[RE-wrenches] DC Disconnects incorporated into grid-tie inverters. flammable surfaces

William Miller william.miller at millersolar.com
Thu Aug 6 20:11:31 PDT 2015


Dear Friends:

 

I have been pursuing some answers from Solectria on what appear to be
significant defects in the design of their residential PVI series inverters.
I have finally received some final answers from them on a few issues and I
am waiting on final answers on others.  Unfortunately the answers are not
good.

 

1.    Apparently the electronics portion of the PVI series inverter cannot
be separated from the DC disconnect.  If you want to replace that inverter,
you need to remove the entire chassis.  This of course exposes the lone
service worker to high voltage DC.  The unit looks like it can be separated
but they tell me it cannot be.  This reminds me of the Fronius IG series
inverter.  I argued with Fronius for an entire day about how idiotic it was
to propose tarping panels to protect service workers.  I submit that an
inverter without a separatable disconnect requires an outboard DC disconnect
or it is not viable.  The DC disconnect adds cost and clutter to any
install.

 

Solectria has an outboard, remotely activated disconnect.  I was hoping to
get my hands on one at a recent local sales seminar Solectria held, but the
goofball presenting the seminar did not bother bringing one ( I can call him
a goof ball because he has since left Solectria.  I would not otherwise call
anyone at a manufacturer a name, they are all good people doing the best job
they can with the products they are hired to represent).  Anyway, before I
bid another Solectria I will price compare with the cost of the remote
disconnect included.  I won't install one until I have touched the device to
verify it is suitable.

 

I am taking a poll:  Which GT inverters have included, separatable DC
disconnects?  How easy are they to replace?  How important is it to you that
the DC disconnect be separatable?

 

2.    The Solectria PVI installation manual indicates the inverter is not to
be mounted to "flammable surfaces."  You cannot mount these inverter on a
wood surface, indoors or out.  The bracket is not wide enough to span two
studs in most cases, so if you are mounting it inside, you cannot mount it
on a plywood backboard and you cannot mount it on the exterior of a
wood-sheeted structure.  It is not unlikely that if any trees are near your
inverter, a few leaves will likely become lodged behind the inverter over
time and they then could burst into flames.  To me this inverter heating
seems very limiting.  It makes me think:  do I want to install a
fire-starter on or in my customers homes?

 

Do any of you know of any other inverters that get hot enough to ignite the
surface onto which they are mounted?

 

Thanks for the input.

 

William Miller

 

Gradient Cap_mini
Lic 773985
millersolar.com <http://www.millersolar.com/> 
805-438-5600

 

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