Re: [RE-wrenches] Solaredge inverters w/ backup generator

2014-02-14 Thread Chris Mason
The Door Open switch is a very useful feature. I am trying to get Fronius to put a digital shutdown terminal on its CL line of inverters, or all inverters preferably. We need to pressure all the inverter manufacturers to provide a logic in or dry contact method of shutdown. Most ATS will provide a

Re: [RE-wrenches] Solaredge inverters w/ backup generator

2014-02-14 Thread Exeltech
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

Re: [RE-wrenches] California State Fire Marshal's Solar Photovoltaic Installation Guidelines

2014-02-14 Thread Bill Hennessy
Andrew--Thank-you for your work to dampen the fire hysteria that's sweeping the roofs of residential solar. Between the ridiculous setbacks (out here you'd never see a firefighter on a house roof swinging an axe, but if so inclined, they could go on the other side of the peak). And now we

[RE-wrenches] Firefly Batteries

2014-02-14 Thread Howie Michaelson
Does anyone have any experience or knowledge about Firefly carbon fiber substrate sealed batteries? They have some very interesting claims about cycle life and charge efficiencies. TIA Howie -- Howie Michaelson NABCEP Certified PV Installation Professional™ Catamount Solar, LLC Renewable

[RE-wrenches] Firefly Batteries

2014-02-14 Thread Howie Michaelson
Does anyone have any experience or knowledge about Firefly carbon fiber substrate sealed batteries? They have some very interesting claims about cycle life and charge efficiencies. TIA Howie -- Howie Michaelson NABCEP Certified PV Installation Professional™ Catamount Solar, LLC Renewable

[RE-wrenches] Firefly Batteries

2014-02-14 Thread Howie Michaelson
Does anyone have any experience or knowledge about Firefly carbon fiber substrate sealed batteries? They have some very interesting claims about cycle life and charge efficiencies. TIA Howie -- Howie Michaelson NABCEP Certified PV Installation Professional™ Catamount Solar, LLC Renewable

[RE-wrenches] Ungrounded P.V.

2014-02-14 Thread Jason Andrade
Wrenches, I have yet to do a Transformer-less inverter and am understanding that they are an ungrounded system and that both the positive and negative of each string will need to be disconnected. I started with the sma SB series and now find myself using mainly Enphase. The SMA TL dual mppt

Re: [RE-wrenches] Firefly Batteries

2014-02-14 Thread Ray Walters
1000 cycles at 80% DOD for a small format sealed battery is impressive. It all gets down to what they cost, and if they really live up to those numbers in the real world. It also looks like they only have a group 31 sized 12 volt model, so that limits their use to smaller GTB installations

Re: [RE-wrenches] DC Solenoid Coil Current

2014-02-14 Thread Larry Crutcher, Starlight Solar Power Systems
...600 Watt HOURS per day…. It must be active 24/7. If deactivated, the battery is disconnected. Thanks but this is irrelevant now since I found a 500 amp solenoid that only consumes 41 WH per day. Larry On Feb 13, 2014, at 4:33 PM, Jerry Shafer jerrysgarag...@gmail.com wrote: OK So if you

Re: [RE-wrenches] California State Fire Marshal's Solar Photovoltaic Installation Guidelines

2014-02-14 Thread Dan Fink
Bill H; I believe I'm the firefighter you are referring to, and I'm allowed here on the Wrenches list because I've been a professional RE installer since 1994--still my career-- and a firefighter in a rural area with a large percentage of PV and wind installs. A couple talking points: ~Thanks

Re: [RE-wrenches] Firefly batteries

2014-02-14 Thread Tom DeBates
Howie,    I've taken a look at these and they have good stats are clean and colorful, but are on the pricey side (fireflyenergy.com).   I think that this technology was originally developed by Caterpillar. Good Luck, Tom   Tom DeBates Habi-Tek Geneva,IL.

Re: [RE-wrenches] Ungrounded P.V.

2014-02-14 Thread SunHarvest
Jason, See page 29 of the SB7000TL manual for grounding requirements and page 30 for a schematic. Both the pos and neg are disconnected in the DC disco that comes with the SB7kTL. One problem that we recently ran into is that the TL makes WAY more noise upon start-up and shut-down than the

Re: [RE-wrenches] California State Fire Marshal's Solar Photovoltaic Installation Guidelines

2014-02-14 Thread Dan Fink
Hi Bill; That was tongue in cheek about watching my back! But wow I've seen the discussion get heated, even in face to face outreach sessions. The firefighter you refer to is one of the top teachers on the topic in the US. Providing an escape route on the PV side of the structure is really

[RE-wrenches] California State Fire Marshal's Solar Photovoltaic Installation Guidelines

2014-02-14 Thread William Korthof
I wholeheartedly concur with the critics here. [rant mode on] I've long been very critical of certain elements of the Electric code...But the state fire Marshall guidelines are approaching outrageous. I feel very let down by the industry advocates, trade groups, and especially those directly

Re: [RE-wrenches] California State Fire Marshal's Solar Photovoltaic Installation Guidelines

2014-02-14 Thread Exeltech
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