Re: [RE-wrenches] charging a 2017 Chevy Volt off-grid

I've heard that EVs can be picky with lack of proper neutral to ground bond - might be worth checking that you have a good neutral to ground connection at your main panel and good GEC system. August On Mon, Jun 23, 2025 at 12:16 PM david quattro via RE-wrenches < re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.

Re: [RE-wrenches] Solar thermal covering

I have a soft spot for solar hot water, but alas it is obsolete in most if not all circumstances. We stopped doing it probably 10 years ago in the Bay Area after finding a) a loss in demand, b) maintenance often costing more than the calculated savings, and c) PV costs and reliability substantially

Re: [RE-wrenches] Class 320 meter main combos, new requirements

Hi William, Yes, we have run into this for the past couple of years since the 2020 NEC went into effect 1/1/2023 in CA. At first we thought it was PG&E that had the requirement, but then found out it was the NEC and I believe PG&E will enforce it as well. There was misinformation from electricians

Re: [RE-wrenches] mini splits

I've installed two DIY mini splits and both work very well, one was MRCOOL and the other was Pioneer. Many of our clients and my parents have professionally installed mini splits - I'm not sure whether there are major advantages of getting the professionally installed variants other than a preferen

Re: [RE-wrenches] SunPower AC Modules non-Enphase

Hi Jamie - the mods you included the spec sheet for are “E” series micros which are in fact Enphase IQ7 micros. The Mods that Jason has are older, with d series micros according to the part number he posted. SunPower monitoring can be switched over to Enphase for a fee as long as the mods include

Re: [RE-wrenches] SunPower AC Modules non-Enphase

Hi Jason - The “d” series micros on the back of those 350 mods are from Solarbridge and probably need to be scrapped. Enphase, the last I checked, was offering their upgrade program pricing for these mods so if you contact them they will set you up with a kit of new micros and a IQ Combiner for mon

Re: [RE-wrenches] SolarEdge Has Gone Too Far

If you go back and look at the stock price, Enphase was just about to go bankrupt in the 2017 period. They had just released their IQ micros which were quite reliable but were riddled by a bad reputation from prior generations with high failures, particularly M190/M210s. We were one of those compan

Re: [RE-wrenches] GEC tap

Hi Kris - We use C-taps all the time - if you search for c-tap connector you'll see plenty of results with Burndy being a big player in the market. Depending on your wire sizing, you might be able to use the thin wall variant which requires a smaller tool and overall are lower cost. If you need to

Re: [RE-wrenches] NEM3 inverter quest

This guide from Enphase provides information about how the system charges and discharges under NBT. https://enphase.com/download/ai-optimization-california-net-billing-tariff-nem-30-user-guide?srsltid=AfmBOor2Aj0uW41ejGxYl5znFAPQsneTdxu7AqRxdqjJ5uG5_eOQW_dC Manufacturers may or may not have all t

Re: [RE-wrenches] NEM3 inverter quest

Hi William - I know you're not a fan of Tesla, you so you might want to check out FranklinWH (which is basically like a supercharged Powerwall 2 system): https://www.franklinwh.com/products/apower2-home-battery-backup/ or Enphase: https://enphase.com/store/storage/gen3/iq-battery-5p?srsltid=AfmB

Re: [RE-wrenches] Attaching Ground To Steel Frame

Maybe use one of these direct-burial ground clamps (that are made of bronze w/ stainless hardware)? https://www.homedepot.com/p/NSi-Industries-Heavy-Duty-Direct-Burial-Ground-Clamp-with-Lay-In-10-2-STR-GLC-12DB/307286461 The galvanic corrosion between stainless steel and mild steel is probably th

Re: [RE-wrenches] PV watts question

Hi Jay, Per your note, annual kWh production should go up as you add more modules to a project, even if you are increasing the DC/AC ratio. I wonder if the metric you are reporting out is kWh per kWp per year, or specific yield? https://www.solarpowerworldonline.com/2017/08/specific-yield-overvie

Re: [RE-wrenches] Sunpower monitoring down?

