pv wire | DIY Solar Power Forum

3) is the silicone insulated cable any good.?

Look at the manufacturer’s rating on the wire to see what it is good for. Whether the wire is sun resistant, rated for direct burial, etc, is more important than the if it is made of silicon or teflon.

For 8, 10 or 12 AWG, this is where I go:

Solar PV Wire (Photovoltaic) | WireAndCableYourWay.com

We stock Solar Photovoltaic (PV) Wire in a variety of gauge sizes. Most of our SKUs are sold by the foot and in bulk. Order today for fast shipping!
This is rated for:

Our PV Wire is sunlight resistant and rated for direct burial. Manufactured with a thick jacket to help protect against physical and weather abuse, this wire is also available in multiple colors. PV wire is made with stranded copper conductors to make it flexible enough for solar applications.
Standards:
ASTM B8
Listed as type USE-2 per UL 854
Listed as type RHH/RHW-2 per UL 44
Listed as type PV per UL

For 6 AWG and thicker, this is what I buy:

USE-2/RHH/RHW-2 Copper Wire | WireAndCableYourWay.com

We stock XLP/USE-2/RHH/RHW-2 Copper Wire in a variety of gauge sizes. Most of our SKUs are sold by the foot and in bulk. Order today for fast shipping!
This rated for:

These cables featue an XLPE jacket. USE-2 or RHW-2 or RHH 90°C - 600 Volt Stranded Building Wire is suitable for use in general purpose wiring applications and may be installed in raceway, conduit, direct burial and aerial installations where a cable having superior flame retardance is required. USE-2 or RHW-2 or RHH Building Wire is commonly used as solar wire for various applications.


Applicable Standards:
USE-2 meets or exceeds the following standards
UL 44
Requirements of the National Electrical Code
ASTM standards B 800, B 801
Sunlight resistant

I have always used the spring loaded crimper to make battery cables on my brother in laws circle track cars, but I recently purchased the temco th hydraulic crimper to make all my solar battery connections. I just need to buy some 2/0 and 4/0 and terminals.

The crimpers are on the way but the 2/0, that will be used to make diagonal battery bus bars, is still in the shopping cart. I think the hydraulic crimpers will make a much better connection than the hit it with a hammer one currently used.