On 12/27/2011 8:14 PM, Ray Walters wrote:
Hi Jeff & REwrenches;
I haven't talked to a single PV installer that is happy with that
breaker post. I'm sure plenty more have broken off those breaker
studs, thinking that they should behave like a normal breaker.
Most have just shut up and thought they were to blame.
Neither Outback nor Carling have any maximum wire size limit for
that breaker, so apparently you can land a 250 MCM cable without a
problem. ;-)
Neither torque nor appropriate wire size and lugs are listed on
the breaker like most other UL listed breakers.
Midnite Solar once again is the only outfit honest enough to admit
there could be an issue, and come up with a solution.
First, they provide a light weight lug with their breakers, and
2nd, their 90 and 100 amp breakers have a sturdier post type. This
post is available from Carling for the smaller breakers, if you
special order it.
We
have just requested that Carling start providing real studs on all
of our C series breakers (MNEDCXX).
boB
This isn't rocket science: the cross section of the metal tab is
the equivalent of a #8 wire, so both electrically and
mechanically, that's the appropriate max wire size for that
breaker.
Considering we've been breaking these tabs off for almost 10
years, it seems its about time that they fixed the problem.
They just shouldn't sell that breaker with that weak post type for
any applications over 50 amps.
 Note:
post is not twisted, but bent from landing #4 wire. This resulted
in a week delay, and another unpaid 2 hour round trip to fix.
(Outback or Carling care to cover my costs?)
My 2012 resolution: Quit losing money fixing other companies'
problems
Ray Walters
NABCEP Certified Installer
BS Mechanical Engineering
First Install: 1986
On 12/27/2011 5:26 PM, Jeff Yago wrote:
Not only have I snapped off my share of rear studs on these DC breakers, but
have you noticed how the large 175 and 200 amp breakers have this large
"batt" handle molded onto this very flimsy strip of a plastic lever arm
going inside the breaker? I have a whole box of these that were broken off
in shipment or during installation.
I keep getting the feeling that all solar manufacturers have given up the
smaller off-grid and battery backup solar market and are only concentrating
on the large module and grid-tie commercial market.
Just saying.....................
Jeff Yago
DTI Solar
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