Xantrex versus Sunny Boy [RE-wrenches]

[Joel Davidson]

Some of you remember when Heart (Steve Ackerson) started using FETs in the early
1980s. He'd carry FETs in his pocket to show people the new technology cost
breakthrough. For a while, we called FETs "popcorn" because of the sound they
made when they frequently failed. They'd even occasionally pop during inverter
assembly if the workers forgot to wear their wrist ground straps. FET devices
are getting more reliable as we learn to use them. IGBT technology has been
around for much longer (in relative technology years) and is considered a
reliable workhorse by the power equipment industry. FET and IGBT are both good
stuff. Apples and oranges.

Bill Brooks wrote:

> All,
>
> Not that it really matters but IGBT stands for Insulated Gate Bipolar
> Transistor. It does have an "isolated" gate "integrated" into the transistor
> so everybody is correct. IGBT is a lot easier to say. All higher voltage
> inverters built in the last 10 years or so are IGBT because of their overall
> performance and cost. Lower voltage inverters generally use Field Effect
> Transistors because of their lower cost and performance at lower voltages.
>
> Bill.
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Graham Owen [mailto:graham at solarexpert.com]
> Sent: Thursday, July 31, 2003 8:36 AM
> To: RE-wrenches at topica.com
> Subject: RE: Xantrex versus Sunny Boy [RE-wrenches]
>
> I thought "IGBT" was an acronym for Isolated Gate Bipolar Transformer
> and FET is for Field Effect Transistor?
>
> I am also under the impression that the IGB-Transformer is much better
> at handling electrical surges than FET's, which helps make Sunny Boy
> inverters less susceptible to service calls and replacements. Is it true
> that FET's are more efficient at low load as opposed to IGBT's which are
> more efficient near rated power? Which could one reason why SB's are the
> most efficient grid-tied inverters.
>
> Graham
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: john at gosolar.co.nz [mailto:john at gosolar.co.nz]
> Sent: Wednesday, July 30, 2003 11:36 PM
> To: RE-wrenches at topica.com
> Subject: Re: Xantrex versus Sunny Boy [RE-wrenches]
>
> It stands for "integrated gate bipolar transistor' - basically the
> fore-runner before MOSFET technology.  Once MOSFET's hit the scene, it
> pretty well took over most, if not all, applications.     And no
> question is
> a dumb question.
>
>                                         cheers,                John V
>
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
> ------
>
> "Todd Cory, Mt. Shasta Energy Services" wrote:
>
> > Maybe this is a dumb question but what is "IGBT technology"?
> >
> > Todd
> >
> > > The IGBT technology and electronics used  has very high losses at
> > > less than full load.
> >
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