Jeff I also have been shopping for a Curve tracer. I ran across an interesting product through Hukseflux usa <http://www.huksefluxusa.com/pv-testing.php>. They make a Solar IV tracer that also can data log dc and ac to and has an attachment to be able to expand to 3 DC and 3 ac outputs as in a larger system that has multiple mppt circuits and 3 phase output. The curve tracer is less than the Solmetric and has more versatility. The Solar IV tracer is not listed onthe website , but I was told by the rep that it was available. I believe that it is made in Italy, but the engineering firm is located in Denmark. New to US market, but apparantly has been around the European market awhile.
Anyone else have experience with this company or it's products? Bill On Sat, Nov 26, 2011 at 3:41 PM, Glenn Burt <glenn.b...@glbcc.com> wrote: > 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 > > -- Bill Hoffer PE NABCEP Certified Solar PV Installer™ Sunergy Engineering Services PLLC 2504 Columbia Ave NW East Wenatchee WA 98802-3941 suneng...@gmail.com Cell:(509)679-6165
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