Another Newbie Question: Can I use a wooden board to mount electrical on?

**inetdog** · 06-07-2013, 04:30 PM

Originally posted by GoodJBoy

I know this is going to make a lot of people probably laugh but I am a newbie, residential, home owner tinkerer so laugh away...

I am planning on having lighting protection with a Midnite 115 unit and a few fuses and a couple of shutoffs and a charge controller and a battery bank... blah blah blah. A bunch of different stuff all connected. The question is, can I connect it all on plywood hung on the wall or do I have to use a proper electrical enclosure? If I do need a proper electrical enclosure, can I do this all in one enclosure... meaning, in one closure have the power coming in from the solar panels and the going out to the battery bank and coming back from the battery bank into the same enclosure and then running back out to the load circuits? The appropriate fuses and shut off switches would all be in the one enclosure (the switches installed on the outside of the enclosure).

Kind of the bottom line here, if I need to get one or two enclosures, I have never worked with them before. How would I install a shut off switch like this... http://www.amazon.com/HELLA-00284301...productDetails

Can I make circular holes in enclosures and how?

Thanks!

1. You can mix the various voltages and systems in one box, but you should make an effort to keep the high voltage panel DC, the low voltage battery DC and the inverter output AC separate from each other. In fact the NEC may require the 120/240 to be physically separated from the DC inside the enclosure.

2. A wooden board with exposed wires on one side may be OK for battery voltage, but not for AC or high voltage DC.

3. Mount the switch on a metal or plastic bracket inside the enclosure if it does not need to be accessible or mount it in a hole in the side or front of a box.

4. The parts like the CC and the enclosed breaker/disconnect box which have their own enclosures or cases can certainly mount in the open on a wooden board. Just don't block ventilation holes or put one heat generating device like inverter or CC directly above another.

4. There are hole saws that will work on metal panels. You can get what is called a Chassis Punch (Greenlee) that will make a neat round hole from a smaller drilled pilot hole. Or you can use what is called a nibbler to cut out the hole by hand.

**GoodJBoy** · 06-07-2013, 04:34 PM

Thanks for your advice. I am actually doing all DC. I have a 12v battery bank that will be charged by 600w of solar panels simply running through a charge controller. The battery bank will have a few different load lines that are all DC. No inverting. I am having my system inspected and I didn't know if I could wire everything on a wooden panel on the wall or if I needed to have an enclosure.

Thanks for your advice!

**Naptown** · 06-07-2013, 05:37 PM

All of the components should have their own enclosure that comes with the piece (CC, inverter)
If you are running more than 50V from the panels then this should be in a metallic raceway wherever it is exposed. Any AC wires should be cables rated for the amperage (they are all rated at 600V except control wires and other LV wires) These should be protected from mechanical damage but you will find them exposed in many areas of your home. basements come to mind. Switches should be purchased with an enclosure.

**peakbagger** · 06-08-2013, 07:06 AM

Electrical raceway (AKA gutter) is pretty reasonable and makes a good enclosure. I just bought some to clean up my wiring when I do an new install

Another Newbie Question: Can I use a wooden board to mount electrical on?

Another Newbie Question: Can I use a wooden board to mount electrical on?

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