After selecting all of the panels, wires, inverters and any analytic software or batteries or storage, you wouldn’t want to select the wrong combiner box and accidentally undermine the entire setup. Like with any product selection, the project’s type, size and scope mean everything when selecting a combiner box, and what works best for a residential install doesn’t translate to commercial, and so on.

A PV combiner box is an electrical distribution box where DC breakers are housed. Its main purpose is to combine multiple DC inputs from the panels in the system into a single DC output. This output is then connected to a charge controller or inverter, depending on the type of system. They also allow you to transition to larger wires between the array and the batteries or inverter to minimize transmission voltage drop.

Combiner boxes are not necessary for homes with up to three strings but having a combiner box provides many advantages to any size system, not matter how small.

Why Get A Combiner Box?

The benefits of this component far outweigh the cost for one! Let’s say you have a three panel solar setup. Those three strings will be routed into the inverter box. This makes for an easy point of installation, disconnection, and maintenance.

The box consolidates the amounts of cables running into the inverter. Less cables equals more savings on material costs and labor costs.

You also are adding enhanced protection to your inverter by installing a combiner box. These boxes provide protection from overvoltage and overcurrent flowing into your inverter.

The combiner box, when properly placed, can actually enhance the efficiency of your system!

Combiner box will be an unlikely component to break or wear down and should last for the entirety of the project. You will want to occasionally check for loose connections as you would with all of your solar power components.

Installation input and output is rather simple as most combiner boxes come with a whip these days. The cables from the panels are easily plugged into the box with a mating solar connector.