[RE-wrenches] Seaward Solarlink
Hello, Can anyone provide user feedback on the Seaward PV test/commissioning equipment? I'm thinking of making the $2K investment in their Solarlink kit. Thanks. Kirk Herander VT Solar, LLC dba Vermont Solar Engineering NABCEPTM Certified Inaugural Certificant NYSERDA-eligible Installer VT RE Incentive Program Partner 802.863.1202 ___ 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
Re: [RE-wrenches] Seaward Solarlink
Kirk Good to check out, it is a fair amount of money, but being able to safely do Isc on a full series string, megging, grounding continuity and DC power, it is a handy tool to have. I have been using one for over a year now and have been very happy with it. It is relatively quick to use once you get used to it and gives me a lot of confidence in the final install knowing that the ground continuity is sound, strings are in good shape ( no bad modules or connections ) and the array has been safely meg tested ( shorted leads vs , - to Ground and + to ground). Make sure you get the PV150 with extra memory and RF capability with the 200R irradiance and cell temp meter. Clamp on meter is good to, with the PV T leads attached will calculate DC power into Inverter. I actually like their single phase Solar Power meter too , since it will do kW AC, makes short work of doing Inverter performance validation. It also does PF , Harmonics and will detect phase order for a 3 phase motor. Pretty nice, seems most power meters are in the $6k range and start at 3 phase, so for $500 bucks I think it is a good value. Keep in mind that the Seaward is designed for European installs where they usually have MC4 connectors at each inverter location, so the PV connectors supplied are MC4 and Sunclips. I have adapted the sunclips to Banana stlye connectors so I can use standard off the shelf 20 amp 1000 VDC test leads and banana clip extensions. Easy to also use MC4 adapters to any other standard connectors. I wish we used MC4's to the inverters, it would speed up commissioning alot! Sometimes it is a challenge to adapt combiners or inverter disconnects to make a spot to use as a test lead when there is no where to clamp on. Hopefully as commissioning of larger installs becomes commoner we will see those manufacturers making a test spot more accessible! Also beware that the Megger only really works for PV Strings and if you need to meg wire or motors you will need a standard $500 Megger, I like the Fluke 1587 because it has other common meter funtions. Frankly I do not like megging a PV string using a megger, to me the Seaward is a lot faster and gives me more useful information all at once ( Voc Isc, Insulation resistance, irradiance, Cell temp). I also do training in commissioning testing through Solar Energy International ( PV351lab) that allows you to use all the advanced tools available for commissioning and troubleshooting on live systems in their lab yard. Well worth it to get a chance to play with the tools before you put hard cash down on it. I also consult independently to train installation crews in the operation of the Seaward, so you can contact me off list if you wish to discuss that. I would not do a larger commercial or utility scale project without the PV150 as a minimum commissioning tool. Curve tracing Thermal cameras are overkill unless you have module failures to track down or Bankability commissioning requirements for them. Often they are much more dependent on conditions than the preliminary Seaward tests. Highly recommend Seaward as a company and their tool, Great support and product! Hukseflux recently released a similar tool that just came out for a little less, but I have not had a chance to evaluate it yet or have I heard from anyone using it yet. Good Luck On Wed, Feb 13, 2013 at 1:25 PM, Kirk Herander k...@vtsolar.com wrote: Hello, ** ** Can anyone provide user feedback on the Seaward PV test/commissioning equipment? I’m thinking of making the $2K investment in their Solarlink kit. Thanks. ** ** Kirk Herander VT Solar, LLC dba Vermont Solar Engineering NABCEPTM Certified Inaugural Certificant NYSERDA-eligible Installer VT RE Incentive Program Partner 802.863.1202 ** ** ___ 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 -- Bill Hoffer PE NABCEP Certified Solar PV Installer™ Sunergy Engineering Services PLLC 2504 Columbia Ave NW East Wenatchee WA 98802-3941 bhof...@sunergyengineeringservices.com Cell:(509)679-6165 ___ 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
Re: [RE-wrenches] Seaward Solarlink
Yep, I bought one for testing modules and installations. The kit is designed for European installations where the connection to the inverter is via MC4 or Sunlink connectors. You can disconnect the inverter, connect the Seaward, and test the system. Similarly the strings are plugged into the bottom of the combiner, so you can test each of the strings quickly. The NEC method requires hard wired connections and conduit, so there is nowhere to connect the test set. I have suggested Seaward provide 1000V rated alligators clips so we can test the strings at the fuseholder. I bought some Fluke test leads with the intention of putting MC4 connectors on them as an adapter, have not done that yet as I got to like them on my Fluke! For string testing, we use a long lead and test at each end of the string instead of at the combiner. The set