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<div class="moz-cite-prefix">I used 80-90A estimated because our
combination of high elevation and dry air makes 1,200 W/m2 quite
common.<br>
Allan<br>
<br>
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charset=ISO-8859-1">
<title></title>
<font face="Times New Roman, Times, serif"><b>Allan Sindelar</b></font><br>
<small><a href="mailto:Allan@positiveenergysolar.com"><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>505 424-1112</b><br>
<a href="http://www.positiveenergysolar.com/"
target="_blank"><u>www.positiveenergysolar.com</u></a><o:p></o:p></span></font>
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style=""><br>
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</span> </div>
On 10/24/2012 4:49 PM, Brian Teitelbaum wrote:<br>
</div>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span
style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D">Allan,<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span
style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span
style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D">Just
to add to Larry’s post, a 100W “12V nominal’ module would
put out about 5.9A, assuming that it’s really a 100W module
and has a Vmp of 17VDC. So 12 of them should be about
70-71A. The C-40 is not MPPT, so there is no amperage boost.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span
style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span
style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D">Luckily,
the C-40 is actually rated for a max input of 63A (40A x
1.56 = 62.4A). Whoever designed that unit really did their
homework (I can’t say the same for the C-60). Assuming less
than stellar DYI wiring and installation, as Larry
suggested, may just have saved that unit from overload. I
wonder what the wiring looks like at this point, since it’s
likely that he doesn’t have the correct overcurrent
protection device installed, if he has any OPD at all.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span
style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span
style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D">Sometimes,
two wrongs do make a right…sort of.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span
style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span
style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D">Keeping
the system at 12V and adding a second C-40 would be the
cheapest alternative, but going to 24V would of course be
better.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span
style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span
style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D">Funny
you should mention that “7000W 12V” inverter. I just
received a spec sheet for a “5000W with 10,000W surge” 12V
inverter (from China) that a potential customer wants to get
for use in third-world counties. Even at 5000W, that’s over
400A at 12V, and certainly would be a higher amperage if the
battery wasn’t large enough to keep it’s voltage up with a
load like that. It’s also more than 4/0 cable can safely
handle. Lots of hokum still out there. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span
style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span
style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D">Brian
Teitelbaum<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span
style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D">AEE
Solar<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span
style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<div>
<div style="border:none;border-top:solid #B5C4DF
1.0pt;padding:3.0pt 0in 0in 0in">
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span
style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"">From:</span></b><span
style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"">
<a class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated" href="mailto:re-wrenches-bounces@lists.re-wrenches.org">re-wrenches-bounces@lists.re-wrenches.org</a>
[<a 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>Larry Crutcher, Starlight Solar Power
Systems<br>
<b>Sent:</b> Wednesday, October 24, 2012 3:11 PM<br>
<b>To:</b> <a class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated" href="mailto:Allan@positiveenergysolar.com">Allan@positiveenergysolar.com</a>; RE-wrenches<br>
<b>Subject:</b> Re: [RE-wrenches] C-40 question<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</div>
</div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Allan, <o:p></o:p></p>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal">12 100 watt modules are more likely to be
about 60-70 amps. With all the losses involved in a poorly
designed DIY system (like most of them), I would expect to
see more than 25% power loss. Perhaps that is why the
controller lasted.<o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal">There is no current limiter in the C
series controllers. <o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal">Great advice about upping to 24 volt. I
can only imagine how many strings of batteries they must
have at 12 volts. Egads!<o:p></o:p></p>
<div>
<div>
<div>
<div>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span
style="font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif";color:black"><br>
Larry Crutcher<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</div>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span
style="font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif";color:black">Starlight
Solar Power Systems<o:p></o:p></span></p>
</div>
</div>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span
style="font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif";color:black"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<div>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal">On Oct 24, 2012, at 2:45 PM, Allan
Sindelar wrote:<o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal">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<o:p></o:p></p>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal">-- <br>
<b>Allan Sindelar</b><br>
<span style="font-size:10.0pt"><a
moz-do-not-send="true"
href="mailto:Allan@positiveenergysolar.com"><span
style="color:#000099">Allan@positiveenergysolar.com</span></a></span><br>
<span style="font-size:10.0pt">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>505 424-1112</b><br>
<a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="http://www.positiveenergysolar.com/"
target="_blank">www.positiveenergysolar.com</a></span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"
style="mso-margin-top-alt:auto;margin-right:722.25pt;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto"><o:p> </o:p></p>
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