[RE-wrenches] Tigo Tech Support Response

[Darryl Thayer]

thanks David,  Well spoken (I would add the words after ", you have many strings of 3 modules in series" the words (connected in parallel)"

I have found one other tigo trick, If you are supplying an inverter with a short string, and some modules or even one module is shaded the inverter can drop out of MPPT range of the modules greatly reducing the power of the string.  So you have to do string sizing with reduced voltage from the Tigo's in mind.  

Darryl, 
BTW I am out of hospital after 90 days looking forward to full recovery by spring,  Hi everyone, I seem to have made it.   



________________________________
 From: David Katz <dkatz at aeesolar.com>
To: RE-wrenches <re-wrenches at lists.re-wrenches.org> 
Sent: Wednesday, October 17, 2012 11:34 AM
Subject: Re: [RE-wrenches] Tigo Tech Support Response
 

Larry and Dan,
Jacob’s response is a bit misleading. Tigo Maximizers operate in the buck mode, by lowering the voltage of a shaded module and increasing the current to match other modules in a string, so the unshaded modules are not affected.  If you use Maximizers in an off grid situation, you must still have enough voltage to charge the battery.  If you are using a typical 150 vdc input charge controller with 3 modules in series, you could still charge the battery on the voltage of 2-1/2 modules in series.  More typically in an off grid system, you have many strings of 3 modules in series.  If one has a lower voltage because of Maximizer operation, it will be ignored by the charge controller which will be tracking the full voltage strings.
If you want to use Maximixers in an off grid situation, I suggest using them with a Xantrex 600 vdc charge controller and one or two strings of modules.
 
David Katz
CTO & Founder
AEE Solar Inc
P: 707 825-1200
F: 707 825-1202
dkatz at aeesolar.com
www.aeesolar.com
DISCLAIMER: 
This communication, along with any documents, files or attachments, is intended for the use of only the addressee and contains privileged and confidential information. If you are not the intended recipient, you are hereby notified that any dissemination, distribution or copying of any information contained in or attached to this communication is strictly prohibited.  If you have received this message in error, please notify the sender immediately by e-mail reply and destroy the original communication and its attachments without reading, printing or saving in any manner.
 
 
From:re-wrenches-bounces at lists.re-wrenches.org [mailto:re-wrenches-bounces at lists.re-wrenches.org] On Behalf Of Larry Crutcher, Starlight Solar Power Systems
Sent: Wednesday, October 17, 2012 7:16 AM
To: RE-wrenches
Subject: Re: [RE-wrenches] Tigo Tech Support Response
 
Dan,
 
Thanks for posting this. I am fascinated and puzzled with their response. Why would they not advertise this point? I see nothing on their site that suggests the Module Maximizer functions with off-grid PV systems. Many battery based systems that we have installed over the years certainly could benefit from their technology and the monitoring.
 
Has anyone ever used the Tigo Maximizers with a battery based system?

Larry Crutcher
Starlight Solar Power Systems
 


 
On Oct 16, 2012, at 5:25 PM, <dan at foxfire-energy.com> <dan at foxfire-energy.com> wrote:
 
Hi Guys, following is the response from Tigo on the question of using their optimizers for battery charging:
 
Hello Dan
 
Thank you for the phone call yesterday. I have answers to some of your questions.
 
- At the moment, we only sell arc fault detection services to combiner box manufacturers to incorporate into their combiner boxes. However, in a short amount of time (estimates say about a month), we will offer string level arc fault detection.
 
- The maximizers will work just fine with batteries/charge controllers ONLY if the battery/charge controller has an MPPT input. There are those out there that do not have this type of input, so be sure to purchase accordingly. 
 
- We do offer module level monitoring.
 
Thanks and let me know if you have any other questions!

 
--------------------------------- 
Regards,
 
Jacob Jackson
Tech Support Engineer
Tigo Energy
 
 
db

Dan Brown
Foxfire Energy Corp.
Renewable Energy Systems
(802)-483-2564
www.Foxfire-Energy.com
NABCEP #092907-44
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