[RE-wrenches] Delta LA's in or out? It's our choice.

Wed Sep 15 17:31:10 PDT 2010

I just remembered that I've seen Deltas pre-installed (by the factory) 
within Satcons- at least the 50s, and I think they're in the 250s as 
well. I guess they'd look a bit weird sticking out of the cabinet!

Dave Palumbo wrote:
> Bill,
>
> I checked with Delta and they say the LA’s are designed to be mounted
> inside, or, outside the box. On their product sheets that came with the
> arrestors in years past they clearly showed the LA’s inside the load
> center. In fact that is the way they are still showing them used on
> their sales web site http://www.deltasurgeprotectors.com/home.cfm
>
> Maybe the lawyers want them shown in the box for liability concerns. The
> tech person I spoke with says they recommend putting them in the box if
> they are around combustible material such as insulation. Could that also
> be dry grass around a ground mount?
>
> They did say that on LA’s manufactured 2009 and later that the jar no
> longer cracks, they have a “VIP plug” on the bottom of the jar that pops
> out when the LA is done. They did say that on big, close by strikes, all
> bets are off on just the VIP plug popping out. Expect more damage in
> that case.
>
> BTW, great article in Solar Pro on PV array voltage issues.
>
> Thanks,
>
> Dave
>
> *From:* re-wrenches-bounces at lists.re-wrenches.org
> [mailto:re-wrenches-bounces at lists.re-wrenches.org] *On Behalf Of *Bill
> Brooks
> *Sent:* Thursday, September 02, 2010 12:46 PM
> *To:* 'RE-wrenches'
> *Subject:* Re: [RE-wrenches] Delta LA's
>
> David,
>
> They are supposed to be mounted outside boxes so that you can clearly
> see when they have been used up. Sand makes glass that expands and
> breaks the plastic. They used to be porcelain for the very same reason.
> If you are concerned about unqualified people coming in contact with
> conductors, put a guard around it.
>
> Bill.
>
> *From:* re-wrenches-bounces at lists.re-wrenches.org
> [mailto:re-wrenches-bounces at lists.re-wrenches.org] *On Behalf Of *Dave
> Palumbo
> *Sent:* Wednesday, September 01, 2010 5:32 PM
> *To:* 'RE-wrenches'
> *Subject:* Re: [RE-wrenches] Delta LA's
>
> I am concerned with Delta LA 600VDC cans being mounted exterior from
> J-boxes (or disconnect switches) on ground mounts.
>
> I remember hearing from an old hand that these devices can fail in a
> manner that could possibly expose the wiring to human hands. The wires
> would have high voltage DC potential. Not something we need in our industry.
>
> Am I worrying about something that can’t happen? Or should these be in
> PVC boxes?
>
> David Palumbo
>
> Independent Power LLC
>
> Offices in Lamoille and the Champlain Valley, Vermont
>
> 802.888.7194
>
> www.independentpowerllc.com
>
> NABCEP Certified Solar PV Installer™
>
> Vermont RE Incentive Program Partner
>
> *From:* re-wrenches-bounces at lists.re-wrenches.org
> [mailto:re-wrenches-bounces at lists.re-wrenches.org] *On Behalf Of *North
> Texas Renewable Energy Inc
> *Sent:* Tuesday, August 31, 2010 10:07 PM
> *To:* RE-wrenches
> *Subject:* Re: [RE-wrenches] Testing LSAs
>
> For the first time since 2004 we got a residential PV red tag for
> non-listed surge supressors. I just took them off and replaced them
> after we got the green tag. Of course he also red-tagged the copper
> ground plate because it was not thick enough. Go figure....
>
> Jim Duncan
>
> North Texas Renewable Energy
>
>     -----Original Message-----
>     *From:* re-wrenches-bounces at lists.re-wrenches.org
>     [mailto:re-wrenches-bounces at lists.re-wrenches.org]*On Behalf Of
>     *Andrew Truitt
>     *Sent:* Tuesday, August 31, 2010 8:09 PM
>     *To:* RE-wrenches
>     *Subject:* Re: [RE-wrenches] Testing LSAs
>
>
>
>     Question: Since the Delta lightning arrestors are not UL Listed, do
>     they threaten the UL compliance of the PV system as a whole?
>
>
>     - Andrew Truitt
>     Currently of Standard Solar
>     Free agent in the Denver area as of 10/6/10
>
>     On Tue, Aug 24, 2010 at 6:02 PM, Peter Parrish
>     <peter.parrish at calsolareng.com
>     <mailto:peter.parrish at calsolareng.com>> wrote:
>
>     I would think that an ohmmeter set to the 10 Mega-ohm setting (or the
>     highest setting possible), would be the first test. I would like to see
>     something on the order of 750 k-ohms (3/4 of a mega-ohm).
>
>     But the system should be tested at a higher voltage, than that available
>     from a DMM. Apply 240 Vac and measure the RMS current. It should be
>     should
>     be 0.3 mA or less.
>
>     Finally, these puppies really need to be tested at much higher voltages,
>     perhaps someone knows how to use that megohmmeter to test? What does the
>     manu recommend, “if suspect, throw it away and buy a new one”?
>
>     - Peter
>
>     Peter T. Parrish, Ph.D., President
>     California Solar Engineering, Inc.
>     820 Cynthia Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90065
>     CA Lic. 854779, NABCEP Cert. 031806-26
>     peter.parrish at calsolareng.com <mailto:peter.parrish at calsolareng.com>
>     Ph 323-258-8883, Mobile 323-839-6108, Fax 323-258-8885
>
>
>     ________________________________________
>     From: re-wrenches-bounces at lists.re-wrenches.org
>     <mailto:re-wrenches-bounces at lists.re-wrenches.org>
>     [mailto:re-wrenches-bounces at lists.re-wrenches.org
>     <mailto:re-wrenches-bounces at lists.re-wrenches.org>] On Behalf Of
>     Kristopher
>     Schmid
>     Sent: Tuesday, August 24, 2010 1:30 PM
>     To: 'RE-wrenches'
>     Subject: [RE-wrenches] Testing LSAs
>
>
>     What is the best method for testing the integrity of a DC and/or AC
>     lightning surge arrestor? Specifically, i use the Delta LA units. I know
>     they should be replaced if they look Bar-B-Qued, but otherwise...?
>
>     Thanks,
>     Kris Schmid
>
>     Legacy Solar
>     864 Clam Falls Trail
>     Frederic, WI 54837
>     715-653-4295
>     solman at legacysolar.com <mailto:solman at legacysolar.com>
>     www.legacysolar.com <http://www.legacysolar.com>
>
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