solar terminals

[cansailor]

Can anyone help me out with this panel I have. I want to have this panel lay flat on the deck but it has a connection box on the back, I would like to cut the box off and run the wires from the terminals strait down through the deck. What are the little black things connecting the 3 terminals?

[Cotemar]

The little black things are Diodes = one way electrical valve.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diode

They can be mounted below deck also.

[thinwater]

You will get more output if the panels have air space behind them for cooling.

Just sayin.

[cansailor]

Ok thanks for the help. I am going to cut these off and reinstall them below deck.
I assume they need to be installed in the direction the are already aligned.
For bedding the bare terminals is 5200 an acceptable bedding to prevent electrical shorting between the terminals? It would also need to provide waterproofing between the panel and the deck where the terminals run through.

I need the panel to lay flat because a hatch needs to be able to slide above it. It will have a slight air gap because I plan on using velcro along the sides to attach it. But probably little air flow.

[Cotemar]

I would never use 5200 on any thing that may need to be removed in the future.
5200 will pull the gelcoat off your boat if you remove it.

I would use clear Boat life-Life Seal for your application of bedding and sealing.

[CoCoKnots]

I agree with Cotemar... Boat Life Seal or Life Calk either one. I personally like Life Calk. It cleans up with WD-40 & you can accelerate the cure time with water if needed. I use it for deck fittings & rigging projects. (Great for sta-loks, etc)
Not sure if that's true with Life Seal or not... Haven't tried it.

[cansailor]

Granted, 5200 has strong adhesive properties. I use it on pretty much everything bedded on my boat. I use it because it last long, and I don't find it that big of a deal to remove.
I was wondering if it would insulate against the voltage and not create a short.

I would need a dependable seal against the deck and panel to keep water away from the terminals.

[Lake-Effect]

Originally Posted by cansailor

Granted, 5200 has strong adhesive properties. I use it on pretty much everything bedded on my boat. I use it because it last long, and I don't find it that big of a deal to remove.
I was wondering if it would insulate against the voltage and not create a short.

I would need a dependable seal against the deck and panel to keep water away from the terminals.

5200 is a good insulator, it won't cause a short.

[neptunesjester]

Be careful, 5200 is not a sealant, it is an adhesive. There are a number of places where 5200 is not the best choice. BoatUS magazine had a good article a few months back comparing different adhesives and sealants and the pros and cons of each.

I'd be concerned placing any wiring in 5200 simply because you'd destroy the terminals, terminal block, and wiring if you ever needed to work on it in the future. 5200 is designed for substrate failure before the bond breaks. Also, 5200 is not compatible with plastic.

Some 3m 4000 UV should do the job nicely. I used it to bed my solar panels and fittings where the wires run though deck.

Later,
NJ

[Cotemar]

Originally Posted by neptunesjester

Be careful, 5200 is not a sealant, it is an adhesive. There are a number of places where 5200 is not the best choice. BoatUS magazine had a good article a few months back comparing different adhesives and sealants and the pros and cons of each.

I'd be concerned placing any wiring in 5200 simply because you'd destroy the terminals, terminal block, and wiring if you ever needed to work on it in the future. 5200 is designed for substrate failure before the bond breaks. Also, 5200 is not compatible with plastic.

Some 3m 4000 UV should do the job nicely. I used it to bed my solar panels and fittings where the wires run though deck.

Later,
NJ

We all tried to tell the OP that 5200 is not good for his application, but he uses 5200 for everything on a boat and this project will fall into that list.

If a Diode burns out the OP will just get out a hammer and chisel to replace it with all the broken shorted wires and broken chipped fiberglass.


Life is Good with 5200 until it isn't

[sailorboy1]

why wouldn't you just connect your wires to the junction box (properly sealing the connections) on the panel and then running the wires thought the deck using a proper wire god-darn-it (because I can not remmeber the real name at the moment for the wire fitting)? Why caulk/glue something that will later leak and for which you probably are going to want to take apart someday?

[Outwest34au]

Originally Posted by Don L

a proper wire god-darn-it (because I can not remmeber the real name at the moment

I think you might mean a gland nut?

Yes, if possible leave the diodes in situ and run the wires only.
If the panel has aluminium flat along the edges for a frame can you use a hole saw to enhance air flow under the panels?