is very useful for testing modules. We have a shipment of used modules and I wanted to test every unit prior to installation. That is very quick to do. The ability measure the irradiance and temperatures and record that with the module performance to a dataset is useful, and one way to stand out from the crowd. It makes commissioning very professional. I wish we could input the bar code at the same time. The Solar Survey 200R irradiance meter is also a very useful temperature logger for testing solar thermal installations and for checking module temperatures. My only gripe, other than the connection issue, is with module performance. I really wanted the system to be able to give me the module rating. I would like to download the data and see the actual module performance, adjusted for irradiance and ambient/module temperature. As it is, I get the Voc and Isc. Nice piece of kit, very useful, great way to test for ground faults, ground resistance, Voc and Isc, very quickly and to record the results to your computer. I think in time we will be required to do this for certification as the British are. On Wed, Feb 13, 2013 at 5:25 PM, Kirk Herander k...@vtsolar.com wrote: Hello, ** ** Can anyone provide user feedback on the Seaward PV test/commissioning equipment? I’m thinking of making the $2K investment in their Solarlink kit. Thanks. ** ** Kirk Herander VT Solar, LLC dba Vermont Solar Engineering NABCEPTM Certified Inaugural Certificant NYSERDA-eligible Installer VT RE Incentive Program Partner 802.863.1202 ** ** ___ 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 -- Chris Mason President, Comet Systems Ltd www.cometenergysystems.com Cell: 264.235.5670 Skype: netconcepts ___ 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
Re: [RE-wrenches] Seaward Solarlink
Thanks Bill. It was your excellent HP article which turned me on to Seaward products, as applied to full-blown evaluation. I am doing larger and more commercial arrays now and this testing is a logical step up in professional commissioning. Sure beats the basics using my old Fluke. Now the hand-held IR thermal imager, at $6K, is a little harder to justify. Kirk Herander VT Solar, LLC dba Vermont Solar Engineering NABCEPTM Certified Inaugural Certificant NYSERDA-eligible Installer VT RE Incentive Program Partner 802.863.1202 From: re-wrenches-boun...@lists.re-wrenches.org [mailto:re-wrenches-boun...@lists.re-wrenches.org] On Behalf Of Bill Hoffer Sent: Wednesday, February 13, 2013 5:03 PM To: RE-wrenches Subject: Re: [RE-wrenches] Seaward Solarlink Kirk Good to check out, it is a fair amount of money, but being able to safely do Isc on a full series string, megging, grounding continuity and DC power, it is a handy tool to have. I have been using one for over a year now and have been very happy with it. It is relatively quick to use once you get used to it and gives me a lot of confidence in the final install knowing that the ground continuity is sound, strings are in good shape ( no bad modules or connections ) and the array has been safely meg tested ( shorted leads vs , - to Ground and + to ground). Make sure you get the PV150 with extra memory and RF capability with the 200R irradiance and cell temp meter. Clamp on meter is good to, with the PV T leads attached will calculate DC power into Inverter. I actually like their single phase Solar Power meter too , since it will do kW AC, makes short work of doing Inverter performance validation. It also does PF , Harmonics and will detect phase order for a 3 phase motor. Pretty nice, seems most power meters are in the $6k range and start at 3 phase, so for $500 bucks I think it is a good value. Keep in mind that the Seaward is designed for European installs where they usually have MC4 connectors at each inverter location, so the PV connectors supplied are MC4 and Sunclips. I have adapted the sunclips to Banana stlye connectors so I can use standard off the shelf 20 amp 1000 VDC test leads and banana clip extensions. Easy to also use MC4 adapters to any other standard connectors. I wish we used MC4's to the inverters, it would speed up commissioning alot! Sometimes it is a challenge to adapt combiners or inverter disconnects to make a spot to use as a test lead when there is no where to clamp on. Hopefully as commissioning of larger installs becomes commoner we will see those manufacturers making a test spot more accessible! Also beware that the Megger only really works for PV Strings and if you need to meg wire or motors you will need a standard $500 Megger, I like the Fluke 1587 because it has other common meter funtions. Frankly I do not like megging a PV string using a megger, to me the Seaward is a lot faster and gives me more useful information all at once ( Voc Isc, Insulation resistance, irradiance, Cell temp). I also do training in commissioning testing through Solar Energy International ( PV351lab) that allows you to use all the advanced tools available for commissioning and troubleshooting on live systems in their lab yard. Well worth it to get a chance to play with the tools before you put hard cash down on it. I also consult independently to train installation crews in the operation of the Seaward, so you can contact me off list if you wish to discuss that. I would not do a larger commercial or utility scale project without the PV150 as a minimum commissioning tool. Curve tracing Thermal cameras are overkill unless you have module failures to track down or Bankability commissioning requirements for them. Often they are much more dependent on conditions than the preliminary Seaward tests. Highly recommend Seaward as a company and their tool, Great support and product! Hukseflux recently released a similar tool that just came out for a little less, but I have not had a chance to evaluate it yet or have I heard from anyone using it yet. Good Luck On Wed, Feb 13, 2013 at 1:25 PM, Kirk Herander k...