> We used to use capacitors, but Dan from Exeltech just poo pooed that fix
> in another recent thread, so I don't have any other tricks up my sleeve.
No poo. Just a cautionary comment. Capacitors connected across the output of
an inverter can .. in some circumstances .. cause
"A diode is a diode." ???
Not so.
That's like saying a solar panel is a solar panel .. or a tire is a tire.
If you can get the identical part # .. then replace it. Don't go out and just
use any diode.
The diodes in PV are commonly a Schottky barrier diode .. designed to minimize
voltage
r had a problem, and some of these have been running that
> way for over 15 years.
>
> I never had a power quality issue with an Exeltech, so I've never used this
> trick with your inverters.
>
> R.Ray Walters
> CTO, Solarray, Inc
> Nabcep Certified PV Installer,
> Lice
Wrenches,
Be careful about connecting *any* capacitors across an inverter's AC output.
It's not a smart thing to do.
While a capacitor may help in some cases when a load has a substantially poor
power factor due to significant inductance, there are two serious concerns here:
1. The power fac
Wrenches,
Bill Hoffer's comments below are correct relative to "hot spots". Mac's
comments are also correct relative to overall PV module temperature under
open-circuit versus "loaded" conditions.
To Bill's point, if one or more cells are fractured, or buss solder bonds or
other connections a
Ron,
It's been my experience the only adhesives that work reliably on PV backsheets
are those designed for the purpose, such as Dow 804 et. al.. Substances such
as silicone sealant, tool polymerics, and others will appear to be suitable
when first applied, but they eventually peel loose over a
Dave's point below is excellent.
The solar energy industry has a work group comprised of volunteers who work
diligently to craft safe Code, yet acceptable and workable Code for the
renewable energy industry. It's a moving target at best. We do not write the
NEC. We submit proposed changes to
Marco,
The applicability of your statement ...
"... what’s beyond dispute is that when we size the solar array higher than the
nameplate inverter output, there will be clipping that takes place….i.e.,
harvestable solar power that goes nowhere."
depends to a great extent on the site climate
Focus is on the relay contacts. Any good designer will have already
incorporated protective diodes for relay DC coils, so nothing needed unless
specifically stated in the instruction/installation manual.
Do NOT connect any diodes across the relay contacts.
Bob Gudgel is 100% on target with his
Hello Larry,
A number of Wrenches have also contacted me off-list asking me to keep them
informed.
Clearly interest on this topic is high. To that point, I'll gladly post
findings and updates here when information becomes available.
In reference to "his grounds didn't work" .. perhaps I ought
Hello Todd,
I forwarded your query to my friend "Mike". Waiting for a reply as we speak.
He's been a bit slow responding. Repairs are a priority at the moment.
Everything electrical in the house was destroyed. As an indicator, he told me
the wall cubes for his router and his home weather s
ection)
on an educational note dan, can you further detail the lightning protection
equipment which was incorporated into the system? specifically if spd's were in
the system? i have installed several midnight spd's and am curious how they do
in real world situations like this.
thanks,
t
Wrenches,
My apologies for an error. When I was given information about the
lightning-damaged equipment a few days ago, my friend was understandably a bit
rattled after a direct lightning hit to his home, and inadvertently provided
incorrect model numbers for the Outback charge controllers. T
Wrenches,
A friend of mine experienced the destruction of major parts of his system in a
recent lightning storm. Everything was extensively grounded and protected, but
he lives in an area with very high soil resistivity, so good earth ground is
very difficult to achieve. (The lightning hit h
Dana,
Excellent question.
More than 20 years of PV degradation research conducted by NREL and others has
shown the dominant loss to be in the Isc and fill-factor aspects of PV
performance due to increasing effective series resistance. Voc stays
essentially stable over the life of the PV modu
On Sat, 5/24/14, Jerry Shafer wrote:
Subject: Re: [RE-wrenches] Fwd: Halliburton science says solar PV can drain the
sun's energy!
