<html><body><span style="font-family:Verdana; color:#000000; font-size:10pt;"><div>Sounds like Lightening damage.. are any SPD deployed? Is it grounded properly? (Both System and Equipment). anything else in the neighborhood get fried? (phones, compooters, microwaves etc). Might be a good idea to meg out conductors to check for insulation damage.. good luck<br></div><div><br></div><div>db<br></div><div><br>Dan Brown<br>Foxfire Energy Corp.<br>Renewable Energy Systems<br>(802)-483-2564<br><a href="http://www.Foxfire-Energy.com">www.Foxfire-Energy.com</a><br>NABCEP #092907-44</div><div><br><br></div>
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Subject: [RE-wrenches] Put on your detective hats - what can cause this<br>
Outback and Morningstar damage?<br>
From: Ross Taylor <<a href="mailto:ross.taylor@windenergy.com">ross.taylor@windenergy.com</a>><br>
Date: Tue, September 18, 2012 2:10 pm<br>
To: "<a href="mailto:re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org">re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org</a>"<br>
<<a href="mailto:re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org">re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org</a>><br>
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</style> <div class="WordSection1"> <div class="MsoNormal" style="font-size:12pt;">Hi gang,<o:p></o:p></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="font-size:12pt;"><o:p> </o:p></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="font-size:12pt;">I was at an off-grid site today and found damaged components. It\u2019s one of four identical sites and the configuration is proven. But, at one of the sites, there\u2019s some neighborhood opposition to the installation and I suspect vandalism. The opposition results from the locals\u2019 fondness for pilfering diesel fuel from the on-site generator. With the RE installation, diesel access is way down. Energy theft is also a problem, but I think not an issue here. The system has an Outback FX, a Morningstar TriStar TS-60 (as a diversion controller) and a suitable diversion load. I\u2019ve used the TS-60 many times and found them, and the Outback, to be about bullet proof. So, here\u2019s what I know:<o:p></o:p></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="font-size:12pt;"><o:p> </o:p></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="font-size:12pt;">The DC buss bar to which the Outback and the TriStar are connected is protected by a 100A DC breaker mounted in the side of the Outback FlexWare cabinet. Nothing odd there. But the breaker is fused or locked in the open position. The breaker toggle does not move freely. The TriStar was visibly charred \u2013 some small components from the back side of the card, near the +, were melted and laying inside the bottom of the cabinet. And, after replacing the TriStar, I bypassed the cabinet-mounted breaker (ONLY because there\u2019s another breaker on the line feeding this breaker) for a test. But, there\u2019s a direct short inside the Outback so it\u2019s clearly fried. So, with one fried TriStar, one fried Outback, and one fried breaker (that\u2019s a new one for me) I did some further inspection and found signs that someone had been inside the DC FlexWare cabinet and there\u2019s an arc weld on the POS buss bar. And, someone had removed one of the screws from the AC line buss in the AC FlexWare cabinet. The screw was laying inside the cabinet \u2013 not something I did when installing it 3 weeks ago.<o:p></o:p></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="font-size:12pt;"><o:p> </o:p></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="font-size:12pt;">I\u2019m guessing that, if someone was simply in the DC cabinet with a screwdriver and shorted across the +/- busses, I\u2019d be looking at only a tripped breaker. And, of course, another arc weld/scorch on another buss or cabinet part (which is NOT present). So, given the observations above, I have a question \u2013 if someone fed 240V AC into the DC buss side of this system, could that account for the three damaged components? There is 240V available close by and some wiring found at the site makes me suspicious. Or, does anyone have any experience with similar failures caused by \u201cnatural\u201d means and I\u2019m way off base?<o:p></o:p></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="font-size:12pt;"><o:p> </o:p></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="font-size:12pt;">Thanks much,<o:p></o:p></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="font-size:12pt;"><o:p> </o:p></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="font-size:12pt;">Ross<o:p></o:p></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="font-size:12pt;"><b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black"><img id="_x0000_i1025" src="cid:image001.gif@01CD95F3.C00E5A10" alt="Description: http://www.windenergy.com/_images/email-signature-logo-150x55.gif" wbeuser="dan@foxfire-energy.com" height="75" width="235"></span></b><b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black"><o:p></o:p></span></b></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="font-size:12pt;"><b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black"><o:p> </o:p></span></b></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="font-size:12pt;"><b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;color:black">Ross Taylor</span></b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;color:black"> <br> International Training Manager<o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="font-size:12pt;"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;color:black">Telecom Systems Project Manager - EMEA<o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="font-size:12pt;"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;color:black"><o:p> </o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="font-size:12pt;"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;color:black">Southwest Windpower GmbH<o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="font-size:12pt;"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;color:black">Mannesmannstr. 6<o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="font-size:12pt;"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;color:black">50996 Köln Deutschland<o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="font-size:12pt;"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;color:black"><a href="mailto:ross.taylor@windenergy.com" target="_blank"><span style="color:blue">ross.taylor@windenergy.com</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="font-size:12pt;"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;color:black"><a href="http://www.windenergy.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color:blue">www.windenergy.com</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="font-size:12pt;"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;color:black">Office: +49 (0) 221/ 16 53 94 50 <o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="font-size:12pt;"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;color:black">Mobile: +49 (0) 15779554879<o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="font-size:12pt;"><o:p> </o:p></div> </div> <hr>_______________________________________________<br>
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