@vtsolar.com wrote: Hello, Can anyone provide user feedback on the Seaward PV test/commissioning equipment? I'm thinking of making the $2K investment in their Solarlink kit. Thanks. Kirk Herander VT Solar, LLC dba Vermont Solar Engineering NABCEPTM Certified Inaugural Certificant NYSERDA-eligible Installer VT RE Incentive Program Partner 802.863.1202 ___ 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 -- Bill Hoffer PE NABCEP
Re: [RE-wrenches] Seaward Solarlink
PS - What's of battery life like in the Seaward products, in particular when using the wireless irradiance meter? I have a Fluke 233 w/ detachable remote display. It has a range of about 30 ft. Trouble is every time a pull it out after a couple weeks of being turned off the batteries are always dead.. Kirk Herander VT Solar, LLC dba Vermont Solar Engineering NABCEPTM Certified Inaugural Certificant NYSERDA-eligible Installer VT RE Incentive Program Partner 802.863.1202 From: re-wrenches-boun...@lists.re-wrenches.org [mailto:re-wrenches-boun...@lists.re-wrenches.org] On Behalf Of Kirk Herander Sent: Wednesday, February 13, 2013 5:39 PM To: 'RE-wrenches' Subject: Re: [RE-wrenches] Seaward Solarlink Thanks Bill. It was your excellent HP article which turned me on to Seaward products, as applied to full-blown evaluation. I am doing larger and more commercial arrays now and this testing is a logical step up in professional commissioning. Sure beats the basics using my old Fluke. Now the hand-held IR thermal imager, at $6K, is a little harder to justify. Kirk Herander VT Solar, LLC dba Vermont Solar Engineering NABCEPTM Certified Inaugural Certificant NYSERDA-eligible Installer VT RE Incentive Program Partner 802.863.1202 From: re-wrenches-boun...@lists.re-wrenches.org [mailto:re-wrenches-boun...@lists.re-wrenches.org] On Behalf Of Bill Hoffer Sent: Wednesday, February 13, 2013 5:03 PM To: RE-wrenches Subject: Re: [RE-wrenches] Seaward Solarlink Kirk Good to check out, it is a fair amount of money, but being able to safely do Isc on a full series string, megging, grounding continuity and DC power, it is a handy tool to have. I have been using one for over a year now and have been very happy with it. It is relatively quick to use once you get used to it and gives me a lot of confidence in the final install knowing that the ground continuity is sound, strings are in good shape ( no bad modules or connections ) and the array has been safely meg tested ( shorted leads vs , - to Ground and + to ground). Make sure you get the PV150 with extra memory and RF capability with the 200R irradiance and cell temp meter. Clamp on meter is good to, with the PV T leads attached will calculate DC power into Inverter. I actually like their single phase Solar Power meter too , since it will do kW AC, makes short work of doing Inverter performance validation. It also does PF , Harmonics and will detect phase order for a 3 phase motor. Pretty nice, seems most power meters are in the $6k range and start at 3 phase, so for $500 bucks I think it is a good value. Keep in mind that the Seaward is designed for European installs where they usually have MC4 connectors at each inverter location, so the PV connectors supplied are MC4 and Sunclips. I have adapted the sunclips to Banana stlye connectors so I can use standard off the shelf 20 amp 1000 VDC test leads and banana clip extensions. Easy to also use MC4 adapters to any other standard connectors. I wish we used MC4's to the inverters, it would speed up commissioning alot! Sometimes it is a challenge to adapt combiners or inverter disconnects to make a spot to use as a test lead when there is no where to clamp on. Hopefully as commissioning of larger installs becomes commoner we will see those manufacturers making a test spot more accessible! Also beware that the Megger only really works for PV Strings and if you need to meg wire or motors you will need a standard $500 Megger, I like the Fluke 1587 because it has other common meter funtions. Frankly I do not like megging a PV string using a megger, to me the Seaward is a lot faster and gives me more useful information all at once ( Voc Isc, Insulation resistance, irradiance, Cell temp). I also do training in commissioning testing through Solar Energy International ( PV351lab) that allows you to use all the advanced tools available for commissioning and troubleshooting on live systems in their lab yard. Well worth it to get a chance to play with the tools before you put hard cash down on it. I also consult independently to train installation crews in the operation of the Seaward, so you can contact me off list if you wish to discuss that. I would not do a larger commercial or utility scale project without the PV150 as a minimum commissioning tool. Curve tracing Thermal cameras are overkill unless you have module failures to track down or Bankability commissioning requirements for them. Often they are much more dependent on conditions than the preliminary Seaward tests. Highly recommend Seaward as a company and their tool, Great support and product! Hukseflux recently released a similar tool that just came out for a little less, but I have not had a chance to evaluate it yet or have I heard from anyone using it yet. Good Luck On Wed, Feb 13, 2013 at 1:25 PM, Kirk Herander k...@vtsolar.com wrote: Hello, Can anyone provide user feedback on the Seaward PV test/commissioning