To: "RE-wrenches"
Date: Saturday, May 24, 2014, 6:39 PM
Wrenches,
Its SATIRE!
Read this from the Wyoming Star Tribu
Hello Jason,
Aside from a peek at the mod-square inverter waveform now and then (with an
oscilloscope) .. there's nothing more you can do in terms of "troubleshooting".
Your interval could be a year or more, especially when the product is new. In
terms of "preventive" .. install inverters in
Hello Drake,
As a professional electrial design engineer in the solar energy industry, I can
say without hesitation, the simple answer to your question is "Yes". Waveforms
can deterioriate as components age. Lower-quality capacitors will dry out in
20 years' use (or less!), and this in turn
Dan (Brown),
Some suggestions.
#1:
In the unlikely chance the website might suddenly go away, get screen shots of
everything ASAP. Download and keep copies of each page of the website. This
can be done using the "Save Page As" option (or equivalent) under "File". Save
all downloaded pages
high efficiency modules in U.S.
To: "RE-wrenches"
Date: Tuesday, April 29, 2014, 5:36 PM
Dan,
Are they assembling or actually making cells as well?
jay
peltz power
On Apr 28, 2014, at 8:52 PM, Exeltech wrote:
> There's also 1Soltech Dallas, Texas.
>
> Made in the USA.
There's also 1Soltech Dallas, Texas.
Made in the USA. (Confirmed. I visited their plant on a field trip with a
solar energy club not long ago and saw their production line in operation.)
They make 60-cell and 80-cell PV ranging from 230W to 350W, and maybe others.
They've even got a series o
Wrenches,
Does anyone know of a good quality temperature compensated, three-state charge
controller capable of working with a 360 volt battery system? (An equalize
mode is also highly desired.)
The battery consists of 30 series-connected 12V, 260 A-H deep-cycle sealed
lead-acid batteries conn
Corey,
I'm not pro nor con one way other another on the use of the 1M resistor Chris
mentioned in the system you described.
However .. if you DO end up following his suggestion .. there are precautions
you'll need to observe:
1. Resistors have a maximum voltage rating. Make sure the resistor
> ... we've found that running a 240 welder off 2 stacked Trace SWs gives a lot
> more oomph than off a 6kW generator.
Altitude is indeed a factor. So too is the vastly superior transient response
of the inverter compared to a genset. Poor transient capability is one reason
(of many) that mak
ruction.
For a test last summer I installed a few silicon energy modules with Tigos. I
never saw their 190W module produce over 154W (tilt of 35 degrees, straight
south) not exactly scientific, but thought the glass on glass construction
might be at work.
Jesse
Sent from my iPhone
> On Mar
Larry,
As August pointed out, there are too many variables related to PV performance
to focus on just one and call it "good". He's right on target.
For a very simplistic example...
One aspect of PV performance relates to cell temperature, which in turn is
affected by the NOCT rating of the PV
Do NOT connect chokes from any of the PV leads to ground. It will create a DC
path where no DC path should exist. It's hazardous, and can/will destroy the
inverter.
Inductance is indeed an offset to capacitance in many situations .. but this is
not one of them.
Dan Lepinski
Professional In
For line drawings and other 2D illustrations, Libre CAD reads and writes DXF
files. There are versions for Windows, Apple OSX, and Linux.
It's also F-R-E-E. Simply download and install.
http://librecad.org/cms/home.html
Dan
On Wed, 3/12/14, Bil
I also vote for plastic.
Contact Radiant Solar Technology in Ukiah, CA. They make a variety of durable,
ventilated HDPE enclosures.
http://www.homepower.com/contractors/radiant-solar-technology
I've had two of their enclosures in my solar trailer for five years. Well
constructed. Zero probl
Mac,
Check the power factor on one complete lamp assembly. If you can't test it for
yourself, either have someone do it for you .. or contact the lamp manufacturer
and get the actual specifications. Some of the new electronic ballasts present
a leading power factor, which if sufficiently capa
Ron...
