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<DIV dir=ltr lang=en-us class=OutlookMessageHeader align=left><SPAN
class=406461516-12112010>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><FONT color=#0000ff size=2 face=Arial><SPAN
class=593315914-12112010>All,</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><FONT color=#0000ff size=2 face=Arial><SPAN
class=593315914-12112010></SPAN></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><FONT color=#0000ff size=2 face=Arial><SPAN
class=593315914-12112010>i don't know the cause behind the Meridian Winery
situation<FONT color=#000000><SPAN class=406461516-12112010><FONT
color=#0000ff>, but</FONT> </SPAN></FONT>Bill's comment offers a particularly
good opportunity for a teaching or re<SPAN
class=406461516-12112010>fresh</SPAN>er moment...</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><FONT color=#0000ff size=2 face=Arial><SPAN
class=593315914-12112010></SPAN></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><SPAN class=593315914-12112010><FONT face=Arial><FONT
color=#0000ff><FONT size=2>The <EM>"blown up combiner and melted-down
modules"</EM> caused by reversed polarity is way more common than it should be.
And it is 100 percent preventable.<SPAN class=406461516-12112010> One hundred
percent!</SPAN></FONT></FONT></FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><FONT color=#0000ff size=2 face=Arial><SPAN
class=593315914-12112010></SPAN></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><FONT face=Arial><FONT color=#0000ff><FONT size=2><SPAN
class=593315914-12112010>The damage, in these cases, cannot occur without the
fuses installed in the combiner or re-combiner.<SPAN
class=406461516-12112010> As far as i'm concerned,</SPAN> <STRONG><EM><SPAN
class=406461516-12112010>a</SPAN>ny manufacturer who actually ships a combiner
product with the fuses installed is guilty of negligence</EM></STRONG>.
</SPAN><SPAN class=593315914-12112010>Including inverter manufacturers,
and especially the central inverters with the integral re-combiners.
</SPAN><SPAN class=593315914-12112010>i've personally told many <SPAN
class=406461516-12112010>manufacturers </SPAN>how i see <SPAN
class=406461516-12112010>this</SPAN> over the years. The funny thing is, every
single one i've had these conversations with admits that reversed polarity
installations has caused them quite a bit of headache and cost. <SPAN
class=406461516-12112010>Quite a bit of frustration in some cases.
</SPAN></SPAN><SPAN class=593315914-12112010>Most of these folks say that the
costliest part is that the installer insists he installed it correctly
<<< ya think? >>> and, at the end of the day, it's
hard to prove he didn't<SPAN class=406461516-12112010> and they want to keep a
customer, </SPAN>so replacements are shipped... Often at reduced or no cost
to the installer.<SPAN class=406461516-12112010> Why anybody would want to lose
money in order to keep a lying customer is beyond me. But it goes farther than
that...</SPAN></SPAN></FONT></FONT></FONT></DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><FONT face=Arial><FONT color=#0000ff><FONT size=2><SPAN
class=593315914-12112010></SPAN></FONT></FONT></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><FONT face=Arial><FONT color=#0000ff><FONT size=2><SPAN
class=593315914-12112010>Why in the world would a manufacturer want to ship a
product in a state that increases the potential for disaster in the first
place? <SPAN class=406461516-12112010>Why don't they include specific
instructions for testing individual input circuits before installing fuses? Why
don't they include a basic commissioning form with every combiner? Checklist,
basic project data, and measured values... It's not that
hard.</SPAN></SPAN></FONT></FONT></FONT></DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><FONT color=#0000ff size=2 face=Arial><SPAN
class=593315914-12112010></SPAN></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><SPAN class=593315914-12112010><FONT face=Arial><FONT
color=#0000ff><FONT size=2><SPAN class=406461516-12112010>i advise that
they </SPAN><STRONG><U>SHIP COMBINERS WITH ALL FUSES
REMOVED</U></STRONG>. Most <SPAN class=406461516-12112010>ignore this
simple advice... </SPAN><SPAN class=406461516-12112010>How many more
catastrophic events is it gonna take before they adopt this practice? Probably
just the one where they get sued for negligence and
lose.</SPAN></FONT></FONT></FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><SPAN class=593315914-12112010><FONT face=Arial><FONT
color=#0000ff><FONT size=2><SPAN
class=406461516-12112010></SPAN></FONT></FONT></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><FONT face=Arial><FONT color=#0000ff><FONT size=2><SPAN
class=593315914-12112010>The larger these systems get, the higher the absolute
danger. One of the worst potential situations is a reversed polarity in a feeder
between a string combiner output and the re-combiner inp<SPAN
class=406461516-12112010>ut</SPAN>. <SPAN
class=406461516-12112010>A combiner full of reverse polarity strings, on
one half of a quasi-bi-polar array, is on a comparable scale of bad.
