Re: [RE-wrenches] 600V charge controller questions

2016-01-31 Thread Ray Walters 
We were called in on a system similar to this, and we ended up just 
installing an AC transfer switch.  Normally the GT array sold back to 
the grid side of the system, but in an extended outage, the customer had 
the option to switch the connection to the back up load side (AC coupled)
He was made aware that battery regulation could be an issue, and to 
switch off the GT array when the batteries got even close to full. 
Obviously this would not be acceptable in a full time off grid system, 
but this option could save your bacon in the very occasional long outage.
It boils down to:  Is it better to let the batteries remain discharged 
and the customer to have no power, or take a chance on over charging the 
batteries in an emergency?
Essentially, the system would remain full proof until they manually 
switched in the AC coupled system.  I look at this sort of like any 
other manual over ride switch: don't use it unless you understand the 
consequences, and really need it.  Add strongly worded warning stickers: 
" Danger Battery damage could result, Emergency use only!"
The other options you are considering would certainly be better, but at 
significantly more cost.


R.Ray Walters
CTO, Solarray, Inc
Nabcep Certified PV Installer,
Licensed Master Electrician
Solar Design Engineer
303 505-8760

On 1/30/2016 3:21 PM, Allan Sindelar wrote:

Wrenches,
I am serving as a consultant for a homeowner with an array of solar 
equipment that doesn't do what he wants, a common story. He wants 
independence in the event of an extended utility outage. To cut to the 
chase:


He has one array of 3,100 watts feeding through a controller into a 
48V battery bank. No issues with this.
A second array of 4,230 rated watts (2 9-module strings of 235W Sharp 
modules) currently feeds a Fronius IG-4000 inverter and the grid. In 
the event of an outage this system shuts down, of course. He is 
looking at replacing his existing pair of old SW5548s with a single 
Schneider XW system, or possibly a Radian.
I would like to give him the ability to switch from the Fronius 
inverter to a 600V charge controller if either a) the grid went down 
or b) the Fronius failed.


I looked at Morningstar's TS-MPPT-600 controller with the DC transfer 
switch, but its DC output is rated as limited to 60A, less than the 
4.2kW output of the array. The spec sheet gives a nominal maximum 
wattage of 3,200W, although a note adds that "input power can exceed 
Nominal Maximum Operating Power, but controller will limit and provide 
its rated continuous maximum output current into batteries. This will 
not harm the controller."


I looked at Schneider's XW MPPT80 controller, which has the necessary 
higher capacity. But beside lacking any built-in or optional input 
metering, it lacks the transfer switch available with the Morningstar.


So questions:
- Is there a good transfer switch to use with the Schneider unit, to 
allow manual switching of the PV input between the Fronius (when the 
grid is up) and the controller and batteries (when the grid is down)?
- Should I use the Morningstar unit, recommending that the periodic 
flatlining due to the excess wattage be simply accepted as a small 
concession to being able to use the array during an extended outage?

- Is AC coupling simply a better approach?
- Any other solutions?

Thanks, Allan

--

*Allan Sindelar*
al...@sindelarsolar.com
NABCEP Certified PV Installation Professional
NABCEP Certified Technical Sales Professional
New Mexico EE98J Journeyman Electrician
Founder (Retired), Positive Energy, Inc.
*505 780-2738 cell*

**



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[RE-wrenches] Enphase M190 current limiting

2016-01-31 Thread Rebecca Lundberg 
I just noticed that several of our sites with Enphase M190s are current
limiting at 140 watts. These units used to clip at 199 watts so I feel like
our customers just lost a potential 30% of their power output. It appears
to be related to a firmware update 520-8-r01-v01.08.00. We've got one
site with just 8 units, 1 of them got this firmware update back in
September and has been limiting to 140w since then, 5 of them got this
update in late January and have been limiting to 140w since then, the other
two are at a previous firmware version and are performing as we would
expect up to 199w. Have any of you noticed this same thing? Do you know
what this is about? It doesn't feel very fair on the user end of things.

Sincerely,

Rebecca Lundberg
Powerfully Gree
​n​
Minnesota
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[RE-wrenches] Aquion Batteries

2016-01-31 Thread William Dorsett 
Our utility wanted to add a new capacity and demand charge to all solar
customers' bills. And the new California Public Utilities Commission
decision on net metering included a mandate for new solar installs to join
Time of Use pricing by 2019. This seems to be the trend that many grid
connected PV installers are going to have to adapt to. While this version of
Aquion may not handle surges, we might all benefit by adapting demand side
hardware like the Energy Sentry
http://energysentry.com/PP-residential-controllers.php to change the shapes
and timing of our loads. Whether on or off grid, this might be a value-added
product we could offer our customers and possibly make new batteries more
compatible.