Bill's comments below are all absolutely excellent and spot-on - particularly
his mention about the UL1703 certification.
That said .. if you decide to proceed with the repair, I'd like to add a
several additional details to the process:
1. Ensure the j-box you purchase is certified
William,
Your frustration with the process is understandable, and quite justified to a
great extent.
However, to say "... those directly involved in the rule making process...",
and alluding to your previous description including "industry advocates", is
patently unfair.
I'm one of those "
Chris,
Even if a manufacturer agrees with you on incorporating an external shutdown
option, don't expect near-term action, especially on existing models. A
modification of this nature obviously affects the hardware aspects of an
inverter. This alone mandates retesting of at least that aspect
Troy,
Elsewhere in this thread, boB (Midnite) suggested connecting one of the
problematic lights and dimmers directly at the inverter output.
This is a very sound recommendation, and would immediately rule in .. or rule
out the conductors (and related circuits) as an issue.
Another Wrench s
Larry,
A latching relay isn't suitable for fail-safe applications.
Look into the "Kilovac Czonka III EV200HAANA". This series has a coil
"economizer" that reduces coil current (and thus power consumption) after
pull-in. Rated coil power is less than 2 watts. Models are good to 900Vdc and
u
Bruce,
The capacitors may or may not help, and could make things worse. If you've
already encountered and solved this exact issue on other identical systems ..
carry on.
If not ...
Switching power supplies have a double-whammy of being non-linear AND reactive.
The reactive component is alm
David and Wrenches,
With several recent mentions on the Wrench board pertaining to PV fire ratings,
and AHJ interpretations of the 2014 NEC we're hearing on this issue, I'm
concerned this is a volcano on the verge of eruption.
I recently attended a large meeting of Texas AHJ/CBO officials where
Keith,
Another wrench commented about the Exeltech inverters being capable of working
with a -48V battery system.
His info was good. The DC input is "floating" on XP and MX inverters, and may
be used in positive-ground telecom battery systems as well as negative ground
systems .. s
Troy,
You're correct in your statement about dimmers operating on a phase shift
within their own circuitry. However, that isn't likely the culprit here.
1000 feet of 350 MCM would have approximately 0.65 millihenry inductance per
conductor. If the conductors are widely separated in a manner t
Brian,
UL1741, Section 64.11 stipulates the discharge time for capacitors at less than
five minutes.
Though the context of this Section specifically addresses capacitors that are
accessible by some aspect of inverter disassembly, it would also be appropriate
to extend its applicability to DC t
+1 on Ray's comment about exact load.
+1 on Ray's recommendation of measuring it yourself.
+2! on Dan's "load creep" comment.
I own a fairly respectable solar trailer, with adequate power and reserves for
many needs. Three years ago, I provided solar power for an "environmental
chili cook-off"
Hello Chad,
Moving the antenna worked in your example below by separating it away from the
interference source, and that is clearly the preferred option (as is oft
suggested by FCC Part 15 statements). However, it does leave a possible issue:
If there's that much interference emanating from t
Hello Mac,
Your conjecture about radiated interference as the cause is very likely
correct. RF is being generated by one or more inverters, and is swamping the
garage door opener receiver .. rendering it "deaf" to the actual transmitter.
Corrective action(s) for RF interference requires specia
GFI outlets have an internal circuit breaker. Likely the breaker contacts in
that outlet are marginal (resistive), causing a voltage drop. The compressor
pulls max current at the top of each compression cycle. When the peak
compressor current coincides with an AC voltage peak (they're not nec
If only LED lamps on dimmers are flickering, suspect the dimmers, but this
isn't yet certain. This can be assessed by plugging one of the flickering LED
bulbs into the same circuit, but use the bulb in a table lamp and plug into an
AC outlet to bypass the dimmer. Does the LED bulb still flicke
There may also be a technical aspect of the dimmer that's adding to the
flicker, depending on the type of dimmer(s) in use.
