[RE-wrenches] PV Recombiner

Drake drake.chamberlin at redwoodalliance.org
Wed Oct 12 06:35:41 PDT 2016 

DC breaker systems should be designed similar to 
AC bolt on breaker systems that are used for many 
commercial and industrial applications.

The explanation for the fact that these don't 
exist has to do with the cost of designing and 
listing the equipment. There is no technical 
reason that a DC enclosure needs to be any more 
difficult to wire than an off the shelf AC box.

The AC breakers in any solar enclosure should 
certainly be standard snap on breakers. Once the 
power has been inverted to AC, there is no 
reason  to require anything other than standard code requirements.

Drake Chamberlin
Athens Electric LLC
OH License 44810
CO License 3773
NABCEP Certified Solar PV
740-448-7328
<http://athens-electric.com/>http://athens-electric.com/

At 11:31 PM 10/10/2016, you wrote:
>My students we just today complaining about the 
>access to wires on the panel mount breakers. The 
>lug idea with separators might be a fix. It 
>definitely needs to be done differently. In 
>class We added another inverter to our package 
>and trying to install another 175A breaker was a 
>pain. We have a few other DC breakers in there 
>already. The whole cabinet is basically inaccessible.
>
>Jesse Dahl
>
>NABCEP PV Installation Professional
>IBEW Local 292 - Electrician
>Electrical/Solar PV Instructor - HCC
>
>Sent from my iPhone
>
>On Oct 10, 2016, at 9:40 PM, Jerry Shafer 
><<mailto:jerrysgarage01 at gmail.com>jerrysgarage01 at gmail.com> wrote:
>
>>You might want to look at the square D QO 
>>breaker line some are dc rated and voltage rated and are panel mounted.
>>Jerry
>>
>>On Oct 10, 2016 3:00 PM, "jay" 
>><<mailto:jay.peltz at gmail.com>jay.peltz at gmail.com> wrote:
>>I”ll chime in here.
>>
>>Yes the GSLC is a piece of junk.
>>However it is UL listed for the job. And while 
>>you could put together something that would 
>>work with Airpax breakers together, but it wouldn’t be UL.
>>
>>What I do is to swap out all the wires to 
>>Arctic ultra flex.  This allows much better 
>>movement of the wires with significantly less 
>>stress on the terminals.   And if you want to 
>>not attach wires to the back of the breakers 
>>then you can and I’ve seen outback do it, 
>>install lay in lugs facing outwards so you can 
>>use a screwdriver or allen key on them.  Allows 
>>for installation and removal of wire without 
>>removal of the breaker or the 
>>plate/breakers.  With thimbles of course. And I 
>>can’t find them but I know they make them, 
>>shields that fit between each breaker so the lay in lugs are insulated.
>>
>>jay
>>peltz power
>>
>>
>>>On Oct 10, 2016, at 4:40 PM, William Miller 
>>><<mailto:william at millersolar.com>william at millersolar.com> wrote:
>>>
>>>Chris:
>>>
>>>
>>>Thank you for the reply.  I think you 
>>>misunderstand me.  We always use the GSLC 
>>>cabinets.  I just don’t like the design 
>>>concept that clutters the cabinet with AC and 
>>>DC breakers that are difficult to access and 
>>>block other components.  See photo below of a 
>>>prewired GSLC Cabinet we were asked to work in.  Not a good scenario.
>>>
>>>
>>>We have created an installation standard using 
>>>the GSLC that minimizes the problems inherent 
>>>with the design.  We run all AC leads to 
>>>adjacent load centers and we try to minimize 
>>>the DC breakers in the cabinet.  It is our 
>>>goal to completely eliminate all breakers from 
>>>the removable dead-front.  I think it is 
>>>pretty self-explanatory why one would not 
>>>prefer to make connections in a hard to reach location.
>>>
>>>
>>>Our goal is to constantly improve our 
>>>installation procedures to create better, 
>>>safer and more efficient installations.
>>>
>>>
>>>Also, I don’t need someone to instruct me on 
>>>how to make a “finished” looking install. 
>>>If you are familiar with my work you know it 
>>>is as clean as it gets.  Review my web 
>>>site.  Below is but one example of one of our installs.
>>>
>>>
>>>And lastly, “suck it up” is not a very 
>>>complimentary phrase.  Please, let’s keep it professional.
>>>
>>>
>>>Sincerely,
>>>
>>>
>>>William Miller
>>>
>>>
>>><image007.jpg>
>>>
>>>Figure 1 Factory wired GSLC
>>>
>>>
>>><image008.jpg>
>>>
>>>Figure 2 Miller Solar installed GSLC..
>>>
>>>
>>><image009.jpg>
>>>Lic 773985
>>><http://www.millersolar.com/>millersolar.com
>>><tel:805-438-5600>805-438-5600
>>>
>>>
>>>From: RE-wrenches 
>>>[mailto:re-wrenches-bounces at lists.re-wrenches.org] On Behalf Of Chris Mason
>>>Sent: Monday, October 10, 2016 3:40 PM
>>>To: RE-wrenches 
>>><<mailto:re-wrenches at lists.re-wrenches.org>re-wrenches at lists.re-wrenches.org>
>>>Subject: Re: [RE-wrenches] PV Recombiner
>>>
>>>
>>>The GSLC gives the system a nice finished 
>>>appearance that the customer will understand. 
>>>Suck it up and live with the imperfect world we function in.
>>>
>>>
>>>On Mon, Oct 10, 2016 at 5:55 PM, William 
>>>Miller <<mailto:william at millersolar.com>william at millersolar.com> wrote:
>>>>Friends:
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>I am looking for a PV recombiner.  I need to 
>>>>accept the outputs from 3 remote PV 
>>>>Combiners, send those outputs through GFP 
>>>>circuit breakers, into charge controllers, 
>>>>back thorough breaker, into a bus bar, 
>>>>through a main breaker and onto a large battery bank.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>I am using 2 Outback Radian inverters, but I 
>>>>refuse to install DC breakers on their 
>>>>dead-front because wiring to studs facing 
>>>>away from the front is an inferior 
>>>>design.  Furthermore, I see no need to run PV 
>>>>circuits through the GSLC cabinets.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>I looked at the Midnite MNDC15 but again, 
>>>>these use panel mounted breakers with studs on the back.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>Anyone know of a more thoughtfully designed PV recombiner?
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>Thanks in advance,
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>William Miller
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>><image003.jpg>
>>>>Lic 773985
>>>><http://www.millersolar.com/>millersolar.com
>>>><tel:805-438-5600>805-438-5600
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>_______________________________________________
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>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>--
>>>Chris Mason
>>>NABCEP Certified Solar PV Installer™
>>>Solar Design Engineer
>>>Generac Generators Industrial technician
>>>
>>>
>>><http://www.cometenergysystems.com/>www.cometsolar.com
>>><tel:264.235.5670>264.235.5670
>>><tel:869.662.5670>869.662.5670
>>>Skype: netconcepts
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