Sunny Boy control RS485 [RE-wrenches]

Jeff Clearwater clrwater at earthlink.net
Sat Nov 30 17:53:41 PST 2002


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Hi Keith,

I installed RS485 to a Sunny Boy Control monitoring 4 Sunny Boys on 
this summer's 10KW install.  Worked perfectly (after some initial 
minor confusion due to the SBC manual and the tech note not being in 
agreement on one of the jumpers on the board (termination needed in 
the SBC control as well as the other end at the last inverter))

I made up the cable harness myself using dual twisted pair shielded 
22 AWG.  You can save some money that way.  I just used a compression 
gromet connector for the com wire and neatly stapled it to the wall 
so high up near the inverters that it was out of sight.  I was going 
to use gutters for all AC, DC and com wire but ended up doing a nice 
clean install by positioning my DC Disconnects directly below each 
inverter's knockout and using AC J boxes also directly below the AC 
knockout.  But especially in light of the recent thread on gutters, I 
would perhaps recommend that. I always love using gutters.   (I can 
send you a pic of the power board I did if you'd like)

We haven't installed the modem yet.  At first we were sure we needed 
PC download, then second guessed ourselves but then when So Cal 
Edison was running their voltage too high and the Sunny Boys were 
cutting out due to overvoltage protection - we wished we had the 
modem to monitor each morning from afar.  So we are installing the 
modem next month.

But the SBC control works great in itself through RS485.  All the 
data for every 15 minutes back for months is there for direct 
download to a laptop or for call up via modem or simply to view on 
the SBC display.

Highly recommend the 485 over Powerline communication for multiple 
Sunny Boys.  It's a snap to install.  The com boards cost you 
$70/inverter and one for the SB control too - that's the down side.

And I'll let  you know what I think about the software and how it is 
to use remotely using the modem next month!

And Yes I highly agree that data monitoring for demo and education is 
a great plus for PV.  Go for it!

Cheers,

Jeff C.

>Wrenches...
>
>Has anyone used the SB2500/SBC and the RS 485 connection for PC use?
>Does anyone have any feedback on it? What is the proper connection into
>the knockout at the bottom of the inverter to make it look clean and
>professional?
>Has anyone tried to use the Net connection feature at the bottom of the
>new SBC?
>
>It seems to me this is one of the great new ideas for implementing the
>"early adopter" customer for the future of the PV industry.  I am trying
>to be the 1st in Hawaii to have their PV system setup with a live web
>cam positioned on the roof "admiring," the PV panels and the sky, viewed
>at an angle to depict the latest weather activity.  I personally feel
>collecting real time data will be instrumental for future solidification
>that PV works!  It has so many wide implications from an education piece
>for our school children, to showing our neighbors what is possible with
>a little imagination. My solar hat is off to SMA for being so forward
>thinking in the plethora of options for system monitoring.  I hope I can
>weave these features in to many systems that we intend to install in the
>future. I hope to be able to have these clients "online", and at any
>time be able to check their system for performance or if there is
>trouble and be able to call them to see if something has changed at
>their homes or if they need a technician to give the system an
>inspection.
>
>Thank you for your input..all puns intended.!!!!!!!
>
>
>Keith Cronin
>Island Energy Solutions
>318 A Kuulei Road
>Kailua, Hawaii 96734
>808-262-3268 Tel
>808-263-0338 Fax
>www.islandenergy.net
>
>
>
>[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>
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-- 
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Jeff Clearwater
Ecovillage Design Associates - Whole Systems Design
Community and Village Scale Renewable Energy & Water Systems

Cell: 720-480-8455
Office:  800-440-2523 (PIN-7071)
Fax:  720-528-7813
jeffc at ic.org

Council Member - Ecovillage Network of the Americas - http://www.ecovillage.org
Advisory Board - Living Routes - Ecovillage Education - 
http://www.livingroutes.org
Founder:  Ecovillage Research, Development, and Demonstration Program:
http://www.home.earthlink.net/~clrwater/RDD/rdd.html
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

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