<html><head></head><body style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space; "><div><div><br></div><br class="Apple-interchange-newline"><blockquote type="cite"><base href="x-msg://41/"><div style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space; ">I use and sell the SMA product SI & SB line, I use the SI & SB for my own & I can't say enough good about the functionality of these units. I would suggest this product too BUT,.... sorry when they shit the bed AND THEY DO the outback line IS FIELD SERVICABLE! I have hefted a few SI on the boat, off the boat, up the hill n back down, boards are quite a bit lighter!<div>I would only go with a DP&W TOP mounted array. SHADE for folks/animals + reduction of possible theft & damage. They make it right and you DO get what you pay from DP&W!</div><div>My $.02 TUMP<br><div><div>On Nov 6, 2013, at 9:07 PM, SunHarvest wrote:</div><br class="Apple-interchange-newline"><blockquote type="cite"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: separate; font-family: Times; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; font-size: medium; "><div bgcolor="#ffffff"><div><font size="2" face="Arial">Although it's more expensive, I'd go with AC Coupled SMA. Contact the owner of <a href="http://standardmicrogrid.com/">http://standardmicrogrid.com/</a> for more info on his recent work in Zambia...wait, I think he's there now. They have a pretty sleek set-up for a Sunny Island-based system, monitoring included. I'd go with ground-mount but be aware of theft (goes without saying, right?). You can also check out Volunteers for International Aid (VIDA)<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="http://www.thevida.org/">http://www.thevida.org/</a></font></div><div><font size="2" face="Arial"></font> </div><div><font size="2" face="Arial">And hey, get me involved! It's been years since I've been to A-land and I've been trying to get back ever since. So much so that I've recently formed a non-profit, Good Sun, to go back to places like Africa and do good work for good people.</font></div><div><font size="2" face="Arial"></font> </div><div><font size="2" face="Arial">My bags are packed...</font></div><div><font size="2" face="Arial"></font> </div><div>Eric Stikes</div><div>Owner</div><div>SunHarvest</div><div>001.530.798.3738 (Cell)<br></div><blockquote style="border-left-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-left-width: 2px; border-left-style: solid; padding-left: 5px; padding-right: 0px; margin-left: 5px; margin-right: 0px; "><div style="font: normal normal normal 10pt/normal arial; ">----- Original Message -----</div><div style="font: normal normal normal 10pt/normal arial; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: rgb(228, 228, 228); background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; "><b>From:</b><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><a title="atruitt@gmail.com" href="mailto:atruitt@gmail.com">Andrew Truitt</a></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 10pt/normal arial; "><b>To:</b><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><a title="re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org" href="mailto:re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org">RE-wrenches</a></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 10pt/normal arial; "><b>Sent:</b><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Wednesday, November 06, 2013 3:43 PM</div><div style="font: normal normal normal 10pt/normal arial; "><b>Subject:</b><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>[RE-wrenches] Off-grid in Tanzania</div><div><br></div><div dir="ltr">Wrenches - I am working with Lee Bristol and Ray Walters on 20 off-grid PV systems in Tanzania at various types of remote health care facilities. There will be 3 system offerings: 2, 4, and 6 kW, all 230V, 50Hz. We are currently considering the following issues and would appreciate input:<div><ul><li><b>AC coupled SMA system vs. DC coupled Outback/Midnite system</b>: We have had positive experiences with Sunny Boy / Sunny Island systems in GT w/ battery back-up applications and we like the SMA production monitoring (more on that later), but we are not sure how appropriate the system is for off-grid. Cost is a consideration, as well as energy harvest, simplicity for in-county technicians, future system expansion, battery SOC remote monitoring, integration of generators, running power to multiple buildings, inverter over-sizing to increase equipment lifetime, reliability, battery over/under-charging prevention, ease of use for the customer, surge capability, and programable load shedding. We have had numerous internal discussions about this particular decision and would appreciate additional viewpoints.