[RE-wrenches] Enphase installation details

[Mark Frye]

William,
 
What do you think about the reliability of the Tyco AC connectors used in
the Enphase system?
 
Mark Frye 
Berkeley Solar Electric Systems 
303 Redbud Way 
Nevada City,  CA 95959 
(530) 401-8024 
 <http://www.berkeleysolar.com/> www.berkeleysolar.com  
 

  _____  

From: re-wrenches-bounces at lists.re-wrenches.org
[mailto:re-wrenches-bounces at lists.re-wrenches.org] On Behalf Of William
Miller
Sent: Friday, November 13, 2009 12:04 AM
To: RE-wrenches
Subject: [RE-wrenches] Enphase installation details


Colleagues:

We are in the middle of our first Enphase installation.  I have been working
closely with the crew on this project and dedicated extra time because we
knew we needed to develop some new procedures to accommodate the new
technology.

My most surprising realization is that with the Enphase inverters, the
roof-top wiring now has two levels of unprotected wiring, DC and AC.    I
have been working on an analogy for the recent evolution of PV wiring
standards and the best I can come up with is that the new norm is akin to
wiring a rooftop air conditioning unit with SO and USE.  Flexible cords are
more suited to portable, consumer connectable appliances in non-harsh
environments.

We wrestled with two issues:  How to secure the AC wiring with a minimum 10
year longevity -- and how to secure the DC wiring with the same life
expectancy.  In a previous career I worked in the telecommunications
industry.  In a telcom facility we had access to many layers of wire routing
hardware and systems.  The PV industry has, in my opinion,  largely ignored
wire management.  Ironically, telecom wiring is low voltage in an industrial
setting and we can secure it systematically, whereas PV wiring is high
voltage, often in a residential setting, outdoors, in high temperature and
wet conditions and yet we are relegated to the ubiquitous and fragile cable
tie as our prime methodology.  It is our corporate position that the plastic
cable tie can not be counted on for longer that two years in an under-PV
environment and, since we wire for a minimum 10 year life expectancy, the
plastic cable tie is not suitable.

Over the course of two days we developed robust and efficient techniques for
securing the AC and DC wiring.  I'd love to share our procedures with this
group, but due to extreme competition in our area, I must of necessity keep
any procedures that give us a competitive advantage confidential.  This is
unfortunate as my inclination is to teach, but it  is a reality in this
business climate.

I hope the industry can eventually recognize some of these short comings.
The solar water industry died an early death because of economic pressures
and shoddy workmanship.  It is possible that the solar electric industry of
today can suffer some of the same if we can't preform to higher standards.

William Miller




Please note new e-mail address and domain:

William Miller 
Miller Solar
Voice :805-438-5600     Fax: 805-438-4607       
email: william at millersolar.com
http://millersolar.com <http://millersolar.com/> 
License No. C-10-773985


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