Hello all,
I'm interested in putting in an array using Sharp ND-240QCJ panels and S22 M215s. I know that there are a lot of different connector types out there, and that the Sharp panels have SMK connectors while the S22 M215s use MC4 units. When I plug in the MC4 connector to the SMK, it appears that these are fully inter-mateable. Are there any warranty or other issues associated with doing this?
Thanks,
Doug
Submitted
12 years 7 months ago
Comments
Hi Doug,
Good news: looks as though MC4 and SMK connectors are fully inter-mateable. Sharp has told us that they will honor the warranty on their panels with SMK connectors when used with S22 MC4 M215s. That definitely makes things easier on our end!
Thanks, Brian
Cross-mating any connector, regardless of the brands involved, is not a UL approved connection. It does not matter that both connectors may have independent UL approvals, as they were tested to their own, specific individual tolerances and specifications.
On a personal note, I have seen numerous connections failing due to cross mating issues. The issue is that the metallurgical chemistry of the contacts are going to be different unless they are from the same manufacturer. Over time, the difference in chemical composition causes oxidation and other issues that can lead to temperature rise and other problems. Another issue is that, as a company, Multi-Contact probably does not release tolerances for their products, as I'm sure Amphenol and other manufacturers don't either. This results in possible gaps in the contacts when cross mating, which leads to arcing, and ultimately connector failure.