Hi Dave and Other Ex-SunPower Dealers - We found that this SunPower fleet management site is still working: https://monitor.sunstrongmonitoring.com/ If you do a little internet searching, it seems like SunStrong may be involved in managing SunPower's fleet of leased systems, so maybe they are kee

Re: [RE-wrenches] big copper wire order

You might try OneMonroe Titan. https://titanwnc.com/?customer_id=323-492-8596&gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQiA7se8BhCAARIsAKnF3rxH2aoNi44ou0wr29edZY6X3Bww-VGqmTiVwHfRdeu45fBoEqSZNxAaAmF1EALw_wcB As William Miller mentioned, we purchase a lot through Alameda and generally their wiring pricing is good.

Re: [RE-wrenches] ATS models to bypass GT hybrid inverters for maintenance/faults

of their own in time, as well as a wireway > to marry the PowerFlo 16 and AIO, both such nicely built solid equipment). > > Hopefully the Kohler RXT or Generac can work to keep the ATS cost below > $1k! > > Sunniest regards, > Stuart > 441 599 2105 > > > On T

Re: [RE-wrenches] ATS models to bypass GT hybrid inverters for maintenance/faults

Hi Stuart - Many grid tied PV/ESS manufacturers (Enphase, SolarEdge, Franklin, Tesla to name a few) now have a Microgrid Interconnect Device (MID) that essentially acts as a smart transfer switch thus eliminating the need for a 3rd party automatic transfer switch. What brands equipment are you loo

Re: [RE-wrenches] AGM battery recommendations

We started installing Powerwalls in 2017, so it's been a while since we've bought AGMs except for system maintenance purposes. That said, I'll second William Miller's note that Deka Unigy II AGMs are very robust. Most of our AGM syste

Re: [RE-wrenches] SunPower SunVault black start

Hi Bruce - for what it's worth, we're still able to access our systems with SunPower Pro Fleet Management (https://monitor.sunpower.com/) - I think one of our logins doesn't work, but others do. Fingers crossed it keeps working. Best, August On Wed, Dec 11, 2024 at 11:08 AM Bruce Erickson via

Re: [RE-wrenches] SunPower Warranty and Monitoring

the module > junction boxes in the array. I am wondering if anyone has tried just > checking and resoldering these on site to see if that helps with the arc > fault problems. > > Cheers, > Dave > > On Mon, Sep 30, 2024 at 4:50 PM August Goers wrote: > >> Hi Dave - &g

Re: [RE-wrenches] Old Unirac Rails

Hi Drake - We use the new style Unirac mids and ends frequently on older Unirac SolarMount rails without an issue. I think the vast majority of systems used SolarMount, but you'll want to verify that you have SolarMount rail rather than something that is discontinued - I think for a while they had

Re: [RE-wrenches] SunPower Warranty and Monitoring

nd of >> reprogramming. >> >> Being that you got told conflicting information, I am going to call them >> back next week and see if I cannot get a definitive answer. I'll update you >> all here afterwards. >> >> Cheers, >> Dave >> >>

Re: [RE-wrenches] SunPower Warranty and Monitoring

Hi Dave - The sales rep, Parker, I spoke with at Enphase said that they don't have a way of monitoring the SunPower Type C and D micros since those were manufactured by SolarBridge. They do have an upgrade program where folks can pay for new IQ7 micros, he said. They also have an upgrade program t

Re: [RE-wrenches] favortie micro inverters?

I've noticed that the Enphase compatibility calculator needs some work - it called out microinverters as being compatible when clearly the operating voltages or currents were outside of the ranges listed on the spec sheet. Need to double check all of the voltage and currents at both high and low ra

Re: [RE-wrenches] ATS Brand Recommendations

Hi Sam - It's been probably 6 or 8 years since I've selected a 3rd party automatic transfer switch, but we used to use Briggs & Stratton products with good results: https://energy.briggsandstratton.com/na/en_us/homeowners/products/standby-generators/transfer-switches-and-accessories.html At leas

