Re: [RE-wrenches] Unusual Module

2012-03-24 Thread mark
Carrizo had a grade of modules that did not see concentrator use, and they sold an assembly of 3 of these called "Super Gold Tri-Lams."  I sold a truckload of them, and they are still kicking butt today.The VOC is 20 or 21V.  They were rated at 105W but performed as well as the AstroPower 120W modules I was selling at the time.  I never had a single failure with Carrizo products; not even the well cooked quad-lams that indeed required 4 modules for year round use.I can't say the same for the "Solar Value" 120W modules I was selling at the same time or shortly afterword.  These are beginning to have interconnect failures which I am able to repair.  Luckily my clients aren't too demanding.Just a bit of history/reminiscing - the "unusual module" is clearly not one of these.


 Original Message ----
Subject: Re: [RE-wrenches] Unusual Module
From: Kent Osterberg <k...@coveoregon.com>
Date: Sat, March 24, 2012 4:35 pm
To: al...@positiveenergysolar.com,  RE-wrenches
<re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org>

 Allan,  Your right about the modules from Carrizo being made by Arco. And weren't they mono-crystalline? Three of these modules in series would be 30 cells and not enough voltage for charging a 12-volt battery. But I think that's the biggest similarity to a Quad-Lam.   Kent Osterberg
Blue Mountain Solar, Inc.
www.bluemountainsolar.com

 On 3/24/2012 12:27 PM, Allan Sindelar wrote:   Hilton, The only issue I take with your suggestion that these are Carrizo modules is that as far as I know, all of the Carrizo modules (used at the Carrisa Plains PV power plant near Paso Robles CA from 1984-1990) were made by Arco, not Solarex.  Also, the Carrizo Quad-Lams required four in series, not three. A few of the better modules could reach 16V in hot weather in sets of three, but the vast majority couldn't, especially after premature degradation caused by the use of reflectors on most of the tracked arrays. They were called Quad-Lams by Carrizo Solar (who bought the plant and cut them up for resale) for this reason. Photocomm sold some as sets of three (and called them Tri-Lams) in the early 90s, but after haranguing by Richard Perez of Home Power and others, supplied a fourth module to purchasers, as sets of three had insufficient MPP voltage to EQ a 12V battery during summer heat. Allan Allan Sindelar al...@positiveenergysolar.com NABCEP Certified Photovoltaic Installer NABCEP Certified Technical Sales Professional New Mexico EE98J Journeyman Electrician Positive Energy, Inc. 3201 Calle Marie Santa Fe, New Mexico 87507 505 424-1112 www.positiveenergysolar.com   On 3/24/2012 12:22 PM, Hilton Dier III wrote: Kent,   I had modules like those back in the early 1990s, when I first went off grid. They are designed to be wired in sets of three for 12V nominal, 18Voc. If the EVA encapsulant is a bit browned it is probably leftover from the Carrizo project, the largest of its time. The Carrizo project had reflectors to increase output but they cooked the adhesive. The owners eventually lost their beneficial rate and realized they would make more money selling off the modules than selling the electricity. Many homesteaders benefited.   Hilton   The label looks like a shiny piece of foil, but with light angled on it  just right way the name Solarex is visible as are many words on the  label template. None of the values are legible. It is a little smaller  than a MSX-60. It has 40 cells that are wired in four parallel strings  of ten. Open circuit voltage is about 6 volts. Shorted it put out 4 amps  in bright but very overcast conditions. I suspect that it would put out  8 to 10 amps at STC. There are two j-boxes, one on each end, with very  substantial terminals. It still operates, but obviously it isn't much  use for charging a battery, even a six volt one. Anyone familiar with a  low-voltage high-current Solarex module.___
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Re: [RE-wrenches] Unusual Module

2012-03-24 Thread Kent Osterberg

Allan,

Your right about the modules from Carrizo being made by Arco. And 
weren't they mono-crystalline? Three of these modules in series would be 
30 cells and not enough voltage for charging a 12-volt battery. But I 
think that's the biggest similarity to a Quad-Lam.


