[RE-wrenches] Health, Dental & Vision Plan

Peter Parrish peter.parrish at calsolareng.com
Sun May 10 21:14:54 PDT 2009


Can anyone recommend a group health plan for a 10 person company? We are a
mix of married with children, single parents and singles; all ages (20's to
50). We would prefer a recommendation based on experience with claims as
well as plan specifics and price.

 

Please respond on RE-Marketing list.

 

- Peter

Peter T. Parrish, Ph.D., President
California Solar Engineering, Inc.
820 Cynthia Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90065
Ph 323-258-8883, Mobile 323-839-6108, Fax 323-258-8885
CA Lic. 854779, NABCEP Cert. 031806-26
peter.parrish at calsolareng.com 

  _____  

From: re-wrenches-bounces at lists.re-wrenches.org
[mailto:re-wrenches-bounces at lists.re-wrenches.org] On Behalf Of Antony
Tersol
Sent: Saturday, May 09, 2009 11:28 AM
To: RE-wrenches
Subject: [RE-wrenches] Fwd: Module Datasheets

 

 

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Antony Tersol <tony at appliedsolarenergy.com>
Date: Fri, May 8, 2009 at 3:41 PM
Subject: Re: [RE-wrenches] Module Datasheets
To: Matt Lafferty <gilligan06 at gmail.com>


Matt,

I have been thinking and working about this very problem as well, and would
extend the thought:

Not only is there inconsistency on data presentation, how about the time to
find the data sheets in the first place?  Sometimes easy, sometimes not.
And we are all duplicating that work.

My idea: the centralized database you mention.

Just days ago I started working on the input form to collect the data.  See:
http://spreadsheets.google.com/embeddedform?key=rFu1o0R5IohZNQx5Zvqli_A

I didn't include all the fields Matt mentions, but this is a work in
progress.  The idea is that by collaborating, the labor involved becomes
manage-able.  

The data can be entered a couple of different ways - if each of us enters a
module or 2, we build up a resource we can all use, which will have the
consistency we would like.  At a certain point, we tell the module
manufacturers to enter their own data, but in our mandated format.  If we as
wrenches are using this as a primary resource, the manufacturer that
neglects to enter their data does it at their own peril.  If there is a
compelling reason to use their module, someone might enter the data.

So the model is Wiki like - one variation is that you only get access to the
data if you contribute data.

In the next days I'll post a page that shows a list of modules already
entered and then people could try it out - they could grab a data sheet, do
the data entry, and enter their email address in the "data entry person"
field and I'll send a link to the collected data.  

Perhaps we should move this discussion offlist for those that are interested
and continue work - decide on what fields, data presentation, etc.

We can do the same thing for inverters.

Antony Tersol




On Fri, May 8, 2009 at 10:26 AM,  Matt Lafferty wrote:


Date: Fri, 8 May 2009 10:25:51 -0700
From: Matt Lafferty <gilligan06 at gmail.com>
Subject: [RE-wrenches] Module Datasheets
To: "RE Wrenches" <re-wrenches at lists.re-wrenches.org>
Cc: solar at sec.sanyo.com
Message-ID: <002901c9d002$0bae3cd0$654990a9 at GILLIGONE>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"

Wrenches,

If you are anything like me, you've spent a big part of your PV career being
P*#%ed Off at manufacturers for the arcane content and format of their
Datasheets. They have refused to agree on a standard set of info, and order
of presentation. I understand how the simple-minded marketing peeps want it
that way...The harder it is for the user to actually compare products on
their primary merits, the less likely it is that they will do it. I also
understand that translation into Plain English and US Wrench Culture is
difficult, but there aren't that many "r"s in "PV Module".

I'd like to toss out some thoughts and solicit feedback on the topic. Some
of you have heard this from me for years now. Here's the 2009 Version.

General thoughts:

*       The data should be complete and clearly visible on the Datasheet...
You shouldn't have to dig through the fluffy crap on the front of the sheet
to find technical details. Front of sheet = {Pretty Pictures}. Back of sheet
= Stuff I need to select your module and design an entire system with.

*       All relevant "Model Numbers" should be clearly identified. When
there are variations of a model, say for instance different connectors, it
only makes sense to include all variations on a single sheet.

*       They should all abide by IEC 61836 conventions for Symbols (Voc,
Vpmax, Isc, Ipmax, etc).

*       Max System Voltage

*       Series Fuse Rating

*       Bypass Diode

*       Cell Type / Technology (Also need to standardize these symbols)

*       For US modules, dimensions should be in inches and weight should be
in pounds. Metric values can be in parentheses AFTER the inches & pounds, of
course. Sorry Canada.

*       Dimensions should follow LxWxH convention

*       Temperature coefficients should be stated for Voltage (Voc & Vpmax),
Current (Isc & Ipmax), and Power. They should all use a single convention,
vis a vis a hard coefficient or percentage, but not a mix. My vote is that
the standard convention be percentage. I imagine a couple of you engineers
will disagree, but you're wrong. ;-)

*       Power tolerance should be stated.

*       Module lead data, if applicable. Gauge, Type, Length, Connector Type
and Model.

*       For J-Box equipped modules, Qty & size of KO's in J-Box.

*       Static Wind or Snow Load should be stated.

*       All certifications should be stated

*       Min/Max Temp

*       Shipping info. Pallet dims, weight, qty. Single module shipping
weight & dims.

*       Approved Equipment Grounding data. Size & Qty of attachment points,
Whether or not hardware is included.

*       Warranty.

*       Clear, dimensioned drawings. Include Section. (Inches first, please)


*       Grounding attachment points shown on drawing(s).

*       There should be a standard convention for order of data
presentation... i.e. Pmax, Voc, Vpmax, Isc, Ipmax, Max System Voltage... We
can sort out what that should be, but it should be the same for everybody.

*       In this day and age, it's ludicrous that we don't have a central,
publicly accessible online database of this data. I believe it should be
funded by module mfrs and administered by a non-partisan, respected
organization... Hey NABCEP! Anybody who wants to talk more about achieving
this, please let me know.

I would like to send a shout-out to Sanyo for their recent HIT-Power
datasheets. They don't comply with every item I mention above, but they are
well presented and thorough. Like, everything I need to know in order to
select and design with this module is here and I can read it and, frankly, I
trust it. Can't say the latter about every product out there. "Oh. Did we
forget to point out that +/- 10% means -10% but that's just the power
characteristic, so your effective Pt-minus is really more like -12%?"

In addition to being a top quality product, I believe Sanyo has set a good
starting-point example for others to model their datasheets after. Oh my,
what a lesson building an Ark can be!

Here's a link to an example:
http://us.sanyo.com/dynamic/product/Downloads/HIT%20Power%20215N-12887676.pd
<http://us.sanyo.com/dynamic/product/Downloads/HIT%20Power%20215N-12887676.p
d%0Af> 
f (Just over 1MB so I couldn't attach)  For the purists on the list, I'M NOT
ADVERTISING so don't bug Michael with comments to that effect. If you feel
the need to vent, send it to me directly.

Check it out for yourselves. Compare it to what you're used to using. What's
good about each? What could be better? How do we drive this message home to
Mfrs?

All comments welcome. On or off-list.

-Matt Lafferty; Janitor



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End of RE-wrenches Digest, Vol 2, Issue 484
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