Because it is not 80 amps current flowing, it is a capacity of 80 amps.<div>Think of it this way. Your toaster is plugged into an outlet that is powered by the grid. The grid has infinite capacity. Why doesn't your toaster explode? Because it takes the current it needs. Now, increase the voltage and you may have a runaway current situation, but at the design voltage the equipment takes the current it needs up to the limit if the supply.<br>
<br><div class="gmail_quote">On Wed, Oct 24, 2012 at 5:45 PM, Allan Sindelar <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:allan@positiveenergysolar.com" target="_blank">allan@positiveenergysolar.com</a>></span> wrote:<br><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex">
<div bgcolor="#FFFFFF" text="#000000">
Wrenches,<br>
Sometimes I encounter a situation that I have never encountered,
simply because it's so far beyond normal limits that I would never
try it to find out what would happen. Here's one.<br>
<br>
A did-it-myself customer called me for batteries for his system. I
learned he has a 12V system, with twelve 100 watt PV modules and a
Xantrex C-40 controller. He has been using this for five years.<br>
<br>
Twelve 100W modules is around 80-90 amps - double or more the C-40's
capacity. Assuming that what he told was accurate, why is the C-40
still working? Is it current-limited internally?<br>
<br>
By the way, since he had a 7,000 watt (yeah, right) 12V inverter
from a truck stop, I encouraged him to buy a 24V inverter and rewire
everything to 24V; then his C-40 would (just) work.<br>
<br>
Thanks, Allan<span class="HOEnZb"><font color="#888888"><br>
<div>-- <br>
<font face="Times New Roman, Times, serif"><b>Allan Sindelar</b></font><br>
<small><a href="mailto:Allan@positiveenergysolar.com" target="_blank"><font color="#000099" face="Times New Roman, Times, serif"><u>Allan@positiveenergysolar.com</u></font></a></small><font face="Times New Roman, Times, serif"><br>
<span style="font-size:10pt">NABCEP Certified Photovoltaic
Installer<br>
NABCEP Certified Technical Sales Professional<br>
New Mexico EE98J Journeyman Electrician<br>
Founder and Chief Technology Officer<br>
<b>Positive Energy, Inc.</b><br>
3209 Richards Lane (note new address)<br>
Santa Fe, New Mexico 87507<br>
<b><a href="tel:505%20424-1112" value="+15054241112" target="_blank">505 424-1112</a></b><br>
<a href="http://www.positiveenergysolar.com/" target="_blank"><u>www.positiveenergysolar.com</u></a><u></u><u></u></span></font>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right:722.25pt"><span style="font-size:10pt"><font face="Times New Roman, Times,
serif"><u></u><u></u><u></u><u></u><u></u><u></u><u></u><u></u></font><b><br>
</b></span></p>
<span style="font-size:10pt"><br>
</span> </div>
</font></span></div>
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