Re: [RE-wrenches] Seaward Solarlink
Kirk I can't say exactly on battery life, but it seems to hold up pretty well and I do like using standard off the shelf batteries, I can always carry spares because if they are going to go dead you know it is when you are in the middle of no where! I prefer rechargeables, but someone always seems to forget to plug it in when you come back from the field!..oops! I do wish they had a better indicator of battery life. I have had problems connecting the 200R irradiance RF to the PV150 meter during training , and it is usually the battery being low in the 200R (9V), but not the PV150, they seem to last a pretty long time . Pop in a new one and everything is OK. Bill On Wed, Feb 13, 2013 at 2:54 PM, Kirk Herander k...@vtsolar.com wrote: PS – What’s of battery life like in the Seaward products, in particular when using the wireless irradiance meter? I have a Fluke 233 w/ detachable remote display. It has a range of about 30 ft. Trouble is every time a pull it out after a couple weeks of being turned off the batteries are always dead…… ** ** Kirk Herander VT Solar, LLC dba Vermont Solar Engineering NABCEPTM Certified Inaugural Certificant NYSERDA-eligible Installer VT RE Incentive Program Partner 802.863.1202 ** ** *From:* re-wrenches-boun...@lists.re-wrenches.org [mailto: re-wrenches-boun...@lists.re-wrenches.org] *On Behalf Of *Kirk Herander *Sent:* Wednesday, February 13, 2013 5:39 PM *To:* 'RE-wrenches' *Subject:* Re: [RE-wrenches] Seaward Solarlink ** ** Thanks Bill. It was your excellent HP article which turned me on to Seaward products, as applied to full-blown evaluation. I am doing larger and more commercial arrays now and this testing is a logical step up in professional commissioning. Sure beats the basics using my old Fluke. Now the hand-held IR thermal imager, at $6K, is a little harder to justify.*** * ** ** Kirk Herander VT Solar, LLC dba Vermont Solar Engineering NABCEPTM Certified Inaugural Certificant NYSERDA-eligible Installer VT RE Incentive Program Partner 802.863.1202 ** ** *From:* re-wrenches-boun...@lists.re-wrenches.org [mailto:re-wrenches-boun...@lists.re-wrenches.org] *On Behalf Of *Bill Hoffer *Sent:* Wednesday, February 13, 2013 5:03 PM *To:* RE-wrenches *Subject:* Re: [RE-wrenches] Seaward Solarlink ** ** Kirk Good to check out, it is a fair amount of money, but being able to safely do Isc on a full series string, megging, grounding continuity and DC power, it is a handy tool to have. I have been using one for over a year now and have been very happy with it. It is relatively quick to use once you get used to it and gives me a lot of confidence in the final install knowing that the ground continuity is sound, strings are in good shape ( no bad modules or connections ) and the array has been safely meg tested ( shorted leads vs , - to Ground and + to ground). Make sure you get the PV150 with extra memory and RF capability with the 200R irradiance and cell temp meter. Clamp on meter is good to, with the PV T leads attached will calculate DC power into Inverter. I actually like their single phase Solar Power meter too , since it will do kW AC, makes short work of doing Inverter performance validation. It also does PF , Harmonics and will detect phase order for a 3 phase motor. Pretty nice, seems most power meters are in the $6k range and start at 3 phase, so for $500 bucks I think it is a good value. Keep in mind that the Seaward is designed for European installs where they usually have MC4 connectors at each inverter location, so the PV connectors supplied are MC4 and Sunclips. I have adapted the sunclips to Banana stlye connectors so I can use standard off the shelf 20 amp 1000 VDC test leads and banana clip extensions. Easy to also use MC4 adapters to any other standard connectors. I wish we used MC4's to the inverters, it would speed up commissioning alot! Sometimes it is a challenge to adapt combiners or inverter disconnects to make a spot to use as a test lead when there is no where to clamp on. Hopefully as commissioning of larger installs becomes commoner we will see those manufacturers making a test spot more accessible! Also beware that the Megger only really works for PV Strings and if you need to meg wire or motors you will need a standard $500 Megger, I like the Fluke 1587 because it has other common meter funtions. Frankly I do not like megging a PV string using a megger, to me the Seaward is a lot faster and gives me more useful information all at once ( Voc Isc, Insulation resistance, irradiance, Cell temp). I also do training in commissioning testing through Solar Energy International ( PV351lab) that allows you to use all the advanced tools available for commissioning and troubleshooting on live systems in their lab yard. Well worth it to get a chance to play with the tools