Some dimmers use a device called a "silicon-controlled rectifier" .. or "SCR".
They allow only half of the sine wave to pass. Half-wave power wasn't very
noticeable when
Jay,
You surmize correctly on both points. 12.0V equates to ~50% DOD. The LVD
point should be higher. The actual value depends somewhat on the battery type
and ambient temperature, but under lightly loaded conditions (e.g. C/30), the
LVD should be adjusted for around 12.4Vdc to keep the disc
Hey Mr. Ray ...
Aren't you just a gluttony of good info! You're darned handy to have around.
I wasn't aware of the Midnite unit. I'll have to scope it out.
I'm concerned with Eric's mention of the bid requiring a 120AH battery (~1.5
kWh) .. and only 75W PV. Hopefully their loads are small,
sis .. and they're
adamant about seven year battery life .. you're going to have difficulty
meeting their budget AND achieving their system goals.
Happy New Year to all
Dan
On Tue, 12/31/13, Allan Sindel
Eric,
Allan's recommendations on both points are excellent, and spot-on.
I would add the following suggestions for your controller and system if budget
and circumstances permit:
1) Use a MPPT model controller to enhance the recharge rate under
less-than-ideal conditions. The PV is already un
Carl,
#1: Under the conditions described by Larry below .. if by some chance the
resistor somehow completes a circuit, you'll have up to 10 milliamps flowing
through a 40K resistor, and in that case .. up to 4 watts dissipated. To be on
the safe side, use a 10W rated resistor just in case the
Wrenches,
There appears to be some misinformation getting into this thread.
The "trip" mechanism within standard thermal over-current protective devices
("OCP devices") is mechanically spring-loaded, and is triggered by heat.
Eric mentions below that Square D breakers are tested in a vertical o
William,
PV temperature coefficient of voltage is a function of the number of cells in
series. For 72 cell PV (or two 36-cell PV in series), the coefficient is 2X
that of 36 cells.
Two SP75 in series, in an ambient temperature environment of -10C, and
presuming a cell temperature of -10C at r
Ray .. and everyone ..
I've been consulting recently on a large off-grid project where the battery
price is in the $300/kW-h range for a purchase quantity of 100,000 SCiB cells.
That's actually a low cell count compared to the automotive industry. The
cells can accept up to 8C charge/discharg
batteries provide
power for three portable solar electric systems ranging in size from 1 to 5 kW
(with Exeltech sine wave inverters attached.)
Batteries in portable applications such as this are not treated kindly, either
mechanically or electrically. Frankly, it’s abusive.
In spite of the rough
Jeremy,
It depends on whether she's reading for enjoyment .. learning .. or both.
To solve both, I recommend the CD (or is it DVD?) back issues of Home Power
Magazine.
If she's reading for fun .. point her to Kathleen's past "Home and Heart"
columns. The world of off-grid living from a woman
and dry it
slowly and carefully. It is amazing how resilient
electronics can be. I even laundered my Bluetooth.
I will let you know after I install it if it stop works.
William
On Aug 15, 2013, at 4:33 PM, Exeltech
wrote:
> William,
>
> Urine is conductive, and apparen
ch a good combo.
It did work after the cleaning though.
Thanks
Jay
Peltz power
On Aug 16, 2013, at 5:11 AM, Exeltech
wrote:
> Bill,
>
> My short answer is .. if things work after all this .. I wouldn't recommend
> doing anything to the circuit board a
Bill,
My short answer is .. if things work after all this .. I wouldn't recommend
doing anything to the circuit board after cleaning it. Instead, I'd take steps
to keep the mice from ever getting into the inverter again.
Long answer...
Normally, circuit boards will have been coated with a co
William,
Urine is conductive, and apparently has formed some unwanted electrical
pathways between components. This conductivity could easily continue after the
board has "dried" due to humidity in the air.
