Fw: Pulse DC Breaker Question [RE-wrenches]

[Allan Sindelar]

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Following up here on my request for a solution to the problem of needing
four breaker spaces for additional charge controllers with an existing Pulse
Powercenter, here's the solution I have come up with. I noticed that the
SWCB on the SW4024 has a single KO for a CD breaker on its end panel. I will
cut a rectangular opening in the front cover of the SWCB to fit four OBDC
60A breakers. Along with mounting holes, this will let me mount all four
breakers together. I'll add the plastic terminal covers Xantrex supplies
with inverters to cover the DC + & - terminals when the SWCB isn't used, to
minimize the chance of shorting when removing the cover to do any future
service work. The four breakers fit in a bank 3" wide. This will leave one
space still available in the Powercenter for some future change.

I'm satisfied with this solution. I'd like to hear if anyone sees a problem
with this.

Allan at Positive Energy

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Allan Sindelar" <allan at positiveenergysolar.com>
To: "New wrenches posting" <RE-wrenches at topica.com>
Sent: Wednesday, December 15, 2004 11:24 PM

I am preparing a design for  a system upgrade and need some help with the
Pulse Powercenter. The system is for an existing earthship that was built as
a duplex with a shared power system--jeez, these things are hard to work
on/in. The house has one efficient occupant now, but will soon have three
total, plus home business needs, and they want to go from the existing 720
watts of PV to about 4,000 watts. I am looking at two large new arrays wired
at 48 V, each feeding an MX60 and a 24V battery bank. There's an existing
SB50 upgrade on the original array.

The Powercenter is a Pulse PSC500. This unit has five DC breaker spaces for
Heinemann CF panel-mount breakers--that's all. There's a separate QO load
center for multiple 24V DC load breakers. Raising the system voltage is not
a realistic option at this time, and there's very little wall space for
adding big boxes.

Questions:
--How do we add the breakers for two additional charge controllers?
--If we add a 60A Class R fuse for AIC protection on the loads, can I free
up one breaker space by backfeeding a 60A QO for a main DC load breaker in
the DC load center? (I know QO are marginal at 24V per John Wiles, but this
is an existing installation, so this is just a modification; besides, I'm OK
with QOs on the load side as being always safely below 50V per NEC.)
--Could we add a GJ175 next to the existing GJ250 for the SW4024, call it a
charge controller disconnect, and use the tap rule to run multiple
conductors to the three controllers?
--Anyone else make a narrower breaker that's suitable for this application?
Or a small separate enclosure to fit half a dozen 80VDC rated breakers?
--And what's the diff between a PSC500 and a PC500?



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