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    Ray,<br>
    <br>
    The balancing transformer isn't allowed with the GVFX inverters. In
    a dual FX inverter system, using the balancing transformer or not
    using it is nearly a wash. I think you save 15 watts when the
    inverter is asleep but the transformer losses are 10 or 12 watts.<br>
    <pre class="moz-signature" cols="72">Kent Osterberg
Blue Mountain Solar, Inc.
<a class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated" href="http://www.bluemountainsolar.com">www.bluemountainsolar.com</a>
t: 541-568-4882</pre>
    <br>
    On 1/5/2012 1:33 PM, Ray Walters wrote:
    <blockquote cite="mid:4F061734.3030805@solarray.com" type="cite">
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      I have a related question to this. Does setting up a pair of
      Outback GVFXs with the balancing transformer and allowing one
      inverter to go to sleep at lower AC output improve efficiency?  It
      seems we would be reducing electronic loads, but adding
      transformer losses.   Any comments? I have a recently commissioned
      double Outback system with 200 AH @48v battery bank.  He's
      reporting efficiency at 77% DC in to AC out.  I'd love to improve
      that, as his aging array of Sharp modules seems to be under
      performing as well, (4.08 KW STC rated,  3 Kw actual out)  I
      haven't gone back and done testing with my insolation meter, so
      I'm not sure exactly what is happening, but his overall efficiency
      (STC rated to AC out) is only 56% .<br>
      <br>
      Ray<br>
      <br>
      On 1/4/2012 7:55 PM, Maverick Brown [Maverick Solar] wrote:
      <blockquote cite="mid:A4F08B3A7C2746219FA24FD632D8CB46@MSE002"
        type="cite">
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        <div dir="ltr" align="left"><span class="683282302-05012012"><font
              color="#0000ff" face="Arial" size="2">Please use the 90%
              of the CEC or PTC rating of the PV module at most.</font></span></div>
        <div dir="ltr" align="left"><span class="683282302-05012012"></span> </div>
        <div dir="ltr" align="left"><span class="683282302-05012012"><font
              color="#0000ff" face="Arial" size="2">Among
              several systems that I monitor daily, I have an
              example 11.760kw (STC) system that has a 500Ah battery
              bank and it peaks at 77-80% of the STC rating each day.</font></span></div>
        <div dir="ltr" align="left"><span class="683282302-05012012"></span> </div>
        <div dir="ltr" align="left"><span class="683282302-05012012"><font
              color="#0000ff" face="Arial" size="2">Peak is defined as
              the top of  the bell curve that forms from the graphing
              watts output versus nameplate watts.</font></span></div>
        <div dir="ltr" align="left"><span class="683282302-05012012"></span> </div>
        <div dir="ltr" align="left"><span class="683282302-05012012"><font
              color="#0000ff" face="Arial" size="2">If I use the CEC
              rating (10.54kw), it peaks at 86-90% of the CEC rating
              each day.</font></span></div>
        <div dir="ltr" align="left"><span class="683282302-05012012"></span> </div>
        <div dir="ltr" align="left"><span class="683282302-05012012"><font
              color="#0000ff" face="Arial" size="2">If I go to the CEC
              list and copy & paste into a spreadsheet and enter the
              values for the STC versus PTC, I <em>might</em>  find I
              would loose 10% (or more) in the PV rating.</font></span></div>
        <div dir="ltr" align="left"><span class="683282302-05012012"></span> </div>
        <div dir="ltr" align="left"><span class="683282302-05012012"><font
              color="#0000ff" face="Arial" size="2"><a
                moz-do-not-send="true"
                href="http://www.gosolarcalifornia.org/equipment/pv_modules.php">http://www.gosolarcalifornia.org/equipment/pv_modules.php</a> (go

              ahead, find your modules and divide PTC by Nameplate).</font></span></div>
        <div dir="ltr" align="left"><span class="683282302-05012012"></span> </div>
        <div dir="ltr" align="left"><span class="683282302-05012012"><font
              color="#0000ff" face="Arial" size="2">I also have a
              grid-interactive system that has a very large battery bank
              (2600Ah @ 48V, with 9kw STC Array) and it only has a peak
              efficiency rating of 69% because of the load of the
              batteries. The larger the battery bank, the happier