</SPAN></SPAN><SPAN class=593315914-12112010>The more re-combiner input circuits
there are, the bigger the meltdown. </SPAN><SPAN class=593315914-12112010>i've
seen the damage caused by this<SPAN class=406461516-12112010>
condition</SPAN> in <SPAN class=406461516-12112010>more cases than i
care to think about</SPAN>... It ain't pretty. And it's really expensive.
And, again, it's 100 percent preventable. There is no excuse for this happening.
NONE!</SPAN></FONT></FONT></FONT></DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><FONT color=#0000ff size=2 face=Arial><SPAN
class=593315914-12112010></SPAN></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><FONT face=Arial><FONT color=#0000ff><FONT size=2><SPAN
class=593315914-12112010>i urge each of you to review your practices and<SPAN
class=406461516-12112010>, if you haven't already,</SPAN> adopt the
following rule: </SPAN><SPAN class=593315914-12112010> NO FUSES IN ANY
COMBINERS UNTIL ALL ASSOCIATED CIRCUITS HAVE BEEN CHECKED FOR POLARITY AND
GROUND FAULTS, AND HAVE THEIR VOC MEASURED AND CONFIRMED TO BE
CORRECT.</SPAN></FONT></FONT></FONT></DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><FONT color=#0000ff size=2 face=Arial><SPAN
class=593315914-12112010></SPAN></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><FONT face=Arial><FONT color=#0000ff><FONT size=2><SPAN
class=593315914-12112010>Measured and recorded. On a form. <SPAN
class=406461516-12112010>Then reviewed to make sure the measured values look
like the expected values. In addition to preventing catastrophic meltdowns and
job delays, t</SPAN></SPAN><SPAN class=593315914-12112010>here are other very
important safety aspects as well. Like the fact that this engages somebody's
brain before the switch gets thrown. Like the fact that, as long as the fuses
are out of the combiners, the incident energy on any given circuit is limited to
just that circuit and doesn't include the neighboring circuits<SPAN
class=406461516-12112010>.</SPAN> Like the fact that you will find and
fix any small "oopsies" before they become big "Oh Shirts!"<SPAN
class=406461516-12112010> and 911 calls</SPAN>.
</SPAN></FONT></FONT></FONT></DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><FONT face=Arial><FONT color=#0000ff><FONT size=2><SPAN
class=593315914-12112010></SPAN><SPAN
class=593315914-12112010></SPAN></FONT></FONT></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><FONT color=#0000ff size=2 face=Arial><SPAN
class=593315914-12112010>None of us are perfect and never will be. Our
installers are never gonna be perfect. Hell, the equipment <SPAN
class=406461516-12112010>ain't gonna </SPAN>be perfect. We need to take
responsible steps to minimize the negative impacts of
imperfection.</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><FONT color=#0000ff size=2 face=Arial><SPAN
class=593315914-12112010></SPAN></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><FONT color=#0000ff size=2 face=Arial><SPAN
class=593315914-12112010><SPAN class=406461516-12112010><EM><STRONG>Any
qualified person who energizes power distribution systems, without checking
polarity and voltage of all sources at a minimum, is either not truly qualified
or negligent.</STRONG></EM></SPAN></SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><FONT color=#0000ff size=2 face=Arial><SPAN
class=593315914-12112010><SPAN
class=406461516-12112010></SPAN></SPAN></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><FONT color=#0000ff size=2 face=Arial><SPAN
class=593315914-12112010><SPAN class=406461516-12112010>So, which is it? Each of
the worst cases of reversed polarity meltdown, that i've personally dealt
with, were done by journeymen electricians working for a C-10 or
equivalent. All but two of them have been union shops. Qualified? They
each insisted that they are the <STRONG><EM>most</EM></STRONG> qualified...
Arrogant bravado and blustery bull-stuff from just about every electrician
involved, in fact. Couldn't be their fault, they are the best electrician
ever... </SPAN></SPAN></FONT><FONT color=#0000ff size=2 face=Arial><SPAN
class=593315914-12112010><SPAN class=406461516-12112010>Even after they
obviously blew stuff up. </SPAN></SPAN></FONT><FONT color=#0000ff size=2
face=Arial><SPAN class=593315914-12112010><SPAN class=406461516-12112010>i'll
take them at their word and say they were negligent.</SPAN></SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><FONT color=#0000ff size=2 face=Arial><SPAN
class=593315914-12112010><SPAN
class=406461516-12112010></SPAN></SPAN></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><FONT color=#0000ff size=2 face=Arial><SPAN
class=593315914-12112010><SPAN class=406461516-12112010><EM>Get your checkbooks
out, boys... There's some repairs to be made... Oh, wait... You're just the
employee and this is your boss' problem? And your boss
c</EM></SPAN></SPAN></FONT><FONT color=#0000ff size=2 face=Arial><SPAN
class=593315914-12112010><SPAN class=406461516-12112010><EM>an't write a check
for a half million dollars? Guess you need to call your boss'
insurance carrier... Glad nobody got hurt or dead as a result of your
negligence... This time. i am bummed that the customer is now scared of PV
and the job is severely delayed and we can't get enough replacement modules of
the same model and now the bank and insurance companies are making us do $50,000
of additional testing and inspections so the module manufacturer will honor
the warranty for the "undamaged" modules and all the internal time and resources
that this has cost and the PR problems... Yeah, that stuff is all a real bummer.