</li><li><b>Ground mount vs. Pole mount</b>: The roofs at the sites are far from ideal in both construction and solar access so we are planning to locate all the arrays on the ground. Soil types and slopes vary. Manual labor will be readily available but heavy equipment will be hard to come by. We would like to have a standard, replicable system which might be more achievable with a pole mount (e.g. [8] 250W modules per pole for 2kW; 1, 2, or 3 poles per system), and poles might be easier to have pre-installed before we arrive (e.g. you can't get the orientation wrong; less spacing measurements to consider), but the cost difference is significant (about $0.40/watt for S-flex ground mount vs. $1.05/watt for DP&W TPM all in). The pole mount would be adjustable (east/west to account for micro-climate variations, north/south for seasonal adjustments), but how much of a value does that add at 10 degrees south latitude? A ground mount could be ballasted which could be a big benefit in some locations.</li><li><b>Monitoring options</b>: This is a tough one. Obviously there is not robust internet access so we are looking at cell modems for data transmission. Does anyone have a recommendation for a 3rd party off-grid full system remote monitoring provider? Pentametric is an option - anyone have experience with the on-line interface or remote monitoring reliability? All the OEMs have monitoring options for production and battery SOC, but we want to have an additional system to compare data and provide redundancy.</li></ul><div>Clearly there are many more factors that go into these decisions than I have conveyed here, but we are just hoping to get some thoughts on the issues from the extensive off-grid knowledge base on this list, particularly from anyone with experience in Africa.</div></div><div><br></div><div>Thanks in advance!<div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><br><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><br><div><br></div><div><div><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: rgb(56, 118, 29); ">For a brighter energy future,<br><br><br>Andrew Truitt <br></span></p></div><div><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: rgb(56, 118, 29); ">Principal<br>Truitt Renewable Energy </span><span style="color: rgb(56, 118, 29); ">Consulting, LLC</span></p></div><div><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: rgb(56, 118, 29); "><a href="tel:%28202%29%20486-7507" target="_blank" value="+12024867507">(202) 486-7507</a></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://www.linkedin.com/pub/andrew-truitt/8/622/713" target="_blank">LinkedIn Profile</a></p><p class="MsoNormal"><a href="http://truittreconsulting.weebly.com/" target="_blank">Company Website<span><span></span></span></a></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: rgb(56, 118, 29); "><span>NABCEP</span><span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>Certified PV Installation Professional ID: 032407-66</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: rgb(56, 118, 29); ">Colorado Journeyman Electrician License No.: 600132</span><br></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: rgb(0, 102, 0); "><a href="tel:%28202%29%20486-7507" target="_blank"><span style="color: rgb(17, 85, 204); "></span></a></span><u></u><u></u></p></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div><p><span style="color: rgb(20, 125, 186); "></span><span style="color: rgb(20, 125, 186); "><span><image001.jpg></span></span><br><span style="color: rgb(20, 125, 186); "><br></span>"Don't get me wrong: I love nuclear energy! It's just that I prefer fusion to fission. And it just so happens that there's an enormous fusion reactor safely banked a few million miles from us. It delivers more than we could ever use in just about 8 minutes. And it's wireless!"<br><br>~William McDonough</p><div><div><br></div></div></div><br><br></div></div></div></div></div><br></div><br></div></div><div><br></div></div><div><br class="webkit-block-placeholder"></div><hr><div><br class="webkit-block-placeholder"></div>_______________________________________________<br>List sponsored by Home Power magazine<br><br>List Address:<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="mailto:RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org">RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org</a><br><br>Change email address & 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:<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><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><br><br></blockquote>_______________________________________________<br>List sponsored by Home Power magazine<br><br>List Address:<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="mailto:RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org">RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org</a><br><br>Change email address & 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:<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><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><br><br></div></span></blockquote></div><br></div></div></blockquote></div><br><div>
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