 

Bill Dorsett

Manhattan, KS  66502

 

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Re: [RE-wrenches] 600V charge controller questions

2016-01-31 Thread Roy Rakobitsch 
Allan, you could network multiple Morningstar 600v controllers for the
output ampacity required (up to 4 controllers, ...yeah, I know they are
expensive).

Would you even need a transfer switch? Why not just wire Fronius IG and
Morningstar controller inputs in parallel (with associated fuses and
disconnects of course). Once batteries are charged and in float, the array
then would be available to the IG to sell to the grid. If the IG goes down
(which it prob will eventually) then the MS 600v controller will charge the
batts enough to get by. Seems like it would work, am I missing something?

RoyR

Roy Rakobitsch
NABCEP Certified Small Wind Installer®
Certified Advanced Tower Climbing, Safety & Rescue
Wind/PV Design Engineer
Windsine LLC
631-514-4166
www.windsine.org




On Sun, Jan 31, 2016 at 1:14 PM, Ray Walters  wrote:

> We were called in on a system similar to this, and we ended up just
> installing an AC transfer switch.  Normally the GT array sold back to the
> grid side of the system, but in an extended outage, the customer had the
> option to switch the connection to the back up load side (AC coupled)
> He was made aware that battery regulation could be an issue, and to switch
> off the GT array when the batteries got even close to full.  Obviously this
> would not be acceptable in a full time off grid system, but this option
> could save your bacon in the very occasional long outage.
> It boils down to:  Is it better to let the batteries remain discharged and
> the customer to have no power, or take a chance on over charging the
> batteries in an emergency?
> Essentially, the system would remain full proof until they manually
> switched in the AC coupled system.  I look at this sort of like any other
> manual over ride switch: don't use it unless you understand the
> consequences, and really need it.  Add strongly worded warning stickers: "
> Danger Battery damage could result, Emergency use only!"
> The other options you are considering would certainly be better, but at
> significantly more cost.
>
> R.Ray Walters
> CTO, Solarray, Inc
> Nabcep Certified PV Installer,
> Licensed Master Electrician
> Solar Design Engineer303 505-8760
>
> On 1/30/2016 3:21 PM, Allan Sindelar wrote:
>
> Wrenches,
> I am serving as a consultant for a homeowner with an array of solar
> equipment that doesn't do what he wants, a common story. He wants
> independence in the event of an extended utility outage. To cut to the
> chase:
>
> He has one array of 3,100 watts feeding through a controller into a 48V
> battery bank. No issues with this.
> A second array of 4,230 rated watts (2 9-module strings of 235W Sharp
> modules) currently feeds a Fronius IG-4000 inverter and the grid. In the
> event of an outage this system shuts down, of course. He is looking at
> replacing his existing pair of old SW5548s with a single Schneider XW
> system, or possibly a Radian.
> I would like to give him the ability to switch from the Fronius inverter
> to a 600V charge controller if either a) the grid went down or b) the
> Fronius failed.
>
> I looked at Morningstar's TS-MPPT-600 controller with the DC transfer
> switch, but its DC output is rated as limited to 60A, less than the 4.2kW
> output of the array. The spec sheet gives a nominal maximum wattage of
> 3,200W, although a note adds that "input power can exceed Nominal Maximum
> Operating Power, but controller will limit and provide its rated continuous
> maximum output current into batteries. This will not harm the controller."
>
> I looked at Schneider's XW MPPT80 controller, which has the necessary
> higher capacity. But beside lacking any built-in or optional input
> metering, it lacks the transfer switch available with the Morningstar.
>
> So questions:
> - Is there a good transfer switch to use with the Schneider unit, to allow
> manual switching of the PV input between the Fronius (when the grid is up)
> and the controller and batteries (when the grid is down)?
> - Should I use the Morningstar unit, recommending that the periodic
> flatlining due to the excess wattage be simply accepted as a small
> concession to being able to use the array during an extended outage?
> - Is AC coupling simply a better approach?
> - Any other solutions?
>
> Thanks, Allan
>
> --
>
> *Allan Sindelar*
> al...@sindelarsolar.com
> NABCEP Certified PV Installation Professional
> NABCEP Certified Technical Sales Professional
> New Mexico EE98J Journeyman Electrician
> Founder (Retired), Positive Energy, Inc.
> *505 780-2738 <505%20780-2738> cell*
>
>
>
>
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