</EM></SPAN></SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><FONT color=#0000ff size=2 face=Arial><SPAN
class=593315914-12112010><SPAN
class=406461516-12112010></SPAN></SPAN></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><FONT color=#0000ff size=2 face=Arial><SPAN
class=593315914-12112010><SPAN class=406461516-12112010>And those are the
realities. Beyond just the physical damage to modules and combiners and wiring
and roofing... There are all these other costs.</SPAN></SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><FONT color=#0000ff size=2 face=Arial><SPAN
class=593315914-12112010><SPAN class=406461516-12112010>Big pricey problems
because two lousy wires are reversed. </SPAN></SPAN></FONT><FONT
color=#0000ff size=2 face=Arial><SPAN class=593315914-12112010><SPAN
class=406461516-12112010>Problems w</SPAN></SPAN></FONT><FONT color=#0000ff
size=2 face=Arial><SPAN class=593315914-12112010><SPAN
class=406461516-12112010>hich would have been prevented if the fuses were not
installed until AFTER polarity and voltage were checked. TAKE THE DAMNED FUSES
OUT!</SPAN></SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><FONT color=#0000ff size=2
face=Arial></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><FONT color=#0000ff size=2 face=Arial><SPAN
class=593315914-12112010><SPAN class=406461516-12112010>From an electrical
safety standpoint, the safest guy i ever worked with in solar was
absolutely petrified of electricity. He knew two things about
electricity... That he couldn't see it and it could kill him. He used to say
he preferred rattlesnakes to electricity 'cause you can see and hear a
rattlesnake before it bites you. </SPAN></SPAN></FONT><FONT color=#0000ff size=2
face=Arial><SPAN class=593315914-12112010><SPAN class=406461516-12112010>He
worked all over the US on jobs of all types and sizes. Residential to utility
scale. He terminated thousands and thousands of conductors, though he
wasn't an electrician. He made up thousands and thousands of circuits over ten
years in the trade. He claims that he never got shocked or shorted anything out
even once. </SPAN></SPAN></FONT><FONT color=#0000ff size=2 face=Arial><SPAN
class=593315914-12112010><SPAN class=406461516-12112010>The reason? He knew what
he didn't know. </SPAN></SPAN></FONT><FONT color=#0000ff size=2 face=Arial><SPAN
class=593315914-12112010><SPAN class=406461516-12112010>He made sure that he
knew exactly what was connected to everything he touched and, if he was ever
unsure, he had somebody else verify. He communicated with co-workers and
verified that both ends of wires were marked the same. Basic, simple,
fundamental things. </SPAN></SPAN></FONT><FONT color=#0000ff size=2
face=Arial><SPAN class=593315914-12112010><SPAN class=406461516-12112010>If he
had any doubts about whether or not he did something correctly, he brought it to
somebody's attention so they could check it out before anybody got hurt or
anything got damaged. </SPAN></SPAN></FONT><FONT color=#0000ff size=2
face=Arial><SPAN class=593315914-12112010><SPAN class=406461516-12112010>If he
didn't like or understand the situation, he wouldn't work on it. If he saw
fuses installed in something, he would not touch it. Plain and simple. He saw
plenty of other people get shocked or short something out, and he didn't want
anything to do with that. This guy had a truckload of machismo, but he
didn't let that get in the way of asking for help or doing a safe job.
