Inverter protection [RE-wrenches]

[Steve Willey, Backwoods Solar]

When using the Trace DC breaker box, we power only the inverter through the
main breaker.  Other breakers take power from and to the bottom, battery
side of the main breaker.  I also use a breaker between that battery cable
point and the C-40, NOT just between C-40 and PV.  It seems there needs to
be some protection between battery and the control itself, even more
important than that between control and PV.  Its battery current we are
concerned most about.

Of course with power center design we have always had a problem with safety
from there to battery.  Sources and loads share those two cables.  This
means the AC ripple on the inverter cables affects the charge control
voltage sensing as well as runs havoc with battery equalizer (balancer)
circuits that attempt to keep identical voltage on both halves of a voltage
tapped battery. Another concern is the positive cable passing through the
connector clamp into the box. If it is over-tightened or rubber welding
cable is used, how much will it take to breach that 1/8 inch insulation
between battery + and battery -.

In the early days when we made small power centers since there were no
commercial ones available, that would never pass today's standards, at least
we ran a separate cable to the battery for charge sources and a separate
cable for loads.  Each of the positive cables then had its own fuse near the
battery end. That way sources and loads were never working each other if the
battery was out of the circuit.

Steve Willey   www.backwoodssolar.com
Backwoods Solar Electric Systems


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