              customers are for outage situations, but the larger the
              battery bank, the more current goes into "Floating" the
              batteries during selling. For that system, I may lower
              "Grid Support/SellRE" and use Auto EQ to keep the
              batteries fresh...</font></span></div>
        <div dir="ltr" align="left"><span class="683282302-05012012"></span> </div>
        <div dir="ltr" align="left"><span class="683282302-05012012"><font
              color="#0000ff" face="Arial" size="2">Anyway, keep in mind
              that you cannot simply assume:</font></span></div>
        <div dir="ltr" align="left"><span class="683282302-05012012"></span> </div>
        <div dir="ltr" align="left"><span class="683282302-05012012"><font
              color="#0000ff" face="Arial" size="2">12kw Array x 6 hours
              of sun =  72kwh of generation each day. The brand of PV,
              the size of the battery bank and even the charge
              controller's Absorb & Float settings can greatly
              reduce what the inverter thinks it can sell. With multiple
              inverters and charge controllers it gets even more
              complicated (worse).</font></span></div>
        <div dir="ltr" align="left"><span class="683282302-05012012"></span> </div>
        <div dir="ltr" align="left"><span class="683282302-05012012"></span><span
            class="683282302-05012012"></span><span
            class="683282302-05012012"><font color="#0000ff"
              face="Arial" size="2">Good luck,</font></span></div>
        <div dir="ltr" align="left"><span class="683282302-05012012"></span> </div>
        <div dir="ltr" align="left"><span class="683282302-05012012"><font
              color="#0000ff" face="Arial" size="2">Maverick</font></span></div>
        <div dir="ltr" align="left"><span class="683282302-05012012"></span> </div>
        <div dir="ltr" align="left"><span class="683282302-05012012"></span> </div>
        <br>
        <div dir="ltr" class="OutlookMessageHeader" align="left"
          lang="en-us">
          <hr tabindex="-1"> <font face="Tahoma" size="2"><b>From:</b>
            <a moz-do-not-send="true" class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated"
              href="mailto:re-wrenches-bounces@lists.re-wrenches.org">re-wrenches-bounces@lists.re-wrenches.org</a>
            [<a moz-do-not-send="true" class="moz-txt-link-freetext"
              href="mailto:re-wrenches-bounces@lists.re-wrenches.org">mailto:re-wrenches-bounces@lists.re-wrenches.org</a>]
            <b>On Behalf Of </b><a moz-do-not-send="true"
              class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated"
              href="mailto:boB@midnitesolar.com">boB@midnitesolar.com</a><br>
            <b>Sent:</b> Wednesday, January 04, 2012 5:14 PM<br>
            <b>To:</b> RE-wrenches<br>
            <b>Subject:</b> Re: [RE-wrenches] DC to AC derate<br>
          </font><br>
        </div>
        On 1/4/2012 3:01 PM, All Solar, Inc. wrote:
        <blockquote
          cite="mid:B5CBE3E26B764CC9987DB55BA8FD7972@SrvcTagGV13VB1"
          type="cite">
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          <div><font face="Arial" size="2">Wrenches,</font></div>
          <div><font face="Arial" size="2">Once again I am trying to
              size a grid tie w/battery system and I struggle a little
              with the efficiencies of them.</font></div>
          <div><font face="Arial" size="2">With PV Watts (v.1), is
              changing the DC to AC derate an accurate method for
              getting the output?</font></div>
          <div> </div>
          <div><font face="Arial" size="2">Thanks in advance!</font></div>
          <div> </div>
          <div><font face="Arial" size="2">Jeremy</font></div>
        </blockquote>
        <br>
        <br>
        If you keep the batteries charged  to a voltage just above their
        resting voltage,<br>
        say, 52 volts for a 48V system, and the battery bank isn't too
        large, (~225 A-hours,<br>
        maybe a bit more), about 90%  PV to grid AC efficiency is in the
        ball park.<br>
        <br>
        That's what we figured in the early days of GFX inverters at
        OB.  That's giving<br>
        5% for the electronics and 5% for keeping up the batteries.<br>
        Different and/or more accurate information may have come along
        since<br>
        that time.<br>
        <br>
        boB<br>
        <br>
      </blockquote>
      <br>
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