Solar panels are an increasingly common sight on agricultural buildings. However, as well as having to resist extremes of weather for decade after decade, some installations and their connectors have an extra challenge to face.
Barns housing pigs, chicken or cattle in particular can be exposed to relatively high levels of ammonia, which, combined with the steamy conditions, can have a corrosive effect on electrical components.
For this reason, Multi-Contact submitted its MC4 and MC4-EVO3 solar cable connectors and its Westlake junction box for voluntary ammonia resistance tests. The tests were conducted by the German agricultural equipment test centre DLG and all three passed with flying colours, signifying resistance for at least 20 years.
The MC4-EVO3 and the Westlake junction box are also the first of their kind worldwide to receive double recognition for 1,500V DC (IEC)/1,000V DC (UL). Combined with certified resistance to salt mist spray, this means that PV installations can be equipped with Multi-Contact components in demanding environments such as farms and coastal installations at voltages as high as 1,500V.
