J-box leads [RE-wrenches]

Darryl Thayer daryl_solar at yahoo.com
Sat Apr 8 00:35:39 PDT 2006


Hello
I agree with Doug, Ground the Frames!!, I use #6 and
make sure this is connected to a good ground.  If you
are in a dry area you may have to go more than 8'
deep.  I have used sectionedf ground rods in sandy
areas.  Also use a surge arrestor on the leads from
the modules.  Ground this to the ground system you
have created.  
Darryl

--- Doug Pratt <dmpratt at sbcglobal.net> wrote:

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> Jim, the diodes work until they get hit by a
> lightning strike. Everything
> you describe here sounds like the array took a hit.
> Consider upgrading (or
> installing?) a good ground system on the frames to
> take the next one and
> (hopefully) send most of the energy to ground.
> 
> Cheers,
> Doug Pratt
> 
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Jim Duncan [mailto:ntrei at earthlink.net] 
> Sent: Friday, April 07, 2006 2:48 PM
> To: RE-wrenches at topica.com
> Subject: J-box leads [RE-wrenches]
> 
> 
> 
> Wrenches, I was doing an upgrade on 8 vintage BP275s
> and discovered that 
> one of the old style terminal blocks had arced and
> melted at one cell 
> string lead in the Jbox. The other 7 modules were OK
> and the array had 
> been performing well inspite of the damage. However,
> one of the 3 
> braided leads from the 2 cell strings was damaged
> and has only about one 
> inch of discolored braid is left exposed from the
> back of the Jbox. 
> I tried carefully buffing it with very fine emory
> cloth with hopes that 
> I could solder on a new lead. But that seemed too
> extreme for such fine 
> wires so I nixed that idea. Before I crimp on a new
> lead with a 
> permanent butt splice, I thought there might be some
> clever solution to 
> get a semi-permanent fix. Other than that, the panel
> looks like it may 
> go another decade with a little luck.
> Also I found one of the first random 3 diodes I
> checked had given up the 
> ghost. I ordered a round of new diodes for them all.
> What is the life 
> expectancy of those little guys and how do I
> determine if one is going 
> south before it's too late. Do you routinly check
> diode performance or 
> is this one a fluke? Oddly enough, it was not the
> diode at the fried 
> terminal.
> thanks
> 
> Jim Duncan
> North Texas Renewable Energy Inc
> Fort Worth, Texas
> 
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