What are these solar wire terminators?

How am I supposed to connect the ends of the solar wires to my Morningstar controller? the ends are in little plastic cases and do not know how to get at the ends of the wires, short of cutting off those cases.

Are there empty holes? I believe those are push connectors, so to splice wires, you just push them into the empty holes.

Bill - in my Hawk, the rear and roof solar were wired to the push-in connector, and there was a free wire connected to the push-in too. The idea is that the connector joins the rear and roof solar ports so that they can both be wired to the controller. See my post below and scroll through to the end to see the wiring diagram.

http://www.wanderthewest.com/forum/topic/16154-solar-wiring-discovery-2017-hawk/

OK, push in connectors, but do not think I can use them because my Morningstar controller has screws for spade type connector.

So I guess I should just cut off those push in connectors and crimp on space connectors. Does this seem best way to do it?

BillTheHiker said:

OK, push in connectors, but do not think I can use them because my Morningstar controller has screws for spade type connector.

So I guess I should just cut off those push in connectors and crimp on space connectors. Does this seem best way to do it?

Click to expand...

There was a red and black wire coiled up next to my battery, this is the third wire in those connectors.

To release the wire from the connector one end of the colored plastic prays up.

those connectors are for solid wire. I personally do not like them. Only a small surface area is in contact. See them a lot in fluorescent fixtures in commercial for the ballast connections to the fluorescent tombstones.

Closed end connectors after wires are twisted together. Or better yet solder and heat shrink. JMO

Russ

Those plastic cases can be opened. The ends have a bump out tab on the sides. Take a small flat blade and pry apart each side. Then the clear outer case comes off. That leaves you with a metal tab that holds the wire that is pushed in. With flat blade pry up on the metal tab and pull out the wire. Put it back together with plyers until it snaps. Then you can push in another stripped wire end.

Russ Thanks for the tip about low contact area. Might consider rewire the connection. How much loss do they really have you think?

When thereis a high current draw there is arcing and burning in that area. My thoughts on seeing failures of electronic ballasts they continue to try work but the high resistance causes voltage drop in the connectors. Which leads to what will fail completely first the ballast or the connector.
When the connector fails, fixing this will sometimes show a working ballast, they sometimes seem short lived from trying to have worked under low voltage conditions.
I see them on 14awg and 16awg solid wire, sometimes in control circuits but not often.
Russ

I'm trying to answer the question in the title of the thread: (What are these solar wire terminators?)

I don't have them in my rig so I'm trying to figure out what they are by comparing the photo above to photos on the web.

They appear to be Wago Push Wire (or 'Pushwire') 773-173 Wall-Nuts. Yes? (Are there any identifying marks or numbers on them to confirm?)

If so, the Electrical Installation Products pdf tells us (on the second and third page):

- can be used on solid or stranded wire (14 - 10 AWG)

- they have a test port (a hole for a probe to reach the internal copper strip)

- can be reused if on solid wire (twist and pull to remove) but not if on stranded (cut wire, re-strip, insert in new connector)
(but see pvstoy's post #7 for another way)

- claims to cut installation time by 50%

Edited 8/5/18 to note that the Wago appears to have changed where the links land. The key to finding info on them is the 773-173 number. I can't find the Electrical Installation guide but this Applications Guide for Installers is similar. This technical data sheet also applies.
.

Thanks to all for the help. I now know it is a push in connector, but I have no use for it so will try to open it and get the wires out or just cut it off an throw away. I will then crimp the wires to a spade connector for my Morningstar controller.

My guess is that FWC uses the push in connector when a camper is ordered with a solar system and they must be using a solar controller that has the other side of that connector. My controller has screws for a spade connector.

It appears that you can just think of those as you would for twist on wire nuts in AC wiring to install an electric light. My guess is that it is part of the factory’s change to more efficient and ordered manufacturing as discussed in the TruckCamper Magazine recently.

In this case, installing a charge controller now involves connecting only one positive wire & one negative wire instead of dealing with two of each. Part of decreasing manufacturing costs.

And confusing we geeks interested in what is behind the curtain.
Paul