So much for market demand [RE-wrenches]

[Joel Davidson]

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Believe it or not, quick-connects are another reason why we need subsidies 
to grow the US PV market. Multi-Contact did an excellent job marketing its 
quick-connects and a few US system integrators switched to MC connectors, 
but the big change happened when the German government heavily subsidized PV 
and it became the biggest market. PV manufacturers cater to German, and now 
other European, customers whose wiring requirements are very different from 
UL and US inspector requirements. In Germany you can interconnect modules up 
to 1000 volts with quick-connects and double-insulated wire. In the US, the 
Bush-Cheney administration rejected PV so US PV customers lost their voice 
in the market. Last year, Germans bought about 10 times more PV modules than 
the US. It is going to take an big change in government and a few years 
before the US has a powerful voice in the PV market. Do any Chinese 
manufacturers make UL listed modules with j-boxes?
Joel Davidson

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Ray Walters"
To: <RE-wrenches at topica.com>
Sent: Tuesday, January 15, 2008 4:59 PM
Subject: Re: So much for market demand [RE-wrenches]


>
>
> I'm with you too, just we are not the market forces we think we are. 
> Other countries are setting the pace on these issues, and we're lucky 
> they even let us have any modules at all. I'm just trying my best to 
> stick with one module model and not have to switch every 6 months.  Buying 
> modules is like the black market, you make a deal, and the  next day they 
> tell you they're out of stock. I hate it, so much so  I'm considering 
> getting out of the sales side all together and just  do consulting or 
> teaching.
> The loose wiring not only has the safety issues you've brought up,  but it 
> just looks plain unprofessional. I look at my older work with  jboxes and 
> its just plain better.
>

> On Jan 15, 2008, at 12:43 PM, William Miller wrote:
>
>>
>> Jeff:
>>
>> I have been wondering for some time: "Where is the indignation?"   It is 
>> refreshing to hear some.  Anyone else?
>>
>> I was beginning to feel like Don Quixote.  I do believe some of our 
>> industry gurus such as those behind code review share some of your  and 
>> my concern here and that is why we are seeing the new  language.  I just 
>> think we need to keep the pressure up on all  fronts (code, market, 
>> industry discussion groups, etc) and in the  meantime, make what we have 
>> as safe as we can.
>>
>> As for making exposed wiring safe, we aim to cover it as much as we  can. 
>> Here is our company policy:
>>
>> 1. Ground mounts:  Commercial ground mounts need to be in a fenced  area. 
>> Residential ground mounts will receive our Volt Guard wire  covers which 
>> will cover wire and connectors.  There is a link to a  photo of our first 
>> prototype (you may have seen this link  recently).  The next generation 
>> will be a little bit wider:
>> http://mpandc.com/practices/Procedures/PV_wiring/PV_wiring.html
>>
>> 2. Roof mount PV:  Commercial installations: We will require the 
>> customers maintain restricted access.  For residential  installations, we 
>> are developing a connector box with panel mount  connectors.  This box 
>> will be installed near enough to the modules  to allow the factory module 
>> leads to reach.  We will not be  installing multiple splices in our PV 
>> leads.  We will use the Wiley  clips and stainless steel cable ties to 
>> ensure cable are kept up  under the modules completely and permanently.
>>
>> And a last thought:  Reliability suffers with the new quick connect 
>> trend.  When we had J-boxes, all of our PV leads were without one 
>> splice.  Ever.  With quick connects, there is a splice between each 
>> module.  There is a splice on the negative lead where it meets the  field 
>> supplied USE lead.  There is a splice where the field  supplied USE cable 
>> meets the building wire in a J-box.  Same two  spices are in the positive 
>> lead.  This proliferation of splices  lead to failures.  These spices are 
>> often times hidden under  modules.  It generally takes two persons to 
>> pull modules hunting  for a bad splice.  I feel splices should be readily 
>> accessible to  technicians but not to children.  We have that part 
>> backwards.
>>
>> Thanks for your commitment to safety.
>>
>> William Miller
>>
>>
>>
>> At 10:35 AM 1/15/2008, you wrote:
>>
>>> We have been begging for modules with J-boxes to use on ground- mounted 
>>> arrays to reduce shock risk to clients kids and the  public, but module 
>>> manufacturers refuse to make anything except  pig-tails. I know many of 
>>> you have been asking for the same thing  ever since they were 
>>> dis-continued, as each manufacturer started  to used their own version 
>>> of a quick-dis-connect. We have gone  from using simple cut-to-length 
>>> rolled-up conduit, to separate  boxes of all kinds of special 
>>> connectors, expensive crimpers, and  custom-made cables that do not 
>>> match from one module manufacturer  to another.
>>>
>>> I always thought when there was a big market demand for a product,  the 
>>> market would respond with the product needed - so much for  market 
>>> forces in this industry where manufacturers make whatever  they want and 
>>> you have to take what you can get.  I am guessing  everyone is marketing 
>>> now to Europe and their needs and we are  left with "make-do" hardware 
>>> trying to meet constantly changing  codes that are far more demending 
>>> than any other non-solar power  systems.
>>>
>>> With modules now only available with wiring connectors that are 
>>> dangerous where accessible, and with code officials demanding  wiring 
>>> procedures that we cannot meet with current products, and  when only 
>>> very costly "make-do" wiring arrangements must be used  to provide some 
>>> level of wiring access safety, I see a perfect  storm on the horizon and 
>>> its called the 2008 NEC codebook.
>>>
>>> Jeff Yago
>>


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