Missing Junction boxes on modules[RE-wrenches]

Ray Walters walters at taosnet.com
Mon Aug 20 07:28:35 PDT 2007


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I'll just throw my vote for J boxes in too. We've been going through  
the Solar world thing ourselves, I hope they are listening to the  
list, because having tens of thousands of dollars of modules sitting  
in my limited storage area that we couldn't install this summer  
because we didn't have connectors.... they owe us big time. I have to  
say too that my current installations look like crap compared to what  
I did last year with J-boxed modules. We do mostly pole mounts, and  
we actually spent more time than before trying to secure the cables.  
The double insulated cables don't work with the clips we got from AEE  
either. Too thick....

Ray


On Aug 18, 2007, at 2:50 AM, Warren Lauzon wrote:

>
> And just to add insult to injury, now we have THREE types of cables/ 
> connectors to deal with - the Solarline1, the Solarline2, and now  
> Tyco (and some modules, like SolarWorld, come with all 3 - imagine  
> your joy when you get a stack in with mixed cables...). And for all  
> the hype, the cost of the MC type cables is adding anywhere from  
> $25 to $40 per module install costs, and it is not reducing much -  
> if any - the install time, since we now have to spend a lot of time  
> securing the cables.
>
> I don't see this as progress, and not sure who's bright idea this  
> was. Not that MC type cables are bad in themselves, it is the lack  
> of flexibility now with the way modules are configured.
>
> Just to keep the range of cables, connectors, adaptors, and all the  
> rest to fit everything together is running our install parts  
> inventory we need to keep up to new highs.
>
> ...................................................................... 
> ............................
> Northern Arizona Wind & Sun - Electricity From The Sun
> ...................................................................... 
> ............................
> ----- Original Message ----- From: "William Miller"  
> <wrmiller at charter.net>
> To: <RE-wrenches at topica.com>
> Sent: Friday, August 17, 2007 8:56 PM
> Subject: Re: Missing Junction boxes on modules[RE-wrenches]
>
>
>>
>> Yes, Jeff, we are having this problem.  We knew it was coming,  
>> however, and you must have missed me bitching about it on this  
>> forum.  Hopefully this means I have not been overbearing on the  
>> subject.
>>
>> Shell and then Solarworld had been offering the large frame  
>> modules with the pigtails, but they were removable.  We removed  
>> hundreds of them and threw them in a big old rusty battery box out  
>> back.  We substituted NMLT conduit for a much more reliable  
>> installation.  Using NMLT conduit is not expensive or time  
>> consuming:  connectors are about a buck each (less than a the cost  
>> of an MC "gen 2" connector) and we developed a technique for  
>> installing NMLT connectors with a cordless drill.  Time to install  
>> one connector:  3 seconds.
>>
>> Just last week we received our first order of Solarworld SW175s  
>> with the loose wires that can not be removed or conduit  
>> installed .  They are for a ground mount, so we are particularly  
>> concerned about having loose wires underneath the modules (the  
>> ties won't last).  The clients have grandchildren who will regard  
>> the ground mount racks as a jungle gym.  We are working on a  
>> system of wire tray that will encapsulate the leads in a manner  
>> that will be "untouchable."  We hope to apply for a patent in the  
>> near future so we will have a product available for the industry  
>> before someone gets killed.    So what if the ends are touch safe,  
>> rub one against an aluminum rail or rack frame or tile or comp  
>> shingles a few dozens times and you'll see copper.
>>
>> It is my impression that most of the installers out there don't  
>> give a crap if kids are swinging from 600 V wires, they just want  
>> to get the job done faster for more profit.  This problem is  
>> symptomatic of an industry wide trend.  The industry is changing,  
>> and not for the better.  There are more large corporate style  
>> vendors and installers out there who can afford to underbid us  
>> locals.  I call it the Walmart-ization of the industry. The  
>> turnover in their crews is constant.  The work is shoddy and the  
>> sales practices are unethical.  We went to a competitor's sales  
>> seminar and the lies and half truths told were disgusting.  Did  
>> you know the California rebates are ending next week?  (They're  
>> not.).  The local chapter of the Sierra Club stood up and endorsed  
>> them!!!  This is way out of line for an environmental group to  
>> favor one vendor over another (likely because the local president  
>> got her installation done by them, maybe at a discount).
>>
>> Another thing:  to tool up for the inferior wiring system (MC)  
>> will cost us $2,000 and the delivery date is more than a month  
>> out.  So once we figure out how to protect our ground mount wires,  
>> we get to wait for 30 to 60 days before we can hook them up.
>>
>> Anyway, back to the unprotected wiring:  I know many are  
>> comfortable with the status quo and may not want to read this, but  
>> I'd hoped that enough of us share this concern that we could put  
>> maybe put together a petition and maybe an educational web site  
>> and maybe speak out at a few meetings. Anyone else out there  
>> worried about safety???
>>
>> William Miller
>>
>
>
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R. Walters
Solarray.com
NABCEP # 04170442	




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