[RE-wrenches] Outback Breaker Problem and looking towards 2012

[Dan Fink]

Jeff;

Yep, those darned net metering laws have made most of the manufacturers 
forget about off-grid farts like us. (I'm off grid since 1991).  I 
*guess* it was fun back in the day taking stuff from Home Depot and 
adapting it to DC. Bring out the multi-coloured electrical tape! I see 
some sketchy retrofits these days.....those QO breakers were DC rated 
and fine at 12VDC, but get scary at 130VDC with MPPT ;-)

Look at the bright side, Jeff -- off-grid is becoming a specialist 
market niche thanks to non-islanding direct grid tie now being 90% of 
the market at least. We have local off grid installers here trading off 
clients as they are too busy.

We will continue to stick like glue to the manufacturers who still 
remember what off-grid is and make products that are designed for it. 
One of them spells his name funny, and we love him.

I'll make an addition to your list of off-grid product woes, with a NEC 
issue included. Why can't we use welding cable for battery interconnects 
and inverter cables? It's a joy to work with, doesn't break off DC 
Breaker and other assorted terminals, and takes crimps better than the 
code stuff. It's like Buttah in the breaker box. The code stuff? Good 
luck finding it here, and add a zero to the price per foot. At least 
most electrical inspectors (here anyway) have eyesight that's worse than 
mine in low light and cramped conditions and can't read the stampings on 
the cable anyway....

By the way, nice rant Jeff!

-- 

Dan Fink
Executive Director;
Otherpower
Buckville Energy Consulting
Buckville Publications LLC
IREC / NABCEP accredited Continuing Education Providers
(970) 672-4342

> Not only have I snapped off my share of rear studs on these DC breakers, but
> have you noticed how the large 175 and 200 amp breakers have this large
> "batt" handle molded onto this very flimsy strip of a plastic lever arm
> going inside the breaker?   I have a whole box of these that were broken off
> in shipment or during installation.
>
> I keep getting the feeling that all solar manufacturers have given up the
> smaller off-grid and battery backup solar market and are only concentrating
> on the large module and grid-tie commercial market.  Seems like there is a
> race to see who can manufacturer a module that finally is so large that
> nobody can pick up without a crane.
>
> Hard to find modules with junction boxes instead of pigtails, DC connectors
> that finally get standardized and don't require buying a new $600 crimper
> every year, DC breakers and terminals that do not twist-off during
> installation, batteries that last and have standardized terminals, DC panel
> boxes with the right size and location of knock-outs, back-up residential
> generators that do not void the warranty if run more than twice per year, DC
> rated disconnects that you have to read hard-to-find documentation before
> you find out they must be de-rated from what their nameplate rating actually
> says, and inverters for battery-based systems that you do not have to be a
> graduate computer programmer just to set up.
>
> And finally, let's not forget modules having nameplates with data based on
> real world conditions, not some perfect conditions the client never
> understands - "why isn't my 2 kW nameplate rated system producing 2 kW?".
>
> Just saying.....................
>
> Jeff Yago
> DTI Solar
>