[RE-wrenches] Solmetric PVA and Tigo

[Bill Brooks]

Jesse,

I'm not sure what you are referring to about PVA and optimizers. I'm not
going to comment about optimizers although they seem very cool. I don't have
a lot of personal experience with dc optimizers yet.

I am very familiar with the Solmetric PV Analyzer which is an I-V curve
tracer. It is the least expensive curve tracer on the market. At $3,000 list
price it may seem pricy, but for what it does, it is cheap.

There is a wireless sensor kit that has irradiance and temperature sensors
that automatically load the values in with the I-V curve data. This is very
helpful when you are doing numerous repetitive commissioning tests on large
arrays, but at $1,500 list price, it is not worth it if you are only using
the tracer occasionally and for diagnostic reasons. A simple hand-held
irradiance meter and thermocouple on the back of a module is about 1/10 the
cost. Also, the wireless sensors have a poor range (10-15 feet) so they are
not intended to set up on one end of a commercial roof and leave there while
you test an array.

You can read what I wrote in SolarPro last year, but if there is any way
your company can find a budget to buy one, it is worth it. The basic
software that comes with it is marginal, but they have new software that
costs extra and is hopefully much better.

I also have a HukseFlux IV 400. This is more compact than the Solmetric, has
wired irradiance and temperature measurements, and can accurately test
modules which are a challenge for the Solmetric unit. The HukseFlux unit is
more expensive at a list of about $5,000 with sensors but comes with better
software for analysis.

To get into a curve tracer cheaply, I would pick the Solmetric without
wireless sensors. To use it for commissioning, both products have pros and
cons and I would say I'm split between two. The main this is to get one and
start using it since it will teach volumes about I-V curves.

Bill.



-----Original Message-----
From: re-wrenches-bounces at lists.re-wrenches.org
[mailto:re-wrenches-bounces at lists.re-wrenches.org] On Behalf Of boB
Sent: Sunday, August 26, 2012 11:03 AM
To: RE-wrenches
Subject: Re: [RE-wrenches] Solmetric PVA and Tigo

On 8/26/2012 7:54 AM, Jesse Dahl wrote:
> Hello,
>
> Has anyone has experience using the Solmetric PVA and optimizers?  Is
there any issues?
>
> Jesse
>


You might ask Bill Brooks.  He has a  paragraph of recommendation right on
the data sheet.
for the handheld analyzer.

boB

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