How do you connect an Enphase S13 inverter with Tyco connections to a solar panel with MC4 connectors?

I have 24 Enphase M190-72-240-S13 inverters for a project that has Tyco Solarlok connectors on them and my Trina 230 solar panels have MC4 connectors. I was told that if I clip off the Tyco connectors from the Enphase inverters it will void my Enphase warranty. Therefore I need to get Tyco to MC4 whips to enable me to connect the panels to the inverters. My question is how important is the polarity of the connection? Do I run the Male Tyco to a Female Tyco whip to a Male MC4 to the Female MC4 on the panel or does it go Male to Male? Thanks for the help on this big problem.

Comments

This is a problem. It is the unfortunate result of the variety of connector designs out there right now. There's actually a really easy answer.

The connector has no polarity, it only has a symbol: usually a "+" to indicate a positive charge and a " -" to indicate negative charge. In an ideal world, there's always a negatively (-) marked connector to plug a positively (+) marked connector into.

Convention requires that a positive charged connector (in a negatively grounded system) is protected, so the connector with the positive charge is usually always "female". The female conducting surface is inside the connector and more difficult to touch with a finger or tool which could result in a shock.

Any combination of proprietary connectors may be used to construct an adapter between different connector designs. Here are four basic rules to follow:

The connector with the dangerous charge potential should be female. Positive connector in a Negative grounded system and Negative connector in a Positive grounded system.
The connector with no dangerous charge when unplugged, should be male.
The system should be designed from the beginning with no adapters if possible. Every added connector adds resistance (and significant cost) to the wiring. Also, every crimp onto a cut wire is a liability that may result in corrosion or high temperature (resistance).
Always check the charge with a multimeter, once the string has been completed, and once for every new connection.

The answer to this specific question is to order a Tyco Male to MC4 Male whip cable and a Tyco Female to MC4 Female whip. See Below, from an Enpase technical brief:

Tyco to MC4 Connector

Mating Microinverters with PV Modules for Correct Polarity
Enphase Microinverters must be ordered for specific module connector types. Read the information presented here for guidance when mating microinverter connectors with various PV modules DC connector types (or adapter cables). Follow these guidelines to ensure correct polarity between the microinverter and the PV module.
Background
Enphase Microinverters are manufactured with two types of DC connectors for mating with PV modules:
MC-4 compatible locking connectors (part number suffix S12)
Tyco style locking connectors (part number suffix S13)
The polarity of the DC connectors on the microinverter varies with the type of connector.
• When your microinverters are built with MC-4 compatible (S12) connectors: The positive DC output of the PV module (+) connects to the microinverter connector labeled negative (-). These connections are straightforward and consistent.
• When your microinverters are built with Tyco (S13) connectors: The positive DC output of the PV module (+) connects to the microinverter connector labeled positive (+). However, Tyco connectors can vary in polarity. With Tyco connectors either the male or female connector may be positive, and only the MALE positive will mate with our S13s. Be sure to order the correct connector type for both microinverter and PVmodule from your distributor.

Mechanical Compatibility
Enphase maintains a list of Electrically Compatible PV Modules (see “Design Resources” under the Enphase downloads at https://enphase.com/en-us). However, be aware that inclusion on the Enphase list indicates PV module electrical compatibility and does not guarantee mechanical compatibility of the PV module connectors. In addition, connector labels can be misleading. Follow these guidelines to avoid reversing the polarity between your PV module and the microinverter:
• Order Enphase Microinverters with the correct connectors for your PV modules.
However, if re-termination of your module’s connectors is required, it is critical that you identify the positive output of the PV module from labeling on the PV junction box.
• Keeping in mind that labeling can be deceiving, always connect the electrically
positive output of the PV module to the positive input of the microinverter.

About Connectors and Adapters
Tyco Connectors: You can order some PV modules with either plus-keyed or minus-keyed Tyco connectors. With Tyco connectors, connect the negative marked connector on the PV module to the negative output connector on the Enphase microinverter.
Tyco to MC-4 Adapters: If you need to use Tyco to MC-4 adapters, be sure that they look like those shown in the figure below.

IMPORTANT: The Enphase microinverter is powered on when sufficient dc voltage from the module is applied. The status LED will flash green six times one minute after DC power is applied. These green blinks indicate proper start–up and verify that connections are correct.

Thanks for the detail on this very important issue. Here is a copy of the Enphase technical brief on mating Microinverts with PV Modules with the correct polarity for additional information.

(Click on the brief image to download the paper)