Inverters islanding in L.A. [RE-wrenches]

[Larry Brown, Sunmountain]

Pagan,
While I understand the Trace has sent info to the New York Public Service
Commission that California utilities have grandfathered in SW inverters that
were once compliant in a grid-tie application and then lost their UL
listing, stating that they present no potential hazard.  But the New York
utilities are not accepting it and have locked out numerous systems from
selling back to the utility. These are people who put up their money where
their valves are and are now left hanging with no resolution in sight.  It
is Traces responsibility to either replace these inverters with compliant
ones or make arrangements for these customers to be able to trade in these
inverters and get a refund so that they can install inverters that are
compliant.
How do you answer your customers questions when they did everything they
were supposed,to do, the system is inspected and approved  and now they are
indefinately locked out from selling their excess solar electricity to the
grid because of equipment that is not considered compliant?
I would appreciate your reply
Larry Brown
Sun Mountain
----- Original Message -----
From: "Pagan MacKay" <pagan.mackay at xantrex.com>
To: <RE-wrenches at topica.com>
Sent: Thursday, June 06, 2002 8:58 PM
Subject: RE: Inverters islanding in L.A. [RE-wrenches]


>
> Hello All,
>
> This is a public forum open to many more readers than the members of the
> list and I don't think we want our comments to be turned into anyone's
> political agenda. That said, I feel a comment regarding the recent posts
> about this issue is in order.
>
> Here is a clear statement on the SW compliance and anti-islanding issue
> (already on our SW information web site since December).
> "Non compliant" inverters (ours or anyone else's) should not be
> installed under any circumstances.  All SW series inverters manufactured
> since December 2001, when installed with the GTI accessory, comply with
> UL1741 and IEEE 929 and are listed by both UL and CSA to those
> standards.
>
> We have even taken the additional step of stopping any installation that
> was in process as of December 2001 and upgrading the hardware. Many of
> you have participated in the WIP program designed to ensure homeowners
> who purchased grid tie systems were minimally effected by the UL alert.
> We've upgraded SWs, provided free GTIs, paid for all shipping charges
> and we have compensation available to dealers to defray the cost of
> taking out already installed equipment and replacing it.
>
> Further, we have done extensive testing and supported significant
> investigation by utility companies to show that older SW series units
> already in service, while not compliant with latest standards, do not
> present a material safety hazard and may safely be left in service.
> This is the conclusion of the California owned utilities among others.
>
> The "PV" version of the SW was our first "batteryless" grid connected
> product in 1998 and 1999.  This product has not been offered since 1999
> and only a few hundred units were ever produced.  SMUD purchased most of
> these.  This product was listed to the draft standard of UL1741 which
> was not harmonized with IEEE 929 and had different voltage, frequency
> and time thresholds than the new standard which went into effect in
> November of 2000.
>
> I hope this helps clarify...if I can provide further information please
> contact me.
>
> Best,
>
> Pagan
>
> Pagan MacKay
> Xantrex Technology Inc.
> Distributed Power Markets
> 360-435-8826 ext. 4070
> pagan.mackay at xantrex.com
> www.xantrexREdealer.com
>
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