Solar module cell-count [RE-wrenches]

[Bob-O Schultze, Electron Connection]

<x-flowed>

Hiya Joel,
I've been distributing and selling Mitsubishi for a couple of years  
now so I've just gotten used to the 40 and 50 cell counts. It can be  
a pain in the ass with an inverter that has a tight DC operating  
window, but aside from that it hardly matters. There may be a slight  
technical advantage for grid-tie. Since the series strings voltage is  
lower in relation to the wattage, you may have less strings in a  
given application. That would cut down on combiner box size and  
fusing. Slight, but there it is.
Actually, 36 and 72 cell modules don't make any greater sense than  
any other cell count for battery charging either these days. If you  
aren't specifying an MPPT controller for battery charging, you're  
doing your clients a disservice. With MPPT, 1.5X-2X PV voltage is a  
good thing, eh?
Cheers, bob-O
On May 11, 2007, at 2:37 PM, Joel Davidson wrote:

>
> Wrenches,
>
> A lot of wrenches only install PV systems with batteries, but the  
> vast majority of PV megawatts installed in the U.S. are non-battery  
> grid-tie systems. 36- and 72-cell solar modules for battery  
> charging make sense, but is there a better cell-count for systems  
> with 300 to 600 VDC input inverters? Some installers prefer the  
> Sanyo 96-cell module or the 50-cell Mitsubishi module or the  
> Kyocera 54-cell module or the Sharp 60-cell module and some just  
> buy whatever module is available. Is there a technical advantage to  
> one module cell-count over another or is the growing number of  
> module cell-counts indicative of a disconnect between module and  
> system designers?
>
> Joel Davidson
>
>
> - - - -
> To send a message: RE-wrenches at topica.com
>
> Archive of previous messages: http://lists.topica.com/lists/RE- 
> wrenches/read
>
> List rules & how to change your email address: www.mrsharkey.com/ 
> wrenches/etiquette.php
>
> Check out participant bios: www.mrsharkey.com/wrenches/
>
> Hosted by Home Power magazine
>
> Moderator: michael.welch at homepower.com
>
>
>


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

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

List rules & how to change your email address: www.mrsharkey.com/wrenches/etiquette.php

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
--^----------------------------------------------------------------



</x-flowed>