Kent Osterberg
Blue Mountain Solar, Inc.
www.bluemountainsolar.com


On 3/24/2012 12:27 PM, Allan Sindelar wrote:

Hilton,
The only issue I take with your suggestion that these are Carrizo 
modules is that as far as I know, all of the Carrizo modules (used at 
the Carrisa Plains PV power plant near Paso Robles CA from 1984-1990) 
were made by Arco, not Solarex.


Also, the Carrizo Quad-Lams required four in series, not three. A few 
of the better modules could reach 16V in hot weather in sets of three, 
but the vast majority couldn't, especially after premature degradation 
caused by the use of reflectors on most of the tracked arrays. They 
were called Quad-Lams by Carrizo Solar (who bought the plant and cut 
them up for resale) for this reason. Photocomm sold some as sets of 
three (and called them Tri-Lams) in the early 90s, but after 
haranguing by Richard Perez of Home Power and others, supplied a 
fourth module to purchasers, as sets of three had insufficient MPP 
voltage to EQ a 12V battery during summer heat.

Allan

*Allan Sindelar*
_Allan@positiveenergysolar.com_ 
NABCEP Certified Photovoltaic Installer
NABCEP Certified Technical Sales Professional
New Mexico EE98J Journeyman Electrician
*Positive Energy, Inc.*
3201 Calle Marie
Santa Fe, New Mexico 87507
*505 424-1112*
_www.positiveenergysolar.com_ 

*
*



On 3/24/2012 12:22 PM, Hilton Dier III wrote:

Kent,

I had modules like those back in the early 1990s, when I first went 
off grid. They are designed to be wired in sets of three for 12V 
nominal, 18Voc. If the EVA encapsulant is a bit browned it is 
probably leftover from the Carrizo project, the largest of its time. 
The Carrizo project had reflectors to increase output but they cooked 
the adhesive. The owners eventually lost their beneficial rate and 
realized they would make more money selling off the modules than 
selling the electricity. Many homesteaders benefited.


Hilton

The label looks like a shiny piece of foil, but with light angled on it
just right way the name Solarex is visible as are many words on the
label template. None of the values are legible. It is a little smaller
than a MSX-60. It has 40 cells that are wired in four parallel strings
of ten. Open circuit voltage is about 6 volts. Shorted it put out 4 amps
in bright but very overcast conditions. I suspect that it would put out
8 to 10 amps at STC. There are two j-boxes, one on each end, with very
substantial terminals. It still operates, but obviously it isn't much
use for charging a battery, even a six volt one. Anyone familiar with a
low-voltage high-current Solarex module.


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Re: [RE-wrenches] Unusual Module

2012-03-24 Thread Allan Sindelar


  
  
Hilton,
The only issue I take with your suggestion that these are Carrizo
modules is that as far as I know, all of the Carrizo modules (used
at the Carrisa Plains PV power plant near Paso Robles CA from
1984-1990) were made by Arco, not Solarex.

Also, the Carrizo Quad-Lams required four in series, not three. A
few of the better modules could reach 16V in hot weather in sets of
three, but the vast majority couldn't, especially after premature
degradation caused by the use of reflectors on most of the tracked
arrays. They were called Quad-Lams by Carrizo Solar (who bought the
plant and cut them up for resale) for this reason. Photocomm sold
some as sets of three (and called them Tri-Lams) in the early 90s,
but after haranguing by Richard Perez of Home Power and others,
supplied a fourth module to purchasers, as sets of three had
insufficient MPP voltage to EQ a 12V battery during summer heat.
Allan


  
  
  Allan Sindelar
  al...@positiveenergysolar.com
NABCEP Certified Photovoltaic
  Installer
  NABCEP Certified Technical Sales Professional
  New Mexico EE98J Journeyman Electrician
  Positive Energy, Inc.
  3201 Calle Marie
  Santa Fe, New Mexico 87507
  505 424-1112
  www.positiveenergysolar.com
  
  
  
   

On 3/24/2012 12:22 PM, Hilton Dier III wrote:
Kent,
  
  
  I had modules like those back in the early 1990s, when I first
  went off grid. They are designed to be wired in sets of three for
  12V nominal, 18Voc. If the EVA encapsulant is a bit browned it is
  probably leftover from the Carrizo project, the largest of its
  time. The Carrizo project had reflectors to increase output but
  they cooked the adhesive. The owners eventually lost their
  beneficial rate and realized they would make more money selling
  off the modules than selling the electricity. Many homesteaders
  benefited.
  
