We recently began using the PVA-600 Solmetric with its wireless options. I have found it to be a real timesaver for commercial commissioning. Testing can be done from the rooftop, both V & I without making a run to the inverter(s) and waiting for generation (to measure each string's Imp).
Running down the normal Voc, manual irradiance and module temperature is better than nothing, but really does not compare with the immediacy and accuracy you get when all the measurements are performed within the same few seconds. Does require a Windows based computer to operate the analyzer and I bought an Acer tablet that works great for this. It needs a couple of USB ports to run the wireless dongles as well. -Glenn -----Original Message----- From: re-wrenches-boun...@lists.re-wrenches.org [mailto:re-wrenches-boun...@lists.re-wrenches.org] On Behalf Of Jeff Yago Sent: Saturday, November 26, 2011 10:44 AM To: 'RE-wrenches' Subject: Re: [RE-wrenches] array commissionning In addition to designing and installing solar systems for all kinds of clients since to 1980's, I am starting to receive requests from owners to commissioning new solar installations that were designed and installed by other firms. In many cases these may have been installed by a large commercial electrical contractor with no prior experience with solar installations but installed the rest of the wiring on the new facility, by just follow the construction documents provided by the electrical engineer. It is also possible that the engineer who designed all of the electrical work on the new facility had no prior experience with solar design, and just did a "cut and paste" outline spec using guidance from suppliers wanting to provide the modules and inverters on the project. Since I am also a consulting engineer I am sometimes asked to commission new schools and hospitals, so I am very familiar with the "normal" LEED type building commissioning process. However, although I typically use a voltmeter, ampmeter, and ground fault meter for checking my own installations, I am thinking that if I am being asked to commission solar systems installed by other firms (in some cases my competition) I better use one of the new recording IV curve tracer test meters that would be easier to use and would provide data recording for documentation. My concern is I probably will not need this level of system verification more than one or two times per year, and the IV analyzers by Solmetric, Daystar, and Seaward are very costly. Of course this would also be useful for checking my own system installations, but so far my manual testing has been acceptable to all involved. Is anyone doing commissioning on larger solar arrays using these "do-it-all" testing devices, and which meter was the easiest to use and best performance for the $$. I don't not need some very high-end high $$ system, just something that can provide separate and combined IV curves for multiple string arrays with data files that I can convert to print back in the office. I am also not a computer expert, so would want a meter that is very easy to download the data and print custom graphs without going through all kinds of data conversion issues. Thanks for any advice, Jeff Yago _______________________________________________ List sponsored by Home Power magazine List Address: RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org Options & settings: http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org List-Archive: http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org List rules & etiquette: www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm Check out participant bios: www.members.re-wrenches.org _______________________________________________ List sponsored by Home Power magazine List Address: RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org Options & settings: http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org List-Archive: http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org List rules & etiquette: www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm Check out participant bios: www.members.re-wrenches.org
