Jeff; Is this a belated April Fool's Joke? Or just an April Fool?
That module shouldn't be used for anything over the voltage it was designed and intended for: 12 Volts! And it shouldn't be used on anything but a non-NEC automotive application. In this case, I'd consider tattling to the inspector. I thought the idiot days were in the past.... R. Walters r...@solarray.com Solar Engineer On Apr 27, 2010, at 7:04 AM, Jeff Yago wrote: > First let me say that we almost never work on failed systems, especially when > its for somebody that picked our brains on pretense of buying a system, then > they went out and bought everything on the internet, and when nothing worked > they call us! > > Also, let me say that the following project has nothing to do with us other > than a call from an electrician who is installing a grid-tie system for > somebody I don't know who had a few general install questions and was hoping > I would provide some guidance. My advice was to run as fast as he can! > Here is the story- > > This commercial building owner went to Harbor Freight and purchased a trailer > truck load of 12 watt battery charging modules. You know the ones you see > advertised to trickle charge a car or boat battery. I have not actually seen > the modules this guy purchased, but based on others I have seen they > typically have a potted junction on the back with 3 feet of very limited > insulation wire pair out with bare wire ends. A few more questions and > answers indicated these were made in China, had no label listing their > ratings except indicating 12 watt at 14 volts. The very large physical > dimensions he gave for such a small wattage tells me they are those thin > frame amorphous you see being sold to keep your truck or tractor battery > charged. > > To make a long story short, this electrician said they had already mounted > "hundreds" of these modules on the roof of a warehouse, and were wiring them > in series for connection to a Fronius grid-tie inverter. Also, he said the > wires from each module was routed through a separate hole in the roof and > then tied together. I assume this was by the ol ball of electrical tape > wiring method. > > Not counting the obvious code related problems with what they are doing, and > the almost sure need to have a fire truck nearby when they start this thing > up, does anybody know what a typical high voltage rating would be for this > type of module and the small wire pair? My guess is the small wire and/or > the modules will quickly break down and start arcing, then the entire array > will melt down which is what I told this electrician could happen. However, > since there is no label on the module, I am only going on gut feeling as to > the voltage rating of these cheap modules which I am sure were clearly never > designed for series wiring to achieve high voltage. > > Anybody know these ratings? Should I sell tickets for the fireworks show? > > Thanks, > > Jeff Yago > > > > Netscape. Just the Net You Need. > _______________________________________________ > List sponsored by Home Power magazine > > List Address: RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org > > Options & settings: > http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org > > List-Archive: > http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org > > List rules & etiquette: > www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm > > Check out participant bios: > www.members.re-wrenches.org >
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