If the need is dire, you can try the following:
You will need two 9" x 12" ceramic ("Py
Mouser Electronics and Digi-key will also have these relays.
You don't need anywhere near that heavy a relay. A fan consuming 6 watts at 48
volts equates to only 0.125 amps. A small relay with contacts rated for 0.5
amp at 48Vdc will be more than adequate. Get a relay with a coil of 500 ohms
Jay,
I second Bob-O's comment - completely.
I inherited a number of pocket-plate ni-cad cells in the early 90s
and went through the same exercise as Richard Perez -- including
the same bad words he used (maybe more).
If the cells are truly diminished in capacity, recycle them. The
reconditionin
Dave,
The terminal is a Wago "Wall Nut". Per Wago's website, it
is UL certified for 600V.
Different color plastics for the various connectors to help
keep track of various circuits. All have the same UL rating.
Link: http://www.wago.us/products/2635.htm
Regards,
Dan
--- On Fri, 6/14/13,
Hello Jason (and all others who teach our younger kids about anything
"solar")...
As is well known, 6-10 year-old kids can be an interesting challenge.
Hands-on projects keep them engaged. Here are three suggestions:
#1:
Simple construction project: Solar box cooker.
Requires very basic mater
Wrenches,
There are PV-specific adhesives certified for use on backsheets.
Examples are:
Dow-Corning 737
Dow-Corning 804
Tonsan 1527
and others.
These are silicone-based, but NOT at all like what you'd buy from big-box
or similar outlets.
Consumer-type silicone adhesives such as Ray mentioned
y 30, 2013, 6:06 PM
good point dan... i wonder how frameless modules are intended to be mounted?
todd
On Thursday, May 30, 2013 4:00pm, "Exeltech" said:
I agree with Allen, and would like to add a related comment. Foam boards are
thermally insulative in nature. If affixed
I agree with Allen, and would like to add a related comment. Foam boards are
thermally insulative in nature. If affixed to the PV with adhesive, they would
cause the PV module to run hotter than if the backsheet was fully exposed
to the air.
This results in reduced energy output under all condit
Try:
Radiant Solar Technology
500 Milani Drive
Ukiah, California 95482
(707) 485-8359
http://www.radiantsolartech.com
Several years ago, they made two HDPE enclosures for me that each hold four
Rolls-Surrette batteries.. The enclosures have a deep bottom for containing
acid, and are ventila
; to the many aged but wonderful minds on this list, I highly
> suggest the controller upgrade first. At the very least,
> reboot the controller in the morning and observe as it
> reaches the limit.
>
> Larry Crutcher
>
>
>
>
>
> On May 12, 2013, at 5:44 AM, Ex
Hello Wrench Team,
Please forgive as this seasoned design engineer contributes
to your discussion:
The conditions and symptoms as originally posted are:
1) A PV array consisting of four Solarworld SW165 PV modules.
[72-cell, mono PV, Voc=44.1V, Vmpp=35.3V, Isc=5.2A, Impp=4.7A,
all values
Wrenches,
While the addition of a capacitor may resolve issues associated with various
inverter/appliance/motor combinations, please make sure the capacitor(s) get
switched OUT of the circuit (disconnected) when the load itself is disconnected.
Failure to do so could under some circumstances caus
Nathan,I use BZ Products' MPPT250 and MPPT500 on portable PV power systemsthat get used (and abused) for providing power at various environmental andother events throughout the year. Been using them for about 6 years, andstill have them in service. (One MPPT250, four MPPT500.)The MPPT250 had a di
Conductors rated for 1000V and the same power you have in mind
for the 600V conductors (hence lower current) can indeed use smaller
wire, thus potentially saving on that aspect of the cost, and possibly
making it lower in cost for a given system than the lower-voltage higher
current counterpart.
