[RE-wrenches] More Sunny Island power problems

Fri Aug 15 11:59:46 PDT 2014

Hi Steve Jefferson,

I was under the impression that frequency shift was a secondary fail-proof
way to ramp back the Sunny Boys but the communication could provide the
ramping function before frequency shift kicked in. Maybe I made that up.
If that is the case, I've wasted a lot time and material getting
communication out to the SBs in purely off-grid installations. Is there any
other functionality through the comm in an off-grid install?

Thanks for the info
On Aug 15, 2014 12:43 PM, "William Miller" <william at millersolar.com> wrote:

> Steve:
>
>
>
> Thank you for the information.  Right on target.
>
>
>
> We have always known that you don’t want two UPS units in series and that
> is what you basically have with a UPS plugged into a Sunny Island system.
> I had not really thought of it this way.
>
>
>
> I will be looking at the SD information.
>
>
>
> William
>
>
>
>
>
> [image: Gradient Cap_mini]
> Lic 773985
> millersolar.com <http://www.millersolar.com/>
> 805-438-5600
>
>
>
> *From:* RE-wrenches [mailto:re-wrenches-bounces at lists.re-wrenches.org] *On
> Behalf Of *Steve Jefferson
> *Sent:* Friday, August 15, 2014 11:11 AM
> *To:* RE-wrenches
> *Subject:* Re: [RE-wrenches] More Sunny Island power problems
>
>
>
> Afternoon William,
>
>
>
> The communication is there to send the signal to the Sunny Boys to go into
> off-grid mode, when the grid fails.
>
> Frequency shift still occurs when current is not needed from the SBoy’s.
>
>
>
> I typically would not recommend that a UPS circuit be placed in the
> protected loads panel.
>
> The UPS is looking for grid issues, and I think the frequency shift
> feature would probably fall under that.
>
>
>
> As for the SI frying the UPS, it is my opinion that the UPS failed. It
> should have disconnected and started to provide backup power to its loads
> when the SI started to shift the freq.
>
> That’s its job.
>
>
>
> I Still think it is a good idea to examine the SI data, maybe you can
> figure out if the SI was in Freq shift mode when the UPS failed.
>
>
>
> Thanks
>
>
>
> SMA America, LLC
>
> Steve Jefferson
>
> Service Line Supervisor
>
> 3925 Atherton Ave
>
> Rocklin, CA 95765 - 3714
>
> U.S.A.
>
> Tel:  +1 916 625 3185 (direct)
>
> Fax: +1 916 625 0871
>
> Mobile: +1 916 622 4253
>
> Email: *Steve.jefferson at SMA-America.com <Steve.jefferson at SMA-America.com>*
>
> www.SMA-America.com <http://www.sma-america.com/>
>
>
>
> [image: cid:image001.png at 01CF1CFA.FE18BEB0]
> <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yQWzPuyqhzo&feature=youtu.be>
>
>
>
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> *From:* RE-wrenches [mailto:re-wrenches-bounces at lists.re-wrenches.org
> <re-wrenches-bounces at lists.re-wrenches.org>] *On Behalf Of *William Miller
> *Sent:* Friday, August 15, 2014 9:55 AM
> *To:* 'RE-wrenches'
> *Subject:* Re: [RE-wrenches] More Sunny Island power problems
>
>
>
> Mac:
>
>
>
> I will review the data.  Thanks!
>
>
>
> William
>
>
>
> [image: Gradient Cap_mini]
> Lic 773985
> millersolar.com <http://www.millersolar.com/>
> 805-438-5600
>
>
>
> *From:* RE-wrenches [mailto:re-wrenches-bounces at lists.re-wrenches.org
> <re-wrenches-bounces at lists.re-wrenches.org>] *On Behalf Of *Mac Lewis
> *Sent:* Friday, August 15, 2014 9:46 AM
> *To:* RE-wrenches
> *Subject:* Re: [RE-wrenches] More Sunny Island power problems
>
>
>
> William,
> As far as I understand, the communication is supposed to take away the
> need for frequency shift. Have you pulled the data off of the Sim card and
> looked for frequency shift?
>
> On Aug 15, 2014 10:24 AM, "William Miller" <william at millersolar.com>
> wrote:
>
> Friends:
>
>
>
> A Sunny Island mini-grid system I am maintaining also does not play nice
> with a UPS unit.  So much so that the system reportedly fried a Furman UPS
> unit yesterday!
>
>
>
> This should not be!  The UPS unit is supposed to protect downstream
> equipment and should be able to protect itself as well.
>
>
>
> I need to rent some high quality power monitoring equipment to monitor
> voltage, frequency and distortion.  I need one three phase unit in the
> power building and I need something more compact for the AV equipment
> room.  Does anyone have a recommendation for models that might work in this
> scenario?
>
>
>
> The thought occurred to me that the system by which the Sunny Island
> varies line frequency may be problematic for sensitive electronics.  I have
> connected the Sunny Island master to the Sunny Boys with RS485 and
> programmed the Sunny Boys for off-grid.  Can this allow the two systems to
> communicate to regulate PV charge without relying on frequency shifting?
>
>
>
> Thanks in advance.
>
>
>
> William
>
>
>
>
>
> [image: Gradient Cap_mini]
> Lic 773985
> millersolar.com <http://www.millersolar.com/>
> 805-438-5600
>
>
>
>
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