[RE-wrenches] Outback Grid Problems

[tump at hughes.net]

I have a company that will rent a Fluke power logger 1735 for ~ $300/ month.
 I have been using one to measure just this issue. I found the unit was easy to use + all the data logged can be downloaded. Logging can be as short as 1/2 second to 40 hours.   Ck out what one can log, it is quite a bit of information. Plus it is available w/ calibration cert. 
Contact me off list if you want to view spread sheet or their contact info.  
Sent via BlackBerry by AT&T

-----Original Message-----
From: penobscotsolar at midmaine.com
Date: Tue, 30 Mar 2010 19:31:21 
To: RE-wrenches<re-wrenches at lists.re-wrenches.org>
Subject: Re: [RE-wrenches] Outback Grid Problems

Hi Ray,
   It's very funny this comes up with you now. I have a 3500 watt array
running my home. For years I sold between 10 and 16 kwh per day,
depending on the time of year, on a sunny day. I should mention the
panels are in a south facing field on pole mounts.
   Suddenly I was noticing a decrease, substantial, in production. I
checked my programming, OutBack sent me inverter boards to replace,
literally checked and/or replaced everything many, many times with no
satisfaction. Long story short, I had the utility change out the 35
year old transformer last Friday and on Saturday, a gloriously sunny
but cold day, I made 20.4 kwh, up from what had been only about 5 kwh
per day. That is a record for me. Remember, this is in Maine in March.
My array is 15 years old.
   I would suggest you have the utility check the transformer. If it is
old, have them replace it. It made all the difference for me.

Daryl DeJoy
NABCEP Certified PV installer
Penobscot Solar Design



> HI Ray,
>
> Have you checked the grid voltage to see if there is variation during the
> day which would be enough to kick the inverters out of connection?
>
> Brian Teitelbaum
> AEE Solar
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: re-wrenches-bounces at lists.re-wrenches.org
> [mailto:re-wrenches-bounces at lists.re-wrenches.org] On Behalf Of R Ray
> Walters
> Sent: Tuesday, March 30, 2010 9:43 AM
> To: RE-wrenches
> Subject: [RE-wrenches] Outback Grid Problems
>
> We currently have a Grid Tie system with a pair of Outback inverters that
> are regularly dropping out of sell mode, and letting the arrays spend all
> day charging the battery bank.
> It seems to do this several times a week, and the customer is losing
> substantial production, and gassing the batteries too much.
> It will reset itself the next day, or the customer resets it by turning
> off the inverters manually.
> The system is 24 v, with an old array of 1800 watts running through 2
> FM60s, and a new array of 2800 watts running through another pair of
> FM60s.
> The battery bank is HUP about 4100 Ah @ 24 v (3 strings of 1375 Ah each)
> Big battery, I know, but the customer is an electrical engineer, who
> wanted maximum storage capacity.
>
> Outback tech support has not resolved the issue, and this has turned into
> several service calls, and customer frustration.
> We've tried running the controllers through the HUB, and also
> independently, and that doesn't make a difference.
> I have numerous Outback GT installs dating back to 2003, and have never
> had a problem like this.
> Any help or advice would as always be greatly appreciated.
>
> Thank you in advance fellow Wrenches,
>
> R. Walters
> ray at solarray.com
> Solar Engineer
>
>
>
>
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