I
considered. That goes
without
saying. Whether higher voltage is a win or not depends on the system. It may
be
in some cases, and not in others. Chris mentioned only specific aspects of the
BOS hardware -- which I addressed.
Regards to all,
Dan Lepinski
Sr. Engineer
Exeltech / Exeltech Sol
Hello Chris,
>From a manufacturer's perspective .. you're incorrect on all assumptions.
(Sorry.)
It costs more to make higher-voltage anythings.
Higher voltage means: Clearance / creepage distances are larger (thus bigger
parts or products). Insulation must be thicker (or have a higher dielectr
ure
swings.
Trying to explain in depth the "how and why" slightly larger PV is of benefit
to a customer is like trying to explain photovoltaic equipment to the general
public.
As a competitor to Enphase .. I'm not coming to their defense. However,
what Nick said (below) IS fact.
ditional increase
in the output for an increase in available energy at the input. Think
"governor"
on an engine....
Thanks.
Dan Lepinski, Sr. Engineer
Exeltech / Exeltech Solar Products
--- On Thu, 3/21/13, David Brearley
wrote:
From: David Brearley
Subject: Re: [RE-wrenches] P1 m
William and all,
Our larger UL-certified inverter systems at Exeltech are routinely
built with multiple individual breakers with the handles pinned
together to create a higher-amperage device. To William's point,
and by way of example, it's common for us to have three 100-amp
break
Use a good "pin" to lock them together. Make sure they can't
disengage (lock-tite the hardware, etc.) and you're good to go.
Stay warm out there (ha!).
Dan
--- On Wed, 2/27/13, Larry Crutcher, Starlight Solar Power Systems
wrote:
From: Larry Crutcher, Starlight Solar Power Systems
Subject:
Hello Mark (and all),
Exeltech AC Module inverters do not have an external ground
connection because they are certified to UL1741 as grounded
through the utility ground. Also, and because all DC wiring
is internal to the inverter, there is no requirement for DC
ground-fault or arc-fault
I lived off-grid for eight years in the Wisconsin north woods. Snow
accumulating on PV and hot water collectors was often a problem.
I used a lightweight plastic-framed cloth floor broom. Had a threaded handle
screwed into the broom head. The broom head threads were the same size
as handles for
ility in context will be determined by the direction
of current flow into or out of the battery.
Keep up the good work all
Dan Lepinski, Senior Engineer
Exeltech Solar
--- On Fri, 11/2/12, Larry Crutcher, Starlight Solar Power Systems
wrote:
> From: Larry Crutcher, Starlight Solar Po
t used these modules yet, but I can see the benefits in the
cable strategy.
Jason Szumlanski
Fafco Solar
On Wed, Oct 31, 2012 at 3:30 PM, Exeltech wrote:
Hello Kirk,
Our PVAC Modules are certified to UL and other applicable Standards on:
Helios PV, Milwaukee, Wisc ( http://www.heliossolarw
Pennsylvania,
Texas, and Southern California.
( http://www.solarbine.net/ )
More PV manufacturers are working their way through in UL certification at this
time, but non-disclosure agreements won't allow discussion yet.
Dan Lepinski, Senior Engineer
Exeltech Solar
--- On Wed, 10/31
e in Fort Worth, Texas.
Dan Lepinski, Senior Engineer
Exeltech Solar
--- On Wed, 10/31/12, David Katz wrote:
From: David Katz
Subject: Re: [RE-wrenches] AC Modules ready for primetime?
To: "RE-wrenches"
Date: Wednesday, October 31, 2012, 10:39 AM
Dan Lapinski,
Does Exeltech make
I'd like to correct an error in Jim's statement below related to how we
at Exeltech handle warranty.
If an AC Module inverter should fail, the entire module does not need to
be sent back for warranty -- just the inverter itself. In our case, this
involves removing four small screws t
accepted, rejected, or something in between.
Jurisdictions are then free to use, change, or ignore any and all
aspects of the NEC as they see fit. To Nick's point above, they
do all of the above .. and again .. "whim and interpretation".