  
  Hilton
  
  
  The label looks like a shiny piece of foil, but with light angled
  on it
  
  just right way the name Solarex is visible as are many words on
  the
  
  label template. None of the values are legible. It is a little
  smaller
  
  than a MSX-60. It has 40 cells that are wired in four parallel
  strings
  
  of ten. Open circuit voltage is about 6 volts. Shorted it put out
  4 amps
  
  in bright but very overcast conditions. I suspect that it would
  put out
  
  8 to 10 amps at STC. There are two j-boxes, one on each end, with
  very
  
  substantial terminals. It still operates, but obviously it isn't
  much
  
  use for charging a battery, even a six volt one. Anyone familiar
  with a
  
  low-voltage high-current Solarex module.
  
  
  
  

  

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Re: [RE-wrenches] Unusual Module

2012-03-24 Thread Nathan Jones


Hilton,
That description sounds like some old modules I used to have. I thought they 
were from the ARCO project. Same circumstances I think. As I recall the modules 
were Tri Lams (not sure on the proper name for them) but they were also 3 in 
series for 12 volt nominal. At least the ones I had were. They were the lowest 
grade, or most burned up of the scoring system used to resell them. Mud was the 
term applied to their grade I think. They were STI 120 watt decaled but put out 
around 75 watts by the time I got them. That was late 90s 
 Sold them with that place so no idea what they are putting out today.
Nathan
--
On Sat, Mar 24, 2012 1:22 PM CDT Hilton Dier III wrote:

>Kent,
>
>I had modules like those back in the early 1990s, when I first went off grid. 
>They are designed to be wired in sets of three for 12V nominal, 18Voc. If the 
>EVA encapsulant is a bit browned it is probably leftover from the Carrizo 
>project, the largest of its time. The Carrizo project had reflectors to 
>increase output but they cooked the adhesive. The owners eventually lost their 
>beneficial rate and realized they would make more money selling off the 
>modules than selling the electricity. Many homesteaders benefited.
>
>Hilton
>
>The label looks like a shiny piece of foil, but with light angled on it
>just right way the name Solarex is visible as are many words on the
>label template. None of the values are legible. It is a little smaller
>than a MSX-60. It has 40 cells that are wired in four parallel strings
>of ten. Open circuit voltage is about 6 volts. Shorted it put out 4 amps
>in bright but very overcast conditions. I suspect that it would put out
>8 to 10 amps at STC. There are two j-boxes, one on each end, with very
>substantial terminals. It still operates, but obviously it isn't much
>use for charging a battery, even a six volt one. Anyone familiar with a
>low-voltage high-current Solarex module.
>
>
>
>-- Hilton Dier III
>Renewable Energy Design
>Partner, Solar Gain LLC
>renewabledesign.com
>
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[RE-wrenches] Unusual Module

2012-03-24 Thread Hilton Dier III

Kent,

I had modules like those back in the early 1990s, when I first went off 
grid. They are designed to be wired in sets of three for 12V nominal, 
18Voc. If the EVA encapsulant is a bit browned it is probably leftover 
from the Carrizo project, the largest of its time. The Carrizo project 
had reflectors to increase output but they cooked the adhesive. The 
owners eventually lost their beneficial rate and realized they would 
make more money selling off the modules than selling the electricity. 
Many homesteaders benefited.


Hilton

The label looks like a shiny piece of foil, but with light angled on it
just right way the name Solarex is visible as are many words on the
label template. None of the values are legible. It is a little smaller
than a MSX-60. It has 40 cells that are wired in four parallel strings
of ten. Open circuit voltage is about 6 volts. Shorted it put out 4 amps
in bright but very overcast conditions. I suspect that it would put out
8 to 10 amps at STC. There are two j-boxes, one on each end, with very
substantial terminals. It still operates, but obviously it isn't much
use for charging a battery, even a six volt one. Anyone familiar with a
low-voltage high-current Solarex module.



--
Hilton Dier III
Renewable Energy Design
Partner, Solar Gain LLC
renewabledesign.com

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Re: [RE-wrenches] unusual module

2012-03-24 Thread Kent Osterberg

Nathan,

There are no jumpers, each j-box has a single terminal. It has 4" square 
multi-crystalline cells, a 2" bronze colored frame, and measures 17.5" x 
42"; just a little smaller than a MSX-60.


