Publication date: 23 July 2010
With its new two-rail decentralized junction box, Tyco Electronics now offers a new way for locating junction boxes on a PV panel. Compared to the commonly used centralized junction boxes in the PV industry, the decentralized box requires 50% less jumper cable to connect to the next solar panel, as the junction boxes are located in the corner of the panels.
The decentralized junction box uses less cross-connects than standard centralized boxes, offers excellent thermal management capabilities and enables engineers to design new innovative solar panel layouts. The general design idea is using two small two-rail junction boxes separately located in the corners of the solar panels plus one small junction box in the middle (compared with the common standard layout of one bigger four-rail junction box with three diodes in the centre of the panel). Through the decentralization of the two-rail junction boxes, panel manufacturers are able to use less and shorter cross connects (saving labour and costs) because every string is protected by one junction box with 1 diode.
With this new design concept it is easy to enlarge solar panel layouts by just adding a junction box in the centre to protect additional strings. No complicated routing is required. The low profile design (only 18.5mm height) of the two-rail decentralized junction box enables the device to be easily terminated with the slim line connector system by Tyco Electronics. The new decentralized junction box meets IEC 61215 ed.2 (VDE V 0126-5) specifications.
For more information on the new two rail decentralized junction box, please visit www.tycoelectronics.com/solar or contact Tyco Electronics’ Product Information Centre at www.tycoelectronics.com/help.
Tyco Electronics Ltd. is a leading global provider of engineered electronic components, network solutions, specialty products and undersea telecommunication systems, with fiscal 2009 sales of US$10.3 billion to customers in more than 150 countries. We design, manufacture and market products for customers in a broad array of industries including automotive; data communication systems and consumer electronics; telecommunications; aerospace, defense and marine; medical; energy; and lighting. With approximately 7,000 engineers and worldwide manufacturing, sales and customer service capabilities, Tyco Electronics' commitment is our customers' advantage. More information on Tyco Electronics can be found at http://www.tycoelectronics.com/.