Re: [RE-wrenches] Portable systems

I have a couple of Jackery units as well and they have worked great for 2 or 3 years now running my fridge, internet, and work computer setup when the power goes out. I've also taken them camping. Mine are slightly older with NMC cells, but I agree that if I was going to buy a new one that LFP is t

Re: [RE-wrenches] Power Control System for Main Panel Upgrade Avoidance

Solar Design Group > NABCEP Certified Solar Professional (PVIP) > Florida State Certified Solar Contractor CVC56956 > Florida Certified Electrical Contractor EC13013208 > > > On Wed, Aug 7, 2024 at 10:10 AM August Goers wrote: > >> Hi Jason - I suspect that Enphase is wor

Re: [RE-wrenches] Power Control System for Main Panel Upgrade Avoidance

gt; >> I hope I have this wrong. >> >> Jason Szumlanski >> Principal Solar Designer | Florida Solar Design Group >> NABCEP Certified Solar Professional (PVIP) >> Florida State Certified Solar Contractor CVC56956 >> Florida Certified Electrical Contractor EC13013208

Re: [RE-wrenches] Power Control System for Main Panel Upgrade Avoidance

Hi Jason - There are many options on how a manufacturer can implement Power Control Systems (PCS) and based on my experience with Tesla products, I'd say it's the best thing since sliced bread. I expect that all major manufactures will be implementing more advanced PCS features as soon as they are

Re: [RE-wrenches] Transformerless inverter conversion

Here is a link to download the SolarPro May/June 2016 issue reference below: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1eiBt5n-ABfNn2ng8IwVl2yMvVHpQlZ_U/view?usp=sharing -August On Tue, Apr 23, 2024 at 4:34 PM August Goers wrote: > Hi William and All - > > The SolarPro Magazine article o

Re: [RE-wrenches] Converting from transformer to transformerless

Hi William, I'll rattle off a few notes based on some of my experiences: If I were to replace an old Sunny Boy transformer inverter with a modern transformerless inverter, what are the implications? *[August Goers] I'll forward you and the group an old SolarPro Magazine article calle

Re: [RE-wrenches] Non-battery string inverter options?

The last I checked, Fronius's inverters were not compatible with current CA smart grid requirements, so won't be approved to connect to the grid, so be careful there. Maybe they have new models now? Tesla's 7.6 kW PV inverter is good, affordable, and can be installed without MLPE. It also has 4 in

Re: [RE-wrenches] Recommendation on DC Breaker

I've used Midnite DC combiners in the past with good results. Since you are over 150 VDC, I believe you'd need to select the 1000 VDC fuse holder(s) for your application: https://www.midnitesolar.com/productPhoto.php?product_ID=78&productCat_ID=9&sortOrder=4&act=p August On Thu, Jan 18, 2024 at

Re: [RE-wrenches] SMA String inverters

offgridsolar/>https://offgridsolar1.com/ > <https://offgridsolar1.com/> <http://members.sti.net/offgridsolar/> > e-mail offgridso...@sti.net > text 209 813 0060* > > > On 2024-01-10 3:25 pm, August Goers via RE-wrenches wrote: > > We're starting to inst

Re: [RE-wrenches] SMA String inverters

We're starting to install the Tesla Solar Inverter with good results: https://www.tesla.com/support/energy/solar-inverter/tesla-solar-inverter It is going to be a tough product for others to compete with - the price point is low and features are high. 4 x MPPTs with low tracking voltage (60 VDC),

Re: [RE-wrenches] SMA TL-22 insulation resistance error

You might want to make sure that the SMA inverter has the latest firmware. It's been a long time since we've routinely installed these, but at one point arc faults were being falsely tripped and firmware updates from SMA helped with the issue. https://my.sma-service.com/s/article/Loading-Firmware-

Re: [RE-wrenches] Enphase Gateway causing lamp to flicker

I don't have experience with Enphase's battery system nor have I seen this issue with the touch lights. However, I wonder if there might be something up with neutrals or grounds on the site? Disconnected neutrals, neutrals bonded to ground in more than one location, lack of a good ground grounding

