Electrolux - Solar Energy

Solar Panel or PV Module Connectors

There are two main types of connectors on the backs of PV modules. Solar panels rated at less then 100 Watts, or modules manufactured more then ten years ago, often have openable junction boxes. You can connect wires to the positive and negative terminals of the panel by passing them through knock-out holes in the sides of the junction box. The other type of connector consists of a sealed junction box with wire leads, usually two to three feet in length.

In a small number of cases the wires have bare ends, but the majority of modules made today have MC or Multi-Contact brand connectors at the ends of their wires. MC connectors come in several styles, the two most common of which are often called MC1 and MC2. Because of recent changes in the National Electric Code (see 2008 edition, Section 690.33(C)), we expect to see several new types of connectors on the market, some of which may be required for code-compliant systems.