Inverter Shoot-Out continues [RE-wrenches]

Michael Welch michael.welch at homepower.com
Sun Mar 28 17:11:34 PST 2004


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Hi gang. More from Henry for Matt & Marco.

"Marco Mangelsdorf wrote ...
Come on now...what else exactly are good, safe, UL-listed inverters supposed
to do but maximize their AC output from any given PV array"

Hi Marco,

I am NOT saying inverters shouldn't maximize the available solar panel power
into grid power. I AM saying that to verify the Inverter software/hardware
works , you would put it through a know set of IV input and verify its
output. The Test can be derived  from the sampling of as many "real world"
array's as one wishes ... it is just translated into a programmable DC
supply as the input , voltage and current , vs. solar panels voltage and
current.

IMHO trying to use data from real live arrays and being able to partition
what components are the causes is next to impossible and equipment/time
consuming if you DO try to do it. You have inverters , wires , connectors ,
mounting systems , solar panels , weather , both in temperature/wind/clouds
ect. I've done my share of side-by-side testing , both in my system and beta
tester for the -UPG. Real systems ARE good for making sure there aren't any
gross error's , but no two arrays are identical ... my HP91 was to show
there was a 20%+ issues , OK for arrays , I'm talking about how inverters
react to variable conditions , impossible to do on a real array an validate
beyond gross failures and comparing 2% rated differences on the 10 inverters
out there now.

I have seen first hand what is used from the engineering side , there is no
standard , a company might have a local array or two but a bulk of the
testing is done at places like Sandia or Customer Beta Sites or even
production customer sites. Not exactly a controlled study group to verify
the product will work in the extremes weather (isonalation) variation can
throw at the inverters .. So in Summary , this is why I say YES to a
programmable power supply with a standard isonalation pattern that ALL
inverters , on the bench , can be verified too. If this was done before
units are shipped , there wouldn't be field issues , because it was proven
to work !

"Matt Tritt wrote ... From the contact I have had with the new (and the
old) models, they just plain make too much audible noise.


Hi Matt,

I would respectfully challenge  that a Suntie -UPG is a noise problem ...
are you certain that it was a UPG ?. the ST and XR Sunties , the fan Will
come on at 100 watts and go  full blast ... the UPG , the fan has 13 speeds
, all controlled by the processor and is temperature driven. I have a pair
of Sunties mounted on my outside Garage wall at my home and from the inside
of this wall you can barely hear them working , in 90 degree weather putting
out 2K plus watts to the grid. It has to be REALLY hot to get the fan to
full.  I wouldn't put the inverter in my living room and to a degree this is
the price one pays for an inverter that puts out 2500 watts at 45C ambient
.. No BS on the specifications , BTW , ever hear a Sunnyboy late in the
afternoon when the transformer has been baking , the 60 Hz buzz isn't
exactly like a trickling brook :)

Henry Cutler
  
Michael Welch
  
------------------------
"When one tugs at a single thing in nature, he finds it attached to the rest of the world."
                                -John Muir
        
Michael Welch, michael.welch at homepower.com
     Home Power magazine
     www.homepower.com
     To reach me: 707-822-7884
     To reach Home Power: 800-707-6585

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