Sunny Boy with tracker [RE-wrenches]

[jay peltz]

Hi Allan,

I just have one comment.

Why not use a small panel to drive the tracker, or take off one of the panels (
say the first one) to drive the unit rather than the whole AC/DC thing?

jay

peltz power

"Allan Sindelar, Positive Energy, Inc." wrote:

> Dear Wrenches,
> Just for the fun of it, how about a grid-tie topic that's not focused on
> Trace's troubles...
>
> We're doing our first Sunny Boy installation. (We have no state incentives,
> so batteryless intertie takes a certain type of committed, green pioneer.) I
> have planned ten Solarex SX120s @ 24V each on a Wattsun DA model 200
> tracker; a second tracker pole set for a future doubling of the array; and a
> Sunny Boy 2500. I need some advice on methods that have worked and pass
> code. This will be a closely watched and carefully inspected installation.
>
> 1. Original plan is to mount DC disconnect and inverter in an indoor laundry
> room that is close to an AC panel, with conduit run through house framing
> and underground 40' to each pole. I see that 690.14 (C) (1) wants the
> disconnect to be "inside nearest the point of entrance of the system
> conductors" which would be an awkward corner of the basement, while 690.14
> (C) (5), newly added for 2002, wants disconnects grouped together. Any
> suggestions before I ask the AHJ?
>
> 2. The tracker motor uses 24-35 (+/-) VDC to run. Wattsun offers a standard
> power supply accessory that takes 230VAC to create 30VDC. Code won't allow
> this to run off of the inverter 230VAC output (source and load
> differentiation; no attachment point). So that means two conduits: one PV
> input, one tracker motors. Also, the power supply needs its own enclosure,
> and if it's grouped with other equipment, that's bigger conduit to carry 4A
> @30V DC. OK, it's doable. We're looking for an easier way. We're also
> looking for a simpler 120AC or 240AC-24-30V DC power supply.
>
> 3. We could mount everything on the pole, and bring in one standard AC
> conduit. Wiles sez that we could use a raintight load center to serve as
> both PV AC disconnect and supply to a 1P or 2P breaker to run the tracker
> power supply. But that means a (big) 600V DC disconnect (Sq D HU361),
> inverter, AC disconnect, and power supply enclosure all mounted on one
> little 6" pole. There's gotta be a better way.
>
> 4. Wiles also suggested a Sq D QO/QOB-PLPS "24Vdc Panel-mounted Power Supply
> for QO-QOB-PL Breakers" as a possible power supply for the tracker motors.
> It's a 120VAC-24Vdc power supply that fits in 1 pole of a QO box. It's used
> to power their Powerlink line of circuit breakers with remote switching
> capability. Has anyone tried this? Will it work?
>
> Who has done an installation like this successfully? Can you suggest some
> simpler approaches? Thank you in advance.
>
> Allan at Positive Energy
>
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