Re: [RE-wrenches] Metal Truss Roofs

Hi James, I haven't had an application exactly as you describe with a tile roof / plywood deck over metal trusses. However, we have installed systems with metal roof support structures many times. Metal self-drilling screws have impressive pullouts, so you might be able to use them with any sort o

Re: [RE-wrenches] Cleaning PV mods

I now live in a more rural part of California and the dust buildup and bird droppings on my modules cuts energy production down by about 5% during the dry months. I imagine that professional cleaning services would still cost more than the recouped energy production, especially since the dirt build

Re: [RE-wrenches] sealing a carport array

Hi Kirk, This probably isn't the answer you want, but we insist that a conventional roof is installed (could be metal, bitumen, etc) and then install the array on top if the client needs it to be watertight. It just seems like everything else such as rubber gaskets or tape will be temporary or pro

Re: [RE-wrenches] Service rated tap devices

Hi Mac - Here's a list of NEC 230.46 compliant multitap connectors from NSI, maker of Polaris brand: https://www.nsiindustries.com/line-side-skus/ Note that only the two-port variants are currently on their list, which is sort of a pain. We've been using the IT-350 which has dual-side wire entry

Re: [RE-wrenches] AFCI tripping on SB 4000US-12

Hi William - Is this a TL-21 inverter line from maybe 8 or 10 years ago? If I recall correctly, that was around the time period that SMA was first shipping with AFCI detection - we h

Re: [RE-wrenches] 2018 Residential Code Fire Setbacks

It looks like Virginia is indeed on the amended 2018 version of the IRC. I've found that UpCodes is pretty cool (normally I just use the California codes since that's where we work): https://up.codes/codes/virginia I think that article that Rick pointed to was talking about the 3' pathways requir

[RE-wrenches] active vs apparent power readings with solar

Hi Wrenches, We have a residential site with grid tied solar where there is an electrician involved who has gotten into taking site readings and thinks there is a power factor problem. My gut on it is that there is some sort of measurement reading error, and that the power factor should be around

Re: [RE-wrenches] Attaching Array To or Through Ply

We've found that in the Bay Area that deck-mount solutions typically pencil out structurally (via a structural professional engineer) as long as the deck is 1/2" plywood or thicker, assuming we have all the info on how the roof is constructed. The big assumption is that we can get all that roof con

Re: [RE-wrenches] PID and iLumen

Hi Marco - You might want to check with SunPower again, my understanding is that they are planning on releasing a PID solution (it might be the iLumen PIDbox). I don't know about timing or other details at this point. Best, August Luminalt On Fri, Mar 10, 2023 at 5:23 PM Marco Mangelsdorf via RE-

Re: [RE-wrenches] California NEM3 specific question

The NEM2 / NBT transition is only mandated for the three investor-owned utilities in California. Other privately or municipally owned utilities play by their own rules - I believe there are several such as Palo Alto, SMUD, Alameda Municipal Power, LADWP, etc that aren't necessarily changing their r

Re: [RE-wrenches] California NEM3 specific question

I'm not aware of any other option than completely removing and decommissioning the old PV system and installing a new system to lock in NEM2 for a new 20 year term. We are experiencing unprecedented demand for PV right now as people sign up to lock in under NEM2. There are a lot of nuances to getti

Re: [RE-wrenches] Remote battery disconnects

> > https://www.mail-archive.com/re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org/ >> > http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org >> > >> > List rules & etiquette: >> > http://www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm >> > >> >

[RE-wrenches] NEC 230.46 spliced and tapped conductors

Hi Wrenches - Occasionally we will do supply side connection for our PV systems. As of 1/1/2023 in CA, we follow the 2020 NEC 705.11 Supply-Side Source Connections section. Recently, an inspector asked us to comply with the following: 230.46 Spliced and Tapped Conductors Service-entrance conducto

Re: [RE-wrenches] Sunpower Performance Warranty Claim

dress & settings: > http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org > > There are two list archives for searching. When one doesn't work, try the > other: > https://www.mail-archive.com/re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org/ > http://lists.re-wrenches.o

