What type of Fuse

[kittysmitty]

What type of fuse, fast acting, slow blow, etc. should be used for the solar panels? Thanks

[Watt]

What type of fuse, fast acting, slow blow, etc. should be used for the solar panels? Thanks

I have 4 - 230w Canadian solar panels in series with multiple strings.  They are 8.1 amps short circuit.  I use the Midnite Solar 150vdc 10amp breaker for each string.  Hope that helps. 

What kind of panels do you have?

[birdhouse]

kitty-
personally, i don't think the type of fuse matters, so long as it is sized correctly. 

IE:  to create a minimal voltage drop situation, fairly large wire should be used.  fuses should be sized to protect the WIRING.  so ideally, the wire can carry more amps than the solar will ever put out, and the fuse will also be larger than the panels max current, so a fuse "should" never blow.

IE: my 390w array at 24v is connected to my CC with #8 wire.  i have it on a 20A fuse.  the panels rarely put out over 16amps, so there's a lot of headroom there.  i could even use a 30A fuse if i had to as the #8 would still be fine with that. 

so fast blow or long blow wouldn't matter, as the current never gets high enough to even tickle the fuse.  this is just my take on the situation, others may vary.

personally i use copper bussman fuses.  not because i sought them out, but because i salvaged them and fuse holders out of old HVAC units. 

adam

[rain1224]

There are many type of solar panels, so you should first make certain what kind of solar panel  you have.

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[richhagen]

I have used fast acting.  As a general rule, I use the slow blow fuses only for things where capacitance or inductance would cause a fast acting fuse problems in general use.  Not sure if or where that would be written, but I am sure it probably is somewhere, but that is what I do.  In theory, if a short were to develop a fast acting fuse would allow less energy through than a slow blow fuse, which everything else being equal, should be better. 

As birdhouse pointed out, the fuses are to protect the wiring and should always be rated lower than what the wiring or any other devises attached are rated, so that they blow before you have a more serious problem.   The Labels on all UL listed or recognized modules which have met UL standard 1703 will list the maximum series fuse that is to be used with them as the information is required in order for the panel to earn the UL certification.