How to fit Multi-Contact connectors

Multi-Contact PV connectors are fitted as standard on many solar panels. They are high quality connectors, which are entirely weatherproof, and easy to disconnect and reconnect. As well as cable connectors, designed to fit on the end of cables, there are bulkhead connectors available which allow you to pass cables through a roof or bulkhead, and branch connectors to wire the output of two solar panels in parallel.

Note that Multi-Contact connectors are designed to be used with seperate, single-core, positive and negative cables. They are not suitable for twin-core cables where both the positive and negative conductors are carried within one cable.

Multi-Contact cable connectors are designed to be fitted with specialised fitting and crimping tools. However, it is possible with care to fit them with nothing more complicated than a little soap and a vice! If you are planning to fit them yourselves, do follow these instructions carefully to ensure you make a secure, weatherproof connection.

1) First, ensure you have the correct connectors. You should find the solar panel is fitted with a male connector on the negative lead, and a female connector on the positive lead. Your wires will need the opposite gender connectors to mate with these - so a female connector on the negative lead and a male on the positive lead.

2) Slide the rubber casing onto the cable until the wire protrudes about 1 inch from the end. Note for thick wires this is not easy! It helps a lot to wipe some washing-up liquid as a lubricant on the end of the wire. Then force the wire through the rubber casing with a twisting action.

3) Strip approximately 1cm of insulation (both the outer and inner) from the end of the cable.

4) Insert the wire fully into the socket at the end of the metal pin, and (in the absence of the extremely expensive crimping pliers that Multi-Contact recommend) squeeze the socket flat in the corner of a vice to crimp in place.

5) Slide the rubber casing back over the crimped metal pin. You should feel it lock in place when the plastic-tipped end of the pin is level with the end of the rubber casing.

That's it - done!

The metal sockets on the bulkhead connectors can be crimped in the same way. As on the bulkhead connectors there is no rubber casing over the join, we recommend fitting heat-shrink tubing over the crimped socket so that no metal is exposed.