Re: [RE-wrenches] SMA without WiFi

Many WiFi range extenders on the market also include an ethernet port. This will allow you to hardwire your Sunnyboy to the extender via ethernet. First, you setup the extender to join the existing WiFi network. Then you just plug in your ethernet cable and should be good to go. Here is an example:

Re: [RE-wrenches] Onboard PV Charging Kit for Electric Vehicle

I've been happy with Victron charge controller / inverter equipment, they seem to be very popular in the RV space. Here is a potential 3000 VA inverter model that might work, other sizes and configurations are available as well: https://www.victronenergy.com/inverters-chargers/multiplus-ii#downloa

Re: [RE-wrenches] Enphase

//lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org > > There are two list archives for searching. When one doesn't work, try the > other: > https://www.mail-archive.com/re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org/ > http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenche

Re: [RE-wrenches] 26% to 30% ITC for 2022?

ere the government folks actually work through the exact interpretations of this bill, so there will be more info coming I’m sure. On Mon, Aug 15, 2022 at 1:32 PM August Goers wrote: > This SEIA link has a PDF fact sheet you can download with info: > > > https://www.seia.org/res

Re: [RE-wrenches] 26% to 30% ITC for 2022?

kup with solar? > > Jason Szumlanski > Florida Solar Design Group > > On Mon, Aug 15, 2022, 4:32 PM August Goers via RE-wrenches < > re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org> wrote: > >> This SEIA link has a PDF fact sheet you can download with info: >> >> >> http

Re: [RE-wrenches] 26% to 30% ITC for 2022?

This SEIA link has a PDF fact sheet you can download with info: https://www.seia.org/research-resources/inflation-reduction-act-solar-energy-and-energy-storage-provisions-summary August Luminalt On Fri, Aug 12, 2022 at 4:51 AM Dana Orzel via RE-wrenches < re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org> wr

[RE-wrenches] Fronius in the game?

ius on this list? Is Fronius pulling out of the US market? Best, August *August Goers* Luminalt Energy Corporation www.luminalt.com ___ List sponsored by Redwood Alliance Pay optional member dues here: http://re-wrenches.org List Address: RE-wr

Re: [RE-wrenches] Equipment for 400 Amp Service Supply Side & 2 200s

tap for the PV > backfeed? I need 2 x 200 amp mains plus a 200 amp pv backfees point and > the meter needs to have test bypass links. > > Sent from my iPhone > > On Mar 29, 2022, at 10:34 AM, August Goers wrote: > >  > Hi Jeff - > > There are several 400 A (or 320

Re: [RE-wrenches] Wires between arrays

This IAEI Magazine article may address this issue a bit: https://iaeimagazine.org/features/electrical-systems-are-you-protected/ Your inspector might be concerned with the rough edges portion of the article: [image: image.png] You may be able to argue with the inspector that you have simply used

Re: [RE-wrenches] Cable Ties

I'm partial to Heyco Sunbundlers which are PVC coated stainless cable ties: https://www.heyco.com/Solar_Power_Components/product.cfm?product=Sunbundler-Cable-Ties We try to do the majority of our wire management with stainless S-clips mounted on module frames or rail mounted C-shaped clips. Cable

Re: [RE-wrenches] Solar Panel Sealant

ere has used that as well? > > Cheers, > Dave > > On Wed, Mar 9, 2022 at 9:32 AM August Goers wrote: > >> We’ve been using ChemLink M-1 for at least 10 years now, I have not seen >> any signs of issues: >> >> https://chemlink.com/wp-content/uploads/2021

Re: [RE-wrenches] Solar Panel Sealant

wrenches.org > > There are two list archives for searching. When one doesn't work, try the > other: > https://www.mail-archive.com/re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org/ > http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org > > List rules & etiquette: > http:

Re: [RE-wrenches] Transmitting 15kW 3600ft Off Grid.

