TALKING POINT
Playing with fire
Multi-Contact explains why allegedly ‘compatible’ PV cables
are so dangerous.
This time, the warehouse burnt down
completely. The solar system on the roof of
the warehouse had caught fire again. It was
the third fire on the 450-square-metre
photovoltaic system within the time of just a
few weeks. Although the fire service had
quickly managed to get the other fires
under control, this time they were just too
late. The fire had been started by a PV
connector becoming too hot. The results: a
disaster for the company and a
compensation claim against the installer.
Minor cause – big impact
“Every fire is a fire too many,” states Dr.
Heribert Schmidt, Project Manager at
Fraunhofer ISE. The institute deals with the
fire risks of PV systems and reports that,
over the last 20 years, there have been 350
fires in the 1.3 million PV systems currently
46 PES
installed in Germany. In 120 cases it was
the solar system that caused the fire.
There was major damage in 75 cases, with
the building burning down completely in 10.
Schmidt continues: “Fires are often caused
when inexperienced installation teams
install systems on a piecework basis. If the
solar connectors are fitted with
combination pliers instead of a special tool,
or if noncertified connector systems are
used, then the weak point is built in from
the beginning. System operators should not
be making false economies.”
The connectors were to blame for the
burnt-out warehouse, too. They became so
hot that they caught fire. However, the PV
installer had only meant well. He chose
plug-in cables that the manufacturer
claimed were “compatible” with the module
junction boxes. The saving compared to
original cables added up to a few hundred
Euros. It gave the installer the breathing
space he needed to win the bidding war
among PV providers.
Looking back, he explains: “The plug-in
cables fitted perfectly, and at first glance
you could see no difference in terms of
colour and finish.” Now he faces a civil suit,
the outcome of which could cost him his
livelihood.
Compatible does not necessarily
mean compatible
Everybody should be aware that TÜV and
UL certifications are invalidated if the cable
systems fitted are not consistently from a
certified manufacturer. Both testing bodies
do not approve of combining connectors of
different makes. In the case of the

catastrophic fire, the installer had relied on
the provider’s assurance that its connectors
were compatible.
He now realises that that was little more
than advertising speak without any real
backing. Roman Brück from TÜV
Rheinland explains: “Currently, the
‘compatibility’ of PV connectors can only
be guaranteed for products in the same
range from the same manufacturer or
products from contract partners using the
same materials and informing one another
of any planned changes.”
TÜV Rheinland examined “crossover
connections” with PV cables, and its interim
report includes some sobering results: The
connector temperatures in the cross
connections were significantly higher than
the maximum levels. It was also interesting
that resistance of the cross connectors
started off very low when first fitted, but
increased substantially over time.
Where the same connector ranges were
fitted, resistance remained virtually
consistent. In mixed systems, compliance
with the IP degree of protection is made
more difficult by a number of factors,
including connector tolerances, as the
connectors are often too loose. The
consequences: line losses, considerably
increased temperatures or even fire risks,
Possible reason: loose
connectors in case of
mismating e.g. IP6X EN60529
“As with all Multi-Contact products, the
real technical finesse lies in the gas-proof
connection between the pin and the socket
using Multilam technology”
deformation of connectors resulting in
altered air and creep, and thus the risk of
electric shock.
Legal implications can be massive
Roman Brück comes to the following
conclusion: “Crossover connections can be
found in many PV systems and can lead not
only to technical but also to legal problems.
Among other things, the uncertain position
of combined PV connector systems from
different manufacturers in the event of a
guarantee claim means that inspectors of
PV systems are required to report these
combinations as a fault.”
Manufacturers will accept no liability for
mixed systems. Alongside breakages,
deformations, and the fact that live parts
can be left unprotected and exposed, the
Faulty installation can lead
to overheating.
Fortunately, this fire did
not spread…
TALKING POINT
best-case scenario is reduced yield for
the system operator. However, there is
also the possibility that, as time goes on,
these connectors could come to melt and
catch fire.
