answers to GTI questions [RE-wrenches]

[Solar Technologies]

It seems that the 800 lb Gorilla in the room that gets little attention is
that some SWs (some of ours included) were sold specifically to be grid
intertied.  They were recently installed at the time of decertification,
hence not really work in process.  Yet, they will not work the way they were
represented.  Our utility (PG&E) will not hook up to them.  We have
customers who want to know what we (or Xantrex) will do about replacing or
fixing their units.  What do we tell them?

Roger DeNault
Solar Technologies

----- Original Message -----
From: "Pagan MacKay" <pagan.mackay at xantrex.com>
To: <RE-wrenches at topica.com>
Sent: Thursday, January 31, 2002 2:10 PM
Subject: answers to GTI questions [RE-wrenches]


> Hi All,
>
> The following provides some further details in response to Marco's
> recent questions about the GTI.
>
> 1) All SW series units shipped since December are GTI enabled (rev 4.2)
> and fully listed to UL1741 for Off-Grid use.  The GTI has now received
> listing to UL1741 for Grid connected use and will begin shipments by Feb
> 8; however, we have committed first priority to our WIP homeowners and
> dealers (see the WIP program details in the UL Information Center at
> www.traceengineering.com) and therefore delivery for new orders of GTIs
> will probably see schedule dates mid to late Feb.
>
> 2) Yes, in order to use sell mode and be code compliant a GTI must be
> installed.
>
> 3) No, only SWs with 4.2 and other modifications can accept a GTI.
> Converting an older SW is not simply a chip change and cannot be done in
> the field.
>
> 4) Efficiency of the SW in sell mode is improved with the addition of
> the GTI. In fact, conversion efficiency in sell mode is within 1% of the
> stand-alone efficiency over the whole power range.  In addition, the SW
> without GTI saw variation in sell mode efficiency based on grid
> conditions (including local THD).  With the GTI we achieve the same
> efficiency in all grid conditions.  Another advantage is that the output
> power quality in sell mode, including THD, is well with IEEE 519
> requirements, below 2% in most cases.
>
> Best,
>
> Pagan
>
> Distributed Power Markets
> Xantrex Technology Inc.
>
>
>
> Several questions:
>
> 1) Is the SW with the new 4.2 software now available from Xantrex? And
> how about the GTIs? Are they now ready to ship?
>
> 2) In order to be UL-compliant, the 4.2 SW needs to be mated to the GTI
> for utility-interactive, sell back mode, right?
>
> 3) What about all those formerly UL-listed 4.1 software SWs out there?
> Can the GTI be mated to those as well or will the 4.1 versions need a
> new chip or need to be sent back to the factory for something more
> extensive?
>
> 4) Anybody have an idea as to the efficiency hit that the GTI
> contributes to the system's output? According to some extensive
> monitoring data I have seen, the overall DC to AC efficiency of the SW
> in a grid-tied application (with batteries) can be as low as 60 or less
> percent. Yuck. The last thing this design needs is another loss of
> potential power due to another piece of hardware.
>
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>
>
>

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