Kent Osterberg
Blue Mountain Solar, Inc.
www.bluemountainsolar.com


On 3/24/2012 10:26 AM, Nathan Jones wrote:


Kent,
Does it have jumpers that would lower the current and double the voltage?Maybe 
unbridged and still attached? I have a dozen Solec modules that were either 12 
or 24 volt nominal output.It has been a long time since I was in the J boxes 
but it seems like they may have looked as you are describing although there is 
only one J box.
Nathan Jones
Power Source Solar
417-827-0738


--
On Fri, Mar 23, 2012 9:19 PM CDT Kent Osterberg wrote:


Wrenches,

A customer dropped off an unusual PV module a couple days ago. It's not a 
design that I'm familiar with. I'm hoping that the vast wealth of distributed 
knowledge contained in the RE-Wrenches may recognize it and explain its purpose.

The label looks like a shiny piece of foil, but with light angled on it just 
right way the name Solarex is visible as are many words on the label template. 
None of the values are legible. It is a little smaller than a MSX-60. It has 40 
cells that are wired in four parallel strings of ten. Open circuit voltage is 
about 6 volts. Shorted it put out 4 amps in bright but very overcast 
conditions. I suspect that it would put out 8 to 10 amps at STC. There are two 
j-boxes, one on each end, with very substantial terminals. It still operates, 
but obviously it isn't much use for charging a battery, even a six volt one. 
Anyone familiar with a low-voltage high-current Solarex module.

-- Kent Osterberg
Blue Mountain Solar, Inc.
www.bluemountainsolar.com


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Re: [RE-wrenches] unusual module

2012-03-24 Thread Nathan Jones


Kent,
Does it have jumpers that would lower the current and double the voltage?Maybe 
unbridged and still attached? I have a dozen Solec modules that were either 12 
or 24 volt nominal output.It has been a long time since I was in the J boxes 
but it seems like they may have looked as you are describing although there is 
only one J box.
Nathan Jones
Power Source Solar
417-827-0738


--
On Fri, Mar 23, 2012 9:19 PM CDT Kent Osterberg wrote:

>Wrenches,
>
>A customer dropped off an unusual PV module a couple days ago. It's not a 
>design that I'm familiar with. I'm hoping that the vast wealth of distributed 
>knowledge contained in the RE-Wrenches may recognize it and explain its 
>purpose.
>
>The label looks like a shiny piece of foil, but with light angled on it just 
>right way the name Solarex is visible as are many words on the label template. 
>None of the values are legible. It is a little smaller than a MSX-60. It has 
>40 cells that are wired in four parallel strings of ten. Open circuit voltage 
>is about 6 volts. Shorted it put out 4 amps in bright but very overcast 
>conditions. I suspect that it would put out 8 to 10 amps at STC. There are two 
>j-boxes, one on each end, with very substantial terminals. It still operates, 
>but obviously it isn't much use for charging a battery, even a six volt one. 
>Anyone familiar with a low-voltage high-current Solarex module.
>
>-- Kent Osterberg
>Blue Mountain Solar, Inc.
>www.bluemountainsolar.com
>
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[RE-wrenches] unusual module

2012-03-24 Thread Kent Osterberg

Wrenches,

A customer dropped off an unusual PV module a couple days ago. It's not 
a design that I'm familiar with. I'm hoping that the vast wealth of 
distributed knowledge contained in the RE-Wrenches may recognize it and 
explain its purpose.


The label looks like a shiny piece of foil, but with light angled on it 
just right way the name Solarex is visible as are many words on the 
label template. None of the values are legible. It is a little smaller 
than a MSX-60. It has 40 cells that are wired in four parallel strings 
of ten. Open circuit voltage is about 6 volts. Shorted it put out 4 amps 
in bright but very overcast conditions. I suspect that it would put out 
8 to 10 amps at STC. There are two j-boxes, one on each end, with very 
substantial terminals. It still operates, but obviously it isn't much 
use for charging a battery, even a six volt one. Anyone familiar with a 
low-voltage high-current Solarex module.


--
Kent Osterberg
Blue Mountain Solar, Inc.
www.bluemountainsolar.com

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