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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link=blue vlink=purple><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"'>Larry and Dan,<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"'>Jacob’s response is a bit misleading. Tigo Maximizers operate in the buck mode, by lowering the voltage of a shaded module and increasing the current to match other modules in a string, so the unshaded modules are not affected. If you use Maximizers in an off grid situation, you must still have enough voltage to charge the battery. If you are using a typical 150 vdc input charge controller with 3 modules in series, you could still charge the battery on the voltage of 2-1/2 modules in series. More typically in an off grid system, you have many strings of 3 modules in series. If one has a lower voltage because of Maximizer operation, it will be ignored by the charge controller which will be tracking the full voltage strings.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"'>If you want to use Maximixers in an off grid situation, I suggest using them with a Xantrex 600 vdc charge controller and one or two strings of modules.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"'>David Katz<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"'>CTO & Founder<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"'>AEE Solar Inc<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"'>P: 707 825-1200<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"'>F: 707 825-1202<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"'>dkatz@aeesolar.com<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"'>www.aeesolar.com<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;text-autospace:none'><span style='font-size:8.0pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"'>DISCLAIMER: <br>This communication, along with any documents, files or attachments, is intended for the use of only the addressee and contains privileged and confidential information. If you are not the intended recipient, you are hereby notified that any dissemination, distribution or copying of any information contained in or attached to this communication is strictly prohibited. If you have received this message in error, please notify the sender immediately by e-mail reply and destroy the original communication and its attachments without reading, printing or saving in any manner.</span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;text-autospace:none'><span style='font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"'> </span><o:p></o:p></p></div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"'><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"'> re-wrenches-bounces@lists.re-wrenches.org [mailto:re-wrenches-bounces@lists.re-wrenches.org] <b>On Behalf Of </b>Larry Crutcher, Starlight Solar Power Systems<br><b>Sent:</b> Wednesday, October 17, 2012 7:16 AM<br><b>To:</b> RE-wrenches<br><b>Subject:</b> Re: [RE-wrenches] Tigo Tech Support Response<o:p></o:p></span></p></div></div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Dan,<o:p></o:p></p><div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal>Thanks for posting this. I am fascinated and puzzled with their response. Why would they not advertise this point? I see nothing on their site that suggests the Module Maximizer functions with off-grid PV systems. Many battery based systems that we have installed over the years certainly could benefit from their technology and the monitoring.<o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal>Has anyone ever used the Tigo Maximizers with a battery based system?<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><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Helvetica","sans-serif";color:black'><br><br></span><o:p></o:p></p></div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><div><div><p class=MsoNormal>On Oct 16, 2012, at 5:25 PM, <<a href="mailto:dan@foxfire-energy.com">dan@foxfire-energy.com</a>> <<a href="mailto:dan@foxfire-energy.com">dan@foxfire-energy.com</a>> wrote:<o:p></o:p></p></div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:black'>Hi Guys, following is the response from Tigo on the question of using their optimizers for battery charging:<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:black'>Hello Dan<o:p></o:p></span></p><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:black'>Thank you for the phone call yesterday. I have answers to some of your questions.<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:black'>- At the moment, we only sell arc fault detection services to combiner box manufacturers to incorporate into their combiner boxes. However, in a short amount of time (estimates say about a month), we will offer string level arc fault detection.<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:black'>- The maximizers will work just fine with batteries/charge controllers ONLY if the battery/charge controller has an MPPT input. There are those out there that do not have this type of input, so be sure to purchase accordingly. <o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:black'>- We do offer module level monitoring.<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:black'>Thanks and let me know if you have any other questions!<br clear=all><o:p></o:p></span></p><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p></div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:black'>--------------------------------- <br>Regards,<o:p></o:p></span></p><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:black'>Jacob Jackson<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:black'>Tech Support Engineer<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:black'>Tigo Energy<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p></div></div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:black'>db<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:black'><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<o:p></o:p></span></p></div></div><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:12.0pt'>_______________________________________________<br>List sponsored by Home Power magazine<br><br>List Address: <a href="mailto:RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org">RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org</a><br><br>Options & settings:<br><a href="http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org">http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org</a><br><br>List-Archive: <a href="http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org">http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org</a><br><br>List rules & etiquette:<br><a href="http://www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm">www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm</a><br><br>Check out participant bios:<br><a href="http://www.members.re-wrenches.org">www.members.re-wrenches.org</a><o:p></o:p></p></div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div></div></body></html>