Keep up the good work.
Best Regards to All
William,
My point exactly. Unfortunately, vocal inflection isn't easily
incorporated into typed text.
For an "advisory only" document, it has, in essence become the
"law of the land" (as we're acutely aware), however subject to
the whim and interpretation of the nationwide AHJ hierarchy and
thei
Look inside the Code book. Page 1, at the bottom. Last paragraph
on that page, which begins:
"This Code is purely advisory as far as NFPA is concerned."
Dan
--- On Mon, 10/1/12, Drake wrote:
> From: Drake
> Subject: Re: [RE-wrenches] How do we wrenches provide pertinent advice?
> (was12
When in doubt .. ask the manufacturer.
Dan
--- On Mon, 8/27/12, Kirpal Khalsa wrote:
From: Kirpal Khalsa
Subject: Re: [RE-wrenches] Ilsco SGB bonding lug
To: "RE-wrenches"
Date: Monday, August 27, 2012, 6:42 PM
Benn...it looks like that lug has "stainless hardware for corrosion
resistance"
g power.
Without that change, we'd have been billed for our consumed power
AND our back-fed power, which would have easily increased our
bill by 50% or more.
Dan, Senior Engineer
Exeltech Solar Products
--- On Fri, 8/24/12, David Katz wrote:
From: David Katz
Subject: Re: [RE-wrenches]
Bill and Marco,
I know both companies. They're legit. Made in the USA. I've visited
1Soltech's plant, and will probably be at the Helios facilities later this
year. Both impress me as very good companies -- and truly made in
America.
Dan
--- On Mon, 7/23/12, Bill Loesch wrote:
From: Bill
an Electrician
Founder and Chief Technology Officer
Positive Energy, Inc.
3209 Richards Lane (note new address)
Santa Fe, New Mexico 87507
505 424-1112
www.positiveenergysolar.com
Eric,
I checked my magic spreadsheet for the BP SX170.
Using 800W/m^2 irradiance, and a presumed ambient of 37C (98F),
everything appears to be working within specified tolerances. The
presumed conditions create exactly your measured Voc, which is
why I used them. Other temperature and irradian
Kent,
Life should be so easy as to be able just to tweak the firmware and
make things all better.
The moment a change is made to the firmware where the zero-crossing
detection is involved .. UL safety standards mandate the inverters must
undergo re-certification to the applicable aspects of UL174
An earlier post alluded to "minimal value" of old PV making it a less likely
target. In my case, neither age nor condition of the PV proved to be a
deterrent.
I had 40 Arco 16-2000 PV (30+ year-old PV) in a 1200 watt array (40 modules)
in use at my off-grid home, and someone stole 20 of the PV th
1Soltech manufactures PV near Dallas, Texas.
http://www.1soltech.com/
Helios manufactures PV in Milwaukee.
http://www.heliossolarworks.com/
Solar Power Industries manufactures PV near Pittsburgh.
http://www.solarpowerindustries.com/
Dan
--- On Fri, 6/29/12, Marco Mangelsdorf wrote:
From: M
I second Larry's recommendation of Blue Sky charge controllers.
I've used them for several years under some very adverse conditions,
yet they've performed flawlessly. Support too has been excellent.
Dan
Sr. Engineer
Exeltech
--- On Wed, 5/23/12, Larry Crutcher, Starlight Sola
Hello Todd,
The short answer to your "is this a concern?" query, is "no".
Reactive power is one of the more complex aspects of electric power, and
certainly one of the most misunderstood. It can and does involve inductive
loads (e.g. motors), capacitive loads (e.g. some types of power supplies),
Bob is correct in his warning about the Chinese Ni-Fe
cells. As I recall, they had a translucent white case,
but there may have been others .. and as Bob mentioned,
they did indeed have a very high failure rate.
Thanks Bob for remembering this.
Mine are (and were) Edison cells, and were imprinte
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