Even if the connectors appear to fit, there is
the possibility that tensile and twisting
forces, contamination, and mutual influence
of materials (casing, seals, connector pins
[tolerances unknown], etc.) do not comply
with standards and would be flagged up in
an inspection.
Market leader targeted by forgers
The Swiss company Multi-Contact is one of
the pioneers in the field of PV connectors.
These PV connectors have been used
millions of times all around the world. The
company has defined “de facto standards”
with its MC3 and MC4 PV connectors. As
with all Multi-Contact products, the real
technical finesse lies in the gas-proof
connection between the pin and the socket
using Multilam technology.
The copper-alloy contact strips consist of
numerous Multilam links. They allow
electrical contact to be made via a number
of conductive contact surfaces. Each
Multilam link forms an independent,
spring-loaded power bridge, and all the
Multilam links arranged in parallel reduce
transition resistance and therefore power
loss within the circuit as a whole.
It is not surprising that market leader
Multi-Contact is constantly targeted by
product forgers. Multi-Contact makes a
distinction between plagiaries, also known
as forgeries or illegal copies, on the one
hand, and imitations or authorised copies
on the other hand. Forgeries are designed
to make the customer believe he has an
original product in his hand. Forgers use
the original name or the original logo.
Multi-Contact takes very severe action
against these companies. Multi-Contact is
also supported by Aktion Plagarius e.V.,
which “awards” negative prizes to
fraudsters every year: “Cheap copies do
not happen ‘by accident.’ The forgers act
wilfully. They are unscrupulous and only
after one thing: money. They copy the
finished product, which is successfully
established in the market, and minimise
their own business risk.”
www.pessolar.com 47
 TALKING POINT
Temperature increase of mated connectors from different manufacturers:
Cross section through original MC4 connector with MC Multilam
The manufacturers have less legal
recourse against imitations, which can
look very similar to the originals. They
are often purported to be “compatible.”
However, Multi-Contact categorically
refuses to accept any liability if these
third-party products are used. Markus
Müller, Key Account Manager at
Multi-Contact Deutschland, notes: “If
you consider the importance of the quality
of the connectors for the safety of a PV
system and its yield, I believe our position
is understandable.”
Illegal copies of the MC3 and MC4
connectors are cropping up more and more
often, most of them from Asia. It is difficult
to differentiate these low-quality copies
from the original just by looking at the
outside. But on a technical level, the
forgeries often demonstrate considerable
shortcomings when it comes to quality. And
the most critical of these relate to safety.
Top of the list of faults are a lack of UV
resistance and high resistance levels.
Resistances that are too high can lead to
the connector overheating and cause a fire
48 PES
risk. Where the systems are not completely
destroyed by fire, these connectors reduce
effectiveness. The weather is often given as
an excuse for a gradual reduction in power
yield, but in reality the connectors are often
to blame.
At the same time, if water penetrates into a
connector with a faulty seal, it can travel
toward the module as a result of the
capillary effect and cause flashovers that
can cause expensive damages. It soon
becomes clear where the real risks are
when these losses are set off against the
savings made during installation.
When people rely on their solar systems
The subject is even more important if we
consider cases where the solar system is
the only source of power. PV systems help
improve the quality of life for many people
living in rural areas all over the world. For
example, solar systems allow better
medical care and help people communicate
with the rest of the world.
While the failure of a solar system mostly
affects us in our pockets, in these countries
it can lead to major problems and
dangerous situations. This is why the
current systems need to be exemplary in
terms of reliability if knowledge of the
added value they provide is to become
more widespread among the population.
Quality connectors make an important
contribution to photovoltaics becoming a
success even in the most remote corners of
the earth.
For safety reasons, Multi-Contact
recommends not using forgeries
Consumers who have been offered MC3
and MC4 connectors and unwittingly
received illegal copies have the right to
replace the connectors free of charge. The
costs are borne by the installer or retailer
responsible for the deception.
www.multi-contact.com