PV combiner box protection [RE-wrenches]

[Bill Brooks]

-----------------------------------------------------------
Let University of Phoenix make 2004 your year. Evening, 
weekend or FlexNet® classes – over 130 locations. Look 
into our programs and get the degree that gets you going!
http://click.topica.com/caaciq1bz8Qcsbz9JC9a/UOP
-----------------------------------------------------------




Ray,

Christmas lights now have fuses. Standards are getting stricter for
everyone. It is very difficult to justify based on stuff that we have
allowed for years.

For instance, nobody should be allowed to drive a vehicle with a huge bomb
for a gas tank. We know it is an issue, but we are not going to allow people
to drive around with real ammo just because they have a bomb in their gas
tank.

Bill.

-----Original Message-----
From: Ray Walters [mailto:ray at solarray.com]
Sent: Wednesday, June 23, 2004 12:54 PM
To: RE-wrenches at topica.com
Subject: Re: PV combiner box protection [RE-wrenches]




Your free subscription is supported by today's sponsor:
------------------------------------------------------------------
Get a FREE Mortgage Quote from Mortgage War. Simple 60-second
application for mortgage information. Rates are the lowest
theyve been in 40 years!
http://click.topica.com/caacneLbz8QcsbaaVcJa/411Web
------------------------------------------------------------------

Hi Phil;

A dead short doesn't always happen. Many times the wire is pinched and the
short can be less than 20 amps, but more than the cord rating. I have
actually seen burned lamp cord that didn't trip the breaker. Actually take
a survey, but I would say the majority of lamp cord, christmas lights, etc,
that had a short were not full over 20 amp type short circuits. They were
worn insulation with a few copper hairs touching type of connections.
As far as daisy chaining 6 modules,  I agree  that's a problem. I've seen a
few where that last module jbox  was deformed from the heat. I'm just
saying I think a good balance between safety and cost would allow some
careful paralleling of PV circuits. Come on, you're really going to bring
each 50 watt module in a 12 volt system in on a separate wire and breaker?

Ray




>Ray,
>
>I understand your reasoning on this, and can agree  with you to a point.
>the device does fail, and if it does fail in a short, a LOT more than 20



>I just received a photo of a j-box where 6 modules were daisy chained, and
>the last module in the row smoked its terminal strip.  By my calculations,
>it was subjected to 27 amps of current flow at 12v.  I have come to believe
>
>Phil Undercuffler ext.238
>Technical Support
>phil at dankoffsolar.com

-----------------------------------------------------------
Let University of Phoenix make 2004 your year. Evening,
weekend or FlexNet. classes  over 130 locations. Look
into our programs and get the degree that gets you going!
http://click.topica.com/caaciq1bz8QcsbaaVcJf/UOP
-----------------------------------------------------------




- - - -
To send a message: RE-wrenches at topica.com

Archive of previous messages: http://lists.topica.com/lists/RE-wrenches/read

List rules & etiquette: www.mrsharkey.com/wrenches/etiquete.htm

Check out participant bios: www.mrsharkey.com/wrenches/

Hosted by Home Power magazine

Moderator: michael.welch at homepower.com

-----------------------------------------------------------
Empower your Team with Remote Access. GoToMyPC Pro 
provides your organization with instant remote access to 
email,files, applications and network resources in real 
time. FREE TRIAL:
http://click.topica.com/caaciqTbz8Qcsbz9JC9f/ExpertCity
-----------------------------------------------------------


- - - -
To send a message: RE-wrenches at topica.com

Archive of previous messages: http://lists.topica.com/lists/RE-wrenches/read

List rules & etiquette: www.mrsharkey.com/wrenches/etiquete.htm

Check out participant bios: www.mrsharkey.com/wrenches/

Hosted by Home Power magazine

Moderator: michael.welch at homepower.com
--^----------------------------------------------------------------
This email was sent to: michael.welch at homepower.com

EASY UNSUBSCRIBE click here: http://topica.com/u/?bz8Qcs.bz9JC9.bWljaGFl
Or send an email to: RE-wrenches-unsubscribe at topica.com

For Topica's complete suite of email marketing solutions visit:
http://www.topica.com/?p=TEXFOOTER
--^----------------------------------------------------------------