Trace wish list [RE-wrenches]

allan allan at positivenergy.com
Tue Jan 16 16:03:13 PST 2001 

I just got back from a service call for one of our best clients, who has a
grid-tied, sell-back, 20kW Kohler-backed, SW5548/D system.  He left on a
trip with a request for us to diagnose an error code when he tried to EQ.
Turned out we programmed his EQ to 62.0 and his high battery to 64.0.  The
batteries are 7' down in a pit beneath the power shed, to keep them warmer
than an unheated shed.  Turns out the actual battery voltage after
compensation hit 64.2 and shut down the inverters.  I ran B high up to 64.8
and it's OK now.
    So-sharing this as 1) a note of caution for other wrenches: B high is
not adjusted by temp comp, so program accordingly; and 2) Wish List item: B
high should be corrected per temp compensation, or else it will not be
effective when batteries are warm.
Allan at Positive E
-----Original Message-----
From: Michael Welch, Home Power <michael.welch at homepower.com>
To: RE-wrenches at topica.com <RE-wrenches at topica.com>
Date: Tuesday, January 16, 2001 11:41 AM
Subject: Trace wish list [RE-wrenches]


>Of all you wrenches, I got only 2 comments on my list, which now reads as
below. Surely my gathering of your requests has not been THAT good or
complete.
>
>1.      Silent sell.
>
>2.      EPROM back up battery
>
>3.      More wiring space both DC & AC.
>
>4.      Hold one of these input sessions at the MREA fair at Amherst.
>
>5.      The option of getting a bigger transfer switch built in. That 60
amp switch feels obsolete when so many houses are 100 amp service. (It
should not be added as an option if it will drive up the price of the
standard units.)
>
>6.      #2 wire terminals would be great for battery based grid intertie
systems.
>
>7.      DC Disconnect box redesign with three 2" or 2 1/2" KOs in the
bottom, or failing that, stay with the same box if they gotta, but move the
KO from the right side to the middle.
>
>8.      2" knockouts are so tight that they will barely accept a standard
2" PVC male adapter.
>
>9.      Trace DC disconnect should have room comparable to (or bigger than)
any standard 200 amp disconnect switch.
>
>10.     DC disconnect is too expensive, requires so much assembly and has a
yoke (to hold the breaker) with razor sharp edges.
>
>11.     Make corrections to the manual that more accurately reflect what
the unit actually does.
>
>12.     Adjustable time delay on the AUX relays and their hysteresis.
>
>13.     Buttons point/scroll in the correct direction.
>
>14.     Make the DC volt meters higher resolution so that we can set the SW
setpoints closer to the C-40 setpoints. (More power in grid tie with higher
voltage setpoints.)
>
>15.     Make ALL AC, relay, and plug in (except temp sensor) locations
front accessible.
>
>16.     Put temp sensor plug in on DC side where DC conduit to batteries
ends up.
>
>17.     More accurate/finer resolution metering (especially on AC amps)
>
>18.     Finer resolution/lower available value for search watts. (16 watts?
Gimmie a break!)
>
>19.     Equalize battery feature that works, and at the touch of a button
on the faceplate.
>
>20.     Five year warranty.
>
>21.     Display of battery temp compensation/actual battery temperature via
temp comp probe.
>
>22.     A user programmable timer to allow the SW to return to float mode
after an AC 1 (and/or 2) input power interruption. There are frequent power
fluctuations in my system (mostly from switching transients in the 130 VDC
PV array) that knock the SW out of tolerance, and it drops off the grid,
only to return after 90 seconds ***and begins another BULK charge cycle***.
This feature would allow the user to force the inverter to ignore power
interruptions of a pre-set maximum duration in ?? minute increments,
allowing the inverter to return directly to a FLOAT mode.
>
>23.     User programmable override of the 90 second time-out on "AC 1
(and/or2) in Good". (Actually, this is already available for AC 2.  But
could be refined to include times when the inverter disconnects the
generator momentarily because of out of spec volts and/or Hz.)
>
>24.     Ability to start and/or stop generator by internal clock.
>
>25.     Better generator start options and/or another relay for the glow
plugs
>
>26.     Repair generator exercise bug. If you set the exercise period for 7
days, the generator starts acting wacky, like starting and then running
until manually shut off.
>
>27.     Make cursor more visible. (How about a black square with the
letter/selection printed in reverse/background grey?)
>
>28.     A spare hardware kit, including 20 - Trace C40 Face Plate Screws,
20 - SWCB Screws, 4 - DC Terminal nuts and star locks, 2 - RED DC Terminal
Covers (are DR and SW's the same?- I rarely install them, inside SWCB or
DRCB), 2 - Black DC Terminal Covers, & 1 - "Tester" Size Bottle of Trace
White touch up paint.
>
>
>Michael Welch
>
>------------------------
>"Society is like a stew. If you don't keep it stirred up, you get a lot of
scum on top."
>
> Edward Abbey
>
>Michael Welch, michael.welch at homepower.com www.homepower.com
>      Associate Editor, Home Power magazine
>      Office Coordinator, Redwood Alliance
>      (Not HP mag's #s) 707-822-7884 fax: 707-822-3481
>
>
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 michael.welch at homepower.com

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