Hi Matt:
I saw you chimed in after I had sent my posting. It appears that the fire
was caused by just the one fault at the loose 2" EMT connector. If one of the
module strings was faulted, then the fuse protecting that one string should
open, and thus eliminating that string from the array. Why do you think that
the module level wiring contributed?
Nick Soleil
Project Manager
Advanced Alternative Energy Solutions, LLC
PO Box 657
Petaluma, CA 94953
Cell: 707-321-2937
Office: 707-789-9537
Fax: 707-769-9037
________________________________
From: Matt Lafferty <gilliga...@gmail.com>
To: RE-wrenches <re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org>
Sent: Mon, October 18, 2010 1:12:34 PM
Subject: Re: [RE-wrenches] Target fire
Andrew,
The General/Prime Contractor on the job was SunPower vis a vis Powerlight. As
per standard operating procedures there, the actual installation was subbed
out. I don't recall which subs they used on this job, but there was more than
one. Per their normal routine, one sub installs the racking, modules, and
wiring from the modules to the combiners. This sub can have any one of several
different license classifications. They use an electrical sub to install the
combiners, homeruns, inverters, interconnection. The electrical sub is
responsible for terminations.
Although I wasn't onsite to inspect the charcoal, I believe there were
multiple
shorts, not just the separated coupling in the homerun. I suspect there was at
least one ground-fault in the array prior to whatever happened at the
coupling.
If this was the case, then BOTH SUBCONTRACTORS FAILED. They are both at least
partially responsible for what happened there.
I have seen the racking system that was used on the Bakersfield project. The
vintage used there had SEVERE problems with wire management. Absolute crap!
Ground faults are common with that racking system. I have personally witnessed
a system running with 8 amps of current on the ground using the same racking
system. This was NOT on the Bakersfield site. Although I wasn't permitted to
troubleshoot the problem, I was told that they had been chasing the ghost for
several months. Ever since the initial installation. I have it from reliable
sources that this condition is common and a known flaw in the design. At that
time, their philosophy was that a ground fault is acceptable as long as there
isn't enough current to trip the inverter offline. Central inverters commonly
have up to a 10 amp GFP, so you can have one or more strings directly shorted
and keep running.
The concept that they kept installing systems with a known flaw like this is
beyond acceptable. SunPower ultimately bears the greatest share of
responsibility here. I do not know whether they have corrected the crappy wire
management in that racking system since then or not. I certainly hope they
have
either corrected it or stopped using the system altogether.
A comprehensive commissioning process would identify these problems and
prevent
the system from being placed into service. A visual inspection is the
beginning
of any commissioning process. As I said, I have seen these systems and they
ain't pretty. Any schmuck can easily see numerous wires pulled across
sharp-edges of sheet metal at various points throughout the array. Fail #1.
Megger output jumpers... Fail #2.
The concept that any building department has signed one of these systems off
at
all is mind-boggling. Another thing I find interesting... There was no mention
of this condition in the fire investigation report. Only a recommendation to
megger the remaining wires. What's up with that? How is it that so many of
these systems have been installed and passed inspection? How many have caught
fire that we haven't heard about? You know... Just a little fire.
I would LOVE to know how much downtime has been logged because of this
dangerous problem. And how much money has been spent troubleshooting and
"fixing" faults caused by this problem. And how many "technicians" have been
shocked during installation or service? One thing I can guarantee you... Unless
you work inside the bowels of SunPower or this information comes out in a
lawsuit somewhere, we will never know. Maybe WikiLeaks will have something on
this someday. But I'm not holding my breath.
For the record, I'm not a SunPower hater. I do hate crappy workmanship. I hate
the practice of covering up crappy workmanship even more. You see, when you
cover it up, it's just gonna keep happening. At least until somebody calls you
on it.
$0.02001
Solar Janitor
________________________________
From: re-wrenches-boun...@lists.re-wrenches.org
[mailto:re-wrenches-boun...@lists.re-wrenches.org] On Behalf Of Andrew Truitt
Sent: Monday, October 18, 2010 12:04 PM
To: RE-wrenches
Subject: Re: [RE-wrenches] Target fire
Thanks William. That is the first place I looked but I didn't see it in
there. But I love all the resources on your website!
- Andrew
On Mon, Oct 18, 2010 at 12:47 PM, William Miller <will...@millersolar.com>
wrote:
Andrew:
>
>It may be in the report: http://mpandc.com/practices/Safety/safety_data.html
>
>William
>
>
>At 11:30 AM 10/18/2010, you wrote:
>
>
>Does anyone know who installed the infamous Bakersfield Target job?
>>
>>
>>
>>Andrew Truitt
>>NABCEP Certified PV Installer™ (ID# 032407-66)
>>Truitt Renewable Energy Consulting
>>(202) 486-7507
>>http://www.linkedin.com/pub/andrew-truitt/8/622/713
>>
>>
>>
>>"Don't get me wrong: I love nuclear energy! It's just that I prefer
>>fusion
>>to fission. And it just so happens that there's an enormous fusion
>>reactor
>>safely banked a few million miles from us. It delivers more than we could
>>
>>ever use in just about 8 minutes. And it's wireless!"
>>
>>~William McDonough
>>
>>No virus found in this incoming message.
>>Checked by AVG - www.avg.com
>>Version: 8.5.448 / Virus Database: 271.1.1/3204 - Release Date: 10/18/10
>>
>>06:34:00
Please note new e-mail address and domain:
William Miller
Miller Solar
Voice :805-438-5600
email: will...@millersolar.com
http://millersolar.com
License No. C-10-773985
____________________________________
>
>Andrew Truitt
>NABCEP Certified PV Installer™ (ID# 032407-66)
>TruittRenewableEnergyConsulting
>(202) 486-7507
>http://www.linkedin.com/pub/andrew-truitt/8/622/713
>
>"Don't get me wrong: I love nuclear energy! It's just that I prefer fusion
>to
>fission. And it just so happens that there's an enormous fusion reactor safely
>
>banked a few million miles from us. It delivers more than we could ever use in
>
>just about 8 minutes. And it's wireless!"
>
>~William McDonough
>
>
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