[RE-wrenches] connector mismatch

Mon Sep 9 11:46:22 EDT 2019

August, 

We have had numerous customers successfully reach out and been given revised warranties from module manufactures, when connectors which were on the module leads could not be procured.

Cheers, 

Bryan Norkunas

bryan at pv-cables.com

Description: Description: PV-Cables_Logo_Transparent_Bkgnd_140x140

PV-Cables Inc.

1155 Redway Drive

PO Box 2562

Redway, CA 95560

(707) 923-3000 office

www.pv-cables.com <http://www.pv-cables.com/> 

 Description: Description: cid:image002.jpg at 01CD22E8.974B6470 Please print only if necessary.

NOTE: This email message and any attachments are for the sole use of the intended recipient(s) and may contain confidential and/or privileged information. Any unauthorized review, use, disclosure or distribution is prohibited. If you are not the intended recipient, please contact the sender by replying to this email, and destroy all copies of the original message.

From: RE-wrenches [mailto:re-wrenches-bounces at lists.re-wrenches.org] On Behalf Of August Goers
Sent: Monday, September 09, 2019 6:34 AM
To: RE-wrenches
Subject: Re: [RE-wrenches] connector mismatch

Jason - I'm curious about your statement on cutting off module connectors. Can you elaborate?

Best,

August

Luminalt

On Sat, Sep 7, 2019 at 7:52 AM Jason Fisher (STC) <stc.jason at gmail.com> wrote:

Kent, I don’t see an answer to Brian’s question about the LG module’s original connector configuration. We’re these modules actually factory shipped with one H4 and one MC4 connector on different polarities? That would be bizarre. 

Otherwise to back up Brian’s point about Intermatability, this is a UL 6703 term that was added in NEC2020 to specifically address this question, how can installers have confidence when they are asked to connect two different manufacturer’s mating connectors. Bottom line is don’t connect “mismatched” connectors, ever. Only connect different manufacturers, and/or different models of mating connectors if at least one of the companies produces proof of evaluation of that combination by an NRTL. Warning that this is rare at this point (those wouldn’t therefore be “mismatched”). 

This is a very important issue so my advice to Wrenches is to keep firm and don’t budge on this one. 

Also curious if you all still think you can’t cut off module connectors? We need to correct that if so. 

Jason Fisher

  _____  

From: RE-wrenches <re-wrenches-bounces at lists.re-wrenches.org> on behalf of Jerry Shafer <jerrysgarage01 at gmail.com>
Sent: Thursday, September 5, 2019 11:25 AM
To: RE-wrenches
Subject: Re: [RE-wrenches] connector mismatch 

Brian 

Missing the point, yes they are compatible but as we have seen in the real world there are issues. This can give module and micro inverter manufacturers an out regarding failures and responsibility 

Jerry

On Thu, Sep 5, 2019, 1:41 AM Brian Mehalic <brian at solarenergy.org> wrote:

I don’t think “some white paper” is sufficient based on Code requirements, UL standards (6703), and verified field failures. Also see 2020 NEC® 690.33(C) - now requiring intermatability. 

Brian

On Sep 4, 2019, at 2:06 PM, Jerry Shafer <jerrysgarage01 at gmail.com> wrote:

Wrenches 

Per some white papers connectors are interchangeable, this being said l have had arc issues as a result. FYI there are knock-offs out there to.

Jerry

On Wed, Sep 4, 2019, 1:42 PM Brian Mehalic <brian at solarenergy.org> wrote:

Are you saying each module has, for example, a positive factory H4 lead and a negative factory MC4 lead? 

I definitely know of H4 problems, both mated with H4s and mismatched.  

Brian Mehalic 
NABCEP Certified Solar PV Installation Professional™ R031508-59

National Electrical Code® CMP-4 Member

(520) 204-6639

Solar Energy International
http://www.solarenergy.org

SEI Professional Services

 <http://www.seisolarpros.com> http://www.seisolarpros.com

On Wed, Sep 4, 2019 at 1:22 PM Kent Osterberg <kent at coveoregon.com> wrote:

I've recently been looking for the cause of random power drop offs to 
zero in an Enphase M215 system with LG260 PV module that was installed 
in 2013. Just one inverter in a system of fourteen has been doing this. 
Enphase suggested moving the inverter to a different PV module and sure 
enough doing that proved the problem wasn't with the inverter.  
Intermittent zero output was being caused by the PV module.  In making 
the inverter/module change I found that all the LG 260 modules in this 
system have one MC4 connector and one H4 connector. At present I'm 
convinced the mismatched connector is the actual cause of the problem. 
Anyone else ever notice find PV modules with mixed MC4 and H4 connectors