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Solar Panel WiringSolar panel wiring is what connects all the components of a residential solar energy system. The wiring needs to be the correct size to carry the current from the solar panels to the batteries and the inverters. The electricity from the solar panels is direct current and direct current loses a lot of energy in long wire runs. In other words the longer the wires the more energy is lost.
The wiring from the solar panels to the inverters and batteries should be kept as short as possible. The reason for this is the electricity produced by the solar panels is direct current (DC). And the wiring from the batteries to the inverters will be the largest diameter. The inverter draws a great amount of current from the batteries to convert the direct current to alternating current for use in your home. The wires or cables are as large as those on your car battery. These cables will get pretty warm so it's best not to skimp on wire size. Since your home is already wired for AC (Alternating Current), if you live in a urban residential area, no other changes are needed to the house wiring. The AC supplied by the inverter is exactly the same AC that comes from the power company. Since all your appliances use AC there is really no need to concern yourself with DC (Direct Current) in your home. 
Of course if you are off the grid and in a remote location you might want to consider DC appliances instead of using an inverter to convert the voltage from your collectors. Inverters lose energy to heat and in an off grid environment you need all the energy you can get. Back to Residential Solar Energy
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