3600 feet is 0.68 miles. That's a long distance. I totally agree with Ray's suggestion that a second system is probably a better option. August On Mon, Jan 10, 2022 at 11:49 AM Tump wrote: > Hey this is exactly everything I was going to say. Ahh the new owner, the > dentist he’s a real piece o

Re: [RE-wrenches] Rapid Shutdown Control for a System for a Multimode System Adding an Array to a Subpanel in Garage

Hi Chris - If I'm following you right, you have a PV system on a detached garage that ties into a backup subpanel also in the garage? The code only requires the RSID (rapid shutdown initiation device) to be on the exterior of the building. Would it work to put the RSID on the garage exterior? You c

Re: [RE-wrenches] Older Flush Mount Sub-panel

lient 'till Thursday 11/18 to advise me of their intent. > > It would be a shame to lose a client of long standing. > > We shall see what we shall see. > > - Peter > > On 11/11/2021 3:24 PM August Goers wrote: > > > Hi Peter - The cost for new equipment is a dro

Re: [RE-wrenches] Older Flush Mount Sub-panel

Hi Peter - The cost for new equipment is a drop in the bucket compared to labor and just getting it right so it passes inspection. There's not much you can do if the front cover is missing and it looks like an indoor panel located in an outdoor location. Maybe you don't need an inspection? Even the

Re: [RE-wrenches] Pitch Pockets

Adam - This is a good topic. We are finding more and more flat roofs with rigid insulation installed over the wood decking to provide cricketing (for drainage) and insulation for the home. Installing standard stanchions is difficult because it is hard to find the rafters and also we need to use a

Re: [RE-wrenches] SolarEdge inverter blowing fuses

I would definitely check the insulation on the AC-side wiring as Lloyd mentioned. Sometimes small faults don't show up until there is moisture in the air (or conduit) or until max current conditions. As long as you have time delay fuses property sized, it would be rare for them to blow more than on

Re: [RE-wrenches] Sun power 327 modules

er wrote: > That may be true but no one is making inverters that work with sunpower > anymore and that is a big problem > Jerry > > On Fri, Sep 17, 2021, 9:17 AM August Goers wrote: > >> SunPower still sells 327s to authorized dealers. >> >> August >&g

Re: [RE-wrenches] Sun power 327 modules

SunPower still sells 327s to authorized dealers. August On Fri, Sep 17, 2021 at 7:54 AM Jay wrote: > Hi all > > I have a customer wanting to add 3 x 327 sunpower modules to his existing > array of 327 sunpower modules. > > 2 questions. > > Does anyone know where I could find 3, yeah doubtful

Re: [RE-wrenches] Transformerless inverter conversion

Hi William - I think this article by Bill Brooks directly answers both of your questions: https://www.southportland.org/files/8814/8156/0204/NEC_2017_Updates_for_PV_Systems___SolarPro_Magazine.pdf -August On Thu, Sep 16, 2021 at 9:19 AM William Miller wrote: > Friends: > > > > Thanks to all o

Re: [RE-wrenches] "Re-powering" Aging Utilty Scale PV systems

ad, Atascadero, CA 93422 > > 805-438-5600 > > www.millersolar.com > > CA Lic. 773985 > > > > > > *From:* August Goers [mailto:aug...@luminalt.com] > *Sent:* Thursday, September 9, 2021 9:34 AM > *To:* William Miller > *Cc:* RE-wrenches; Greg Notley; jonath

Re: [RE-wrenches] "Re-powering" Aging Utilty Scale PV systems

in the same demanding environment and > exposed to high voltages as well. Equipment failure is always a > possibility. > > > > Thanks again to those many participants who have replied to my question. > I am much smarter because of my wrench forum friends. > > > > Wil

Re: [RE-wrenches] "Re-powering" Aging Utilty Scale PV systems

Hi William - You raise a great question - can you install 600 VDC modules on a 1000 VDC SolarEdge system? Of course the DC optimizer output circuit would need to be rewired with 1000 VDC wiring and connectors, but I think the answer is "yes." According to this article

Re: [RE-wrenches] Over-torquing Module Clamps?

wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org/ > http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org > > List rules & etiquette: > http://www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm > > Check out or update participant bios: > http://www.members.re-wrenches.org > > -- August Goers Lum

