a rail-mounted, plastic j-box. We could >>> not find the definition of "fixture" as it might pertain to this situation >>> in the NEC and as such are interested to learn more about using Buchanan >>> crimps for 1000V applications. >>> >>> <image.png> >>> >>> >>> Cheers, >>> Sam >>> >>> [image: OnSite Energy] <https://onsiteenergyinc.com/> >>> >>> Sam Haraldson >>> Operations Specialist >>> (406) 551-6135 >>> 1515 N. Rouse Ave Bozeman, MT 59715 >>> Locally owned and operated since 2012 >>> [image: B Corporation] <https://onsiteenergyinc.com/bcorp> >>> <IDEALIndustries-Crimp Connectors.pdf> >>> _______________________________________________ >>> List sponsored by Redwood Alliance >>> >>> Pay optional member dues here: http://re-wrenches.org >>> >>> List Address: [email protected] >>> >>> Change listserver email address & settings: >>> http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org >>> >>> There are two list archives for searching. When one doesn't work, try >>> the other: >>> https://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/ >>> http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org >>> >>> List rules & etiquette: >>> http://www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm >>> >>> Check out or update participant bios: >>> http://www.members.re-wrenches.org >>> >>> _______________________________________________ >>> List sponsored by Redwood Alliance >>> >>> Pay optional member dues here: http://re-wrenches.org >>> >>> List Address: [email protected] >>> >>> Change listserver email address & settings: >>> http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org >>> >>> There are two list archives for searching. When one doesn't work, try >>> the other: >>> https://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/ >>> http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org >>> >>> List rules & etiquette: >>> http://www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm >>> >>> Check out or update participant bios: >>> http://www.members.re-wrenches.org >>> >>> _______________________________________________ >> List sponsored by Redwood Alliance >> >> Pay optional member dues here: http://re-wrenches.org >> >> List Address: [email protected] >> >> Change listserver email address & settings: >> http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org >> >> There are two list archives for searching. When one doesn't work, try the >> other: >> https://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/ >> http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org >> >> List rules & etiquette: >> http://www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm >> >> Check out or update participant bios: >> http://www.members.re-wrenches.org >> >> _______________________________________________ > List sponsored by Redwood Alliance > > Pay optional member dues here: http://re-wrenches.org > > List Address: [email protected] > > Change listserver email address & settings: > http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org > > There are two list archives for searching. When one doesn't work, try the > other: > https://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/ > http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org > > List rules & etiquette: > http://www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm > > Check out or update participant bios: > http://www.members.re-wrenches.org > >
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