Van der Valk Solar Systems Blog

The importance of cable management

Written by Tamara de Peuter | 15-Mar-2021

The PV-panels have been purchased, the converters chosen and the layout plan determined, but how can we ensure that the electrical cabling runs neatly from A to B? Often this is one of the aspects of setting up a PV-installation that seems to be of secondary importance, but that is simply not true! In this blog we shall examine the importance of cable management and the solutions that Van der Valk Solar Systems has developed with its special "ValkCableCare" assortment line so cable management is no longer a problem!

What can go wrong?
In the past few years, we have seen that, partly through the increasing demands of parties like insurers, more and more attention has been paid to the PV-cabling and cable management. Unreliable cable management has repeatedly led to incidents of catching fire. Cables hang under the PV-panels, connectors lie in the water, and any sharp edges of the mounting system can lead to damage of the cable if treated carelessly, or even breakage of the cable, with all of its dire consequences.

Our solution

We at Van der Valk Solar Systems have tried to eliminate the above-described doom scenarios as much as possible by introducing our ValkCableCare assortment with its extensive product range. ValkCableCare enables the electrical cabling to be concealed in a neat, safe and fast way under the panels or guided over the roof. It can all be integrated in our ValkPro+ or ValkPitched mounting systems.

Several examples
With our plastic cable clamp (732011), the cabling can run under the panels with the complete system thanks to being secured to the rear foot. The aim is after all to have a PV-system that will remain in place on the roof for a long period, so protection of the PV-cables against the effect of the weather like excessive sunlight is desirable. Our special 50mm cable basket can be placed alongside the system in the rubber pedestals, allowing the cable management and mounting system to be beautifully integrated. Our cable baskets can be easily linked together every 3m1 with the ‘’snap-on’’ coupling plates (760202 or 760230). We also have a new multi-cable and connector clip (732012). The multi-cable and connector clip can be clamped quickly and easily over the ValkPro+ roof rail in any position. The clip can accommodate several cables and connectors.

Cable baskets
Our baskets are available in heights of 35mm or 60mm and widths of 50mm to 350mm. At places where several sections come together, it is easy to switch to a wider and higher cable basket. In combination with our support blocks and lids, our ValkCableCare assortment is perfectly suited for the entire route up to the roof entrance and possibly even the route after that. The support block is made of pressed rubber granulate and should be placed every 1.5m. This material has a high density, which provides a solid basis for laying a sound and sturdy cable route. The lids ensure that the PV-cables are protected from the sunlight.

Watch a number of ValkCableCare videos below:

With the ValkCableCare assortment, there is no need any more to use tiewraps to bind up the cables, and it is easy to meet the requirements of external parties like insurers!  Are you curious about how ValkCableCare can best be implemented in your specific mounting system from Van der Valk Solar Systems? Then contact us at sales@valksolarsystems.com or +31 (0)174 25 49 99 and we would be happy to help you find the most suitable solution!