[RE-wrenches] Surge protector update?

North Texas Renewable Energy Inc ntrei at earthlink.net
Fri Jul 31 08:00:33 PDT 2009


August
I made a service call to a residential PVinstallation several years ago that 
I did not install. The vintage Trace, size I don't recall, had quit working. 
The Delta surge suppressor had actually ruptured along it's radial seam, a 
result I had always heard indicates a surge being absorbed.
The inverter went to the nearest authorized repair shop, a marine 
maintenance facility near Houston. The only problem was a cooked internal 
fusible link which was replaced free of charge.
The array was undamaged.
There's no way of knowing how close the lightning strike was but the Delta 
worked as it was intended. It's the only experience I can relate first-hand 
I'm happy to say.
It will be interesting to hear what sort of results you come up with.
Jim Duncan
North Texas Renewable Energy Inc
817.917.0527
ntrei at earthlink.net
www.ntrei.com



--- Original Message ----- 
From: "August Goers" <august at luminalt.com>
To: "RE-wrenches" <re-wrenches at lists.re-wrenches.org>
Sent: Friday, July 31, 2009 9:21 AM
Subject: [RE-wrenches] Surge protector update?



Wrenches -

Anyone have experience with lighning hitting an array with a surge protector 
installed? What happened?

I'm Here's an ad, point number 5 mentions that the surge protectors 
installed in the array combiner box "protects solar modules and blocking 
diodes..."

http://www.citel.us/dc_surge_protection_overview2.html

I'm trying to gather a firm opinion on whether they are a complete waste of 
$$$ and time or not. Good grounding seems I would guess is the best 
protection.

-August
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