Re: [RE-wrenches] Tile roofs

Hi All - William makes some really good points - the underlayment can be a big problem on tile roofs. We have a (nearly) squeaky clean track record with roof leaks, but have had one nightmare of a problem on an old tile roof where the felt underlayment was failing and leaking essentially all over t

Re: [RE-wrenches] Air Conditioning energy usage

William - As others have pointed out, there are all sorts of factors that would increase or decrease energy consumption for an AC unit. I like to refer to the Energy Star guide to get an idea of average annual energy consumption: https://www.energystar.gov/products/most_efficient/central_air_condi

Re: [RE-wrenches] Vehicle to Grid

said battery due to excessive > cycling. Like l said yes it can be done but we have very good stationary > battery tech so why. But hey that just my opinion > Jerry > NABCEP PV inspector > > On Thu, Jun 17, 2021, 8:34 AM August Goers wrote: > >> Jerry - there are some

Re: [RE-wrenches] Vehicle to Grid

you kept the refer cold, its smokey > and you have no recharge-ability. > Jerry > > > On Thu, Jun 17, 2021, 7:24 AM August Goers wrote: > >> Hi Carl - >> >> V2G (Vehicle to Grid) is one of the most exciting areas of technology >> coming down the pipes. It'

Re: [RE-wrenches] Vehicle to Grid

Hi Carl - V2G (Vehicle to Grid) is one of the most exciting areas of technology coming down the pipes. It's easy to imagine a day where you can tap into ~100 kWh or more of storage sitting in your EV and benefit from bi-directional charging with PV. I'm trying to get my head wrapped around the sta

Re: [RE-wrenches] Grid overvoltage and undervoltage issues on SMA install

Hi James - Is there a long run between the inverters and the point of interconnection? As others have pointed out, it appears that the symptoms you describe are voltage drop related. If the wire size is too small it will result in voltage at the inverters going up when current starts to flow. The

Re: [RE-wrenches] Ferrules crimps

Hi William, Years ago we were buying ferrules and ferrule crimpers to deal with the extra fine stranded conductors coming with microinverter trunk cabling at the time. I think it was PowerOne / ABB. Anyway, if that's the type of ferrules you need, we got them from ferrulesdirect.com. Ferrule crim

Re: [RE-wrenches] MC4s are listed for THWN, right?

Hi Jason - I noticed that Tesla is using the Wago connectors in their Powerwalls. They only go up to #10, but they certainly appear to have some advantages such as easy QC inspection, compactness, and price. We are in the process of trying a batch of these out, but I hadn't considered using them in

Re: [RE-wrenches] MC4s are listed for THWN, right?

Hi Blake - Greetings from across the Bay! We've been using the Buchanan/Ideal splice caps for approximately the last 5 years - they are awesome. As you mention, there is a lot of grey area in exactly what is appropriate in an outdoor box and rated for the various combos of wires we use in solar. Th

Re: [RE-wrenches] Protecting New Roofing during Summer

Corey and Others Who Have Used Cougar Paws: Have you found that these special shoes will protect the roof when it is hot out? It seems like they are touting the good grip on their website, but not necessarily that they protect the roof. Best, August On Tue, Mar 9, 2021 at 12:03 PM Corey Shal

Re: [RE-wrenches] Protecting New Roofing during Summer

Hi James - That's interesting to hear about newer model shingles staying softer. We work solely in the San Francisco Bay Area where heat isn't typically a big problem, yet we still run into soft composition shingle issues on warmer days, especially on new roofs. We use scraps of old carpet cut int

Re: [RE-wrenches] Enphase IQ Envoy Distance for Monitoring

Hi Jason - I don't have the answer to your question because we've mounted the monitoring box out by the array for similar applications to what you described. I would suggest that if you mount your envoy far from the array, that at least you run a spare 1" PVC with some pull points out to the array

Re: [RE-wrenches] Tesla Powerwall

Hi Darryl - Yea, you have a good point. We have recently used the SMA freq/watt curtailment feature on a bigger off grid system with SMA Tripower inverters and a Tesla Powerpack. We programmed a curve into the SMA inverters so that the Powerpack can throttle SMA PV production on a smooth curve, ra