</SPAN></SPAN></FONT><FONT color=#0000ff size=2 face=Arial><SPAN
class=593315914-12112010><SPAN class=406461516-12112010>There's a lesson in
here.</SPAN></SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><FONT color=#0000ff size=2 face=Arial><SPAN
class=593315914-12112010><SPAN
class=406461516-12112010></SPAN></SPAN></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><FONT face=Arial><FONT color=#0000ff><FONT size=2><SPAN
class=593315914-12112010><SPAN class=406461516-12112010>People, people,
people... </SPAN></SPAN><SPAN class=593315914-12112010>If a combiner shows up
with fuses installed, pull them out, put them in the job-box, and leave them
there until you have <SPAN class=406461516-12112010>fully
</SPAN>commissioned each string and feeder. <SPAN
class=406461516-12112010>This is super critical for inverter
integral combiners and re-combiners. </SPAN></SPAN><SPAN
class=593315914-12112010>i also insist on opening the DC grounding
jumper when the inverter lands onsite, too. But that's another
conversation.</SPAN></FONT></FONT></FONT></DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><FONT color=#0000ff size=2 face=Arial><SPAN
class=593315914-12112010><SPAN
class=406461516-12112010></SPAN></SPAN></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><SPAN class=593315914-12112010><FONT face=Arial><FONT
color=#0000ff><FONT size=2>Be safe out there. Keep your workers and
customers safe. Pull those fuses. Tell your suppliers to ship fuses
separately from combiners.<SPAN class=406461516-12112010> Bang on manufacturers
to ship with fuses out!</SPAN></FONT></FONT></FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><SPAN class=593315914-12112010><FONT face=Arial><FONT
color=#0000ff><FONT size=2><SPAN
class=406461516-12112010></SPAN></FONT></FONT></FONT></SPAN><FONT color=#0000ff
size=2 face=Arial><SPAN class=593315914-12112010></SPAN></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><FONT color=#0000ff size=2 face=Arial><SPAN
class=593315914-12112010>Pray for Fuse Free Combiners!</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><FONT color=#0000ff size=2 face=Arial><SPAN
class=593315914-12112010></SPAN></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><SPAN class=593315914-12112010><FONT color=#0000ff
size=2 face=Arial>Solar Janitor</FONT></SPAN></DIV></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr lang=en-us class=OutlookMessageHeader align=left><SPAN
class=406461516-12112010><FONT color=#0000ff size=2
face=Arial></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr lang=en-us class=OutlookMessageHeader align=left>
<HR tabIndex=-1>
</DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr lang=en-us class=OutlookMessageHeader align=left><FONT size=2
face=Tahoma><B>From:</B> re-wrenches-bounces@lists.re-wrenches.org
[mailto:re-wrenches-bounces@lists.re-wrenches.org] <B>On Behalf Of </B>Bill
Brooks<BR><B>Sent:</B> Thursday, November 11, 2010 10:06 AM<BR><B>To:</B>
'RE-wrenches'<BR><B>Subject:</B> Re: [RE-wrenches] Another PV
fire<BR></FONT><BR></DIV>
<DIV></DIV>
<DIV class=WordSection1>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; COLOR: #1f497d; FONT-SIZE: 11pt">William,<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; COLOR: #1f497d; FONT-SIZE: 11pt"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; COLOR: #1f497d; FONT-SIZE: 11pt">Apparently
this fire was started by miswiring a combiner box. Most likely reverse polarity
of a string or whole combiner box feeder at the inverter. Details to
come.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; COLOR: #1f497d; FONT-SIZE: 11pt"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; COLOR: #1f497d; FONT-SIZE: 11pt">Bill.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; COLOR: #1f497d; FONT-SIZE: 11pt"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; COLOR: #1f497d; FONT-SIZE: 11pt"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></P>
<DIV>
<DIV
style="BORDER-BOTTOM: medium none; BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; PADDING-LEFT: 0in; PADDING-RIGHT: 0in; BORDER-TOP: #b5c4df 1pt solid; BORDER-RIGHT: medium none; PADDING-TOP: 3pt">
<P class=MsoNormal><B><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Tahoma','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">From:</SPAN></B><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Tahoma','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">
re-wrenches-bounces@lists.re-wrenches.org
[mailto:re-wrenches-bounces@lists.re-wrenches.org] <B>On Behalf Of </B>William
Miller<BR><B>Sent:</B> Thursday, November 11, 2010 8:21 AM<BR><B>To:</B>
RE-wrenches<BR><B>Subject:</B> [RE-wrenches] Another PV
fire<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P></DIV></DIV>
<P class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal>Colleagues:<BR><BR>This is starting be more common.
Below from our local paper:<BR><BR><BR><B>Rooftop solar panels catch fire at
Meridian Winery east of Paso Robles<BR><BR></B>Solar panels on a building at
Meridian Winery east of Paso Robles caught fire Wednesday morning, according to
Cal Fire.The panels were on the roof of the building where red wine is
fermented. Firefighters are trying to see if the flames spread to other solar
panels, but have to wait for the electricity to be turned off.<BR>Meridian
Winery is located at 7000 Highway 46 East. The fire was reported at 10:25 a.m.
<BR><BR><BR>William Miller<BR><BR><BR><o:p></o:p></P>
<P><U>Please note new e-mail address and domain:<BR><BR></U>William Miller
<BR>Miller Solar<BR>Voice :805-438-5600<BR>email: william@millersolar.com<BR><A
href="http://millersolar.com/">http://millersolar.com<BR></A>License No.
C-10-773985<o:p></o:p></P></DIV></BODY></HTML>