Staubli MC4 and MC4-Evo 2 Connector Installation Tool Kit (UL)

Description

The Stäubli MC4 Tool Kit includes every tool needed to install and maintain the Original MC4 Quick Connectors or MC4-Evo 2 Connectors. The tools within this kit are necessary to achieve IP68 rating for installing the MC4 connectors, as improper tools can and do result in poor crimp quality, water damage, and poor contact, creating a high risk of danger from fire or electric shock.

Stäubli’s MC4 Connectors require part-specific tools, and the UL listing of the MC4 connector is entirely dependent on the tools used to assemble it. Everything in this kit has its purpose in attaining UL listing for the Stäubli MC4 Connector 5 Pack, from the die in the crimping pliers that embosses a witness mark on the contact pin proving the correct tool was used, to the test plug that is used to verify the correct location and depth of the metal contacts in the insulation.

Beyond permitting purposes, the MC4 Tool Kit is the best way to install the connectors safely. Using improper tools can result in having connectors exposed to the weather, creating corrosion which leads to increased resistance on the contact and thus heat. Corrosion and heat greatly increases the risk of fire, something that is inevitable if the heat exceeds the temperature rating of the connector housing or wire insulation.

While installing the MC4 connectors may seem intuitive, Stäubli recommends following the instructions exactly to ensure a safe connection is established and to grant a full IP68 rating.

This tool kit works for the MC4 and MC4-Evo 2 connectors. Included are several tools:

• Cable cutters (PV-WZ-KS)
• Stripping pliers (PV-AZM-128)
• Crimping pliers with a locator and crimping die (PV-CZM-64100, PV-LOC-MC4 2.5/4/6, PV-ES-CZM-61100)
• 2x assembly and unlocking tools (PV-MS-PLS)
• Torque tool (PV-WZ-Torque-Set)
• 10x socket and 10x plug sealing caps (PV-BVK4, PV-SVK4)
• Test plug (PV-PST)

Stäubli cable cutters cut into multi-stranded PV wire without crushing or deforming the wire, allowing the best contact possible with the contact pins. This one-handed tool is able to cut into either copper or aluminum wire with a maximum diameter of 15mm.

The stripping pliers have built-in stripping blades that cut the insulation on the wire without cutting into individual strands. These pliers are particularly suitable for Stäubli Flex-Sol-Evo cable.

The crimping pliers in this kit are made to fit and crimp the contact pins in the Stäubli MC4 Connector 5 Pack, though they would not be suitable for use with other styles of Stäubli MC4 Connectors such as the closed-end contact pins. These pliers are specifically designed to fit the open end MC4 and MC4-Evo 2 contact pins and create a symmetrical press to ensure the electricity flows evenly in the contact.

Each kit comes with two nearly identical open-end spanners, one for the original MC4 and one for the MC4-Evo 2. Each component of the open-end spanners is model specific, as both are needed for installation of either connector type.

Each spanner is two-sided. One side unlocks connected MC4 or MC4-Evo 2 connectors, and the other is for pre-tightening the cap-nut. The opening in the center holds the insulator body that matches the opposite model of connector, meaning the MC4-Evo 2 version can hold the MC4 and vice versa.

The torque tool fully tightens the cap-nut to the correct specification. If the cap-nut is too loose, water can enter the enclosure and get to the contact pins. Overtightening may cause stripping of the thread, which will ultimately create a loose connection and pose the same issues as under-tightening. 

Once the assembly is fully secured, the test plug verifies that the contact pin is sitting at the proper depth. Contact pins sitting at an inappropriate depth will establish bad connections, creating fire and safety hazards.

If there is a connector that is not in use but is installed on the PV wire, the sealing cap plugs into the open connector to keep the contacts dry to prevent moisture from causing a short circuit or corrosion. Corrosion creates more resistance, which creates more heat, increasing the risk of fire. 

This Stäubli MC4 Tool Kit is the only way for MC4 and MC4-Evo 2 connectors to receive IP68 rating and UL certification. From the torque tool tightening to proper spec for water resistance to the crimping pliers carefully pressing the wires, each tool in this kit is necessary for installers crimping their own connectors onto wire.