Re: [RE-wrenches] Raceway Partitions or Barrier in Gutters

Hi Mac, We use wireway "gutters" all the time. Our supplier mostly sends us Hoffman brand wireways and they also sell a barrier kit: Here is an example of a barrier and a 4"x4"x24" wireway, you'd need to spec out the dimensions you need for your project: https://hoffman.nvent.com/en-us/products/

Re: [RE-wrenches] Tesla Powerwall

Hi Jon, We've installed Powerwalls in combination with a good handful of different PV inverters including SMA Sunnyboys, SolarEdge, Fronius, Enphase, SunPower SolarBridge MIs, and ABB/PowerOne. They have all worked fine. Of course the true test is how well they AC-couple during a grid outage. We d

Re: [RE-wrenches] Remote Alert and Bootstrapping on Sunny Island AC Coupled System

We had one Sunny Island system go totally dead years ago. The only way to get it running again was to charge the batteries, which we did in groups of two (6 volt batteries each) with a heavy duty 12 VDC automotive charger. It took about a week to charge all the batteries. Jerry, it's good to know t

Re: [RE-wrenches] Supply side denial

Others have pointed this out, but I thought I'd just add a bit of info based on my experience - the issue is not so much whether you can do a supply side connection or not, as that is allowed in the code. The issue is whether you can do wiring in a section of equipment that is only for the utility.

Re: [RE-wrenches] Cedar Shake roofs

Hi Howie, We bump into wood shake roofs from time to time in the Bay Area. I second what others have said. In particular, make sure the roof is not too old. We have a cutoff of 10 years old or less in order to consider self-waterproofing the install. Otherwise, we insist on roofer engagement. The

Re: [RE-wrenches] Metal roof/self taping screws

This topic surfaces from time to time on Wrenches. We've had good luck with S-5! CorruBrackets, which use self tappers into the sheet metal. I see that S-5! has a few newer similar products as well: https://s-5.com/products/clamps-brackets/ As mentioned on previous posts, the pullout for self tap

Re: [RE-wrenches] Positive grounded arrays

Hi Louis, As Marco mentioned, this is a pain point for long term SunPower "friends." First, we are still able to source isolated (transformer based) inverters through SunPower. I think the last few we got were SMA Sunny Boys. That seems like your best bet. I believe Enphase has a device that can g

Re: [RE-wrenches] Source PV/H2O

Hi Chad - I have no experience installing this product, but bumped into it a few years ago when someone reached out to us to see if we could install it. So, I have no idea how well it works. However, for our market which is grid tied PV and the SF Bay Area, it seemed a lot more cost effective and

Re: [RE-wrenches] Commercial three phase inverter @208V

We have a similar size system in the works and a designer recommended Dongan transformers: https://dongan.com/product/ I have not sourced them or worked with them yet, but they definitely have models that will work spec-wise with the CORE1 inverters. August On Fri, Sep 18, 2020 at 3:10 PM Jerry

Re: [RE-wrenches] Pika Support by chance?

to incorporate that feature in an > inverter?? Sounds like bean counting. > > My $.02 worth > > Bill > > Feather River Solar Electric > Bill Battagin, Owner > 4291 Nelson St. > Taylorsville, CA 95983 > 530.284.7849 > CA Lic 874049www.frenergy.net > > On

Re: [RE-wrenches] Pika Support by chance?

In CA the market for ESS is primarily grid tied support features driven by SGIP + backup (public safety power shutoffs, folks who live in less stable grid areas, folks worried about natural disasters) so the ESS is designed to replace generators. This might be a little trickier for areas that need

Re: [RE-wrenches] Re-mounting a legacy Grid-tied system, after re-roofing

Hi Howie, There is definitely some grey area involved in your situation - and, you are not alone in facing this type of situation. As systems age, we're finding removal and replacements becoming very common. Many companies don't want to do this type of work because it almost always opens up a can

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