[RE-wrenches] 3-Phase SolarEdge L-L 215v

[Eric Stikes]

I am troubleshooting a SolarEdge system with 9kW 3-Ph inverters. The system
is working OK but production is a bit low. There may be other factors and I
am looking into those too but I want to sort out this one issue: I am not
too familiar with 3-phase and when I ask SolarEdge about best way to
connect to a 3-Ph delta, they advise to stay away from the stinger and
connect a 1-ph inverter to L1 & L2 only, and that has worked out fine.
However, This system has a 3-ph inverter and L1 to L2 is reading about 215
volts from the utility. L1 to L3 is the same and L2 to L3 is also about 215
volts. Perhaps this is a 3-Ph WYE with just a higher than typical voltage
coming from the utility t-former. My thought here is that maybe the 3-ph
inverters are only providing 2/3 power back to the utility, or if there's
some way to get to 240v L-L. The existing loads are serviced by both 2-pole
and 3-pole breakers but everything is pretty much 1-phase I believe. I'm
wondering if I should consider reconfiguring the system with 1-Ph inverters
tied in to only 2 of the utility legs. I asked SolarEdge weeks ago but
getting nothing from them. Any thoughts? Thanks!

Eric Stikes
SunHarvest Solar
+1 (530) 798 - 3738
www.harvesthesun.com
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[RE-wrenches] PV waste problem

[Eric Stikes]

As many of you may know, the PV industry is beginning to experience a
massive solid waste problem. According to my sources, as well as sources
such as the California DTSC, the CA PUC, NREL, and the U.S. EIA, the U.S.
is and/or will soon be experiencing a waste stream of around 15 million
modules going to landfill every year (not including all the BOS). In CA,
both the PUC and DTSC held webinar meetings over the past 2 weeks to
discuss this impending topic (I have summary notes if anyone wants to know
what was discussed and what the outcomes were).

As industry professionals, we need to have a candid conversation about
sustainability in the renewable energy industry, about the status-quo's
linear take-make-use-lose model versus what we need to develop: a circular
economy.

As such, I am posting on this forum for several reasons:
1. Because this is the only forum of which I know that can reach all of the
major solar players in one place. You all are the industry's BEST and are
therefore very influential in what you do and what you say, both on and off
this forum.
2. If nothing else in this post is on topic, this point certainly is as it
brings up a regulatory issue of which many contractors are not fully aware:
In California, if a business or individual removes a PV module from service
for any reason, that PV module is considered hazardous waste and must be
treated as such. (I know this was a topic back in 2002!) Failure to treat
used mods as hazardous waste so can incur fines of up to $70k per day per
offense. This applies in handling, transport, disposal, AND storage! For
those outside of CA, head's up! It may be likely that similar legislation
is headed your way. For clarification, if a module is designated to go back
into service (which is what we do at Good Sun) the module is not considered
waste. If the glass is broken, it is absolutely a waste product. The waste
issue is a critical problem that affects us all and it must be addressed.
3. Because all EPC solar professionals that are not engaged in
cradle-to-cradle strategy are part of the waste problem. I am not trying to
point any fingers here. Certainly I too am part of the problem but I am
working to change that (see p.s. note).

As industry leaders, we need to develop innovative ways to manage this
waste stream, which is why I am attempting to open a dialogue here. We need
more than just solar thrift stores. Perhaps forming an unofficial union to
force manufacturers to adopt cradle-to-cradle policies (mod take-back)?

Until we have a solution, please know that Good Sun is available to accept
used mods for reuse (not recycling). We're mostly in California and in the
western U.S. but if you look for them, you're likely to find others like us
closer to you. Organizations like RecyclePV are focused more on recycling
for mods that are not reusable. There are options. So please be responsible
and do not throw used mods in the landfill.

Thanks for giving me a soapbox for a moment.


* Eric A. Stikes *- President & CEO


 A 501(c)(3) Nonprofit CA Corp.

* www.GoodSun.life *
 +1 (929) 374 - 2009

 CA C46 Solar & C10 Electrical Contractor License #968280
 NABCEP Solar Installation Professional #PV-041115004511

P.S. I have worked for many different contractors in my 19 year solar
career and have been a solar contractor for half of that time. I recently
made the decision to give up for-profit contracting work in order to focus
on addressing this waste issue by forming a nonprofit that accepts
donations of used PV equipment. We repurpose the equipment in two ways:
one, we reuse the equipment directly on our low and no-cost PV installs for
needy and deserving clients (schools, homeless shelters, orphanages in
Africa; you get the idea), and; two, we resell the equipment to raise money
for these projects (solar thrift store). There are two ancillary benefits
of reselling mods: one, we're selling mods at about a 75% discount from
what they cost new (many years ago), making solar affordable for the low
and lower middle classes, and; two, we're tracking all sales in an effort
to establish a reference data set as a baseline for a reliable secondary PV
market. Consider how the used car market impacted the new car market: It
did not take sales away from the new market but instead helped the new
market to grow much larger and much faster than the new market had grown
before the used market was established. There are various reasons why this
happens which I will not get into here. Suffice it to say that we hope to
help do something similar for the PV industry and vastly increase solar's
current ~1.2% U.S. energy generation mix, and hasten the transition to a
clean power economy. Yes, we are on an a socio-ecologically-motivated
mission.
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[RE-wrenches] Troubleshooting Off-grid PV

[Eric Stikes]

Hi Wrenches,

I inherited an off-grid PV system that seems to be significantly under
producing. I have:

12 KC120's (~17V 7A each) paired up 2 in series, for 6 strings terminated
on new 15A breakers in a new Midnite combiner,
Output of combiner passes through a 60A breaker then into a SolarBoost 50
charge controller. An SW4024 ties in the CC, a Kohler 8.5 Gen set, and a
Yuasa 24V battery bank.

My problem is that I never see more than about 5A (displayed at charge
controller) coming off the array, even in full sun, regardless of the state
of charge of the batteries. I figure I should see, at least once in a
while, closer to between 20-30A. Batteries are, admittedly, passed their
life expectancy as the system was installed in '02 and I am sure this is
part of the problem. I'm thinking that if the batteries are at about 1/2
capacity (don't own a hydrometer...yet), the controller senses the
batteries are near full SOC even at lower voltage (~24V) and is therefore
attempting to trickle charge even in the bulk stage. Though this is not how
the CC is supposed to function in bulk, obviously, I'm assuming the old
batteries are altering the standard operating conditions of the system.
I've adjusted the Bulk set point on the CC but that doesn't seem to make a
difference.

I doubt this is part of the problem but the generator is problematic as
well (it has it's own array of maladies).

Any insight is greatly appreciated. Thanks!

-- 
Eric Stikes
Owner
SunHarvest Solar
+1 (530) 798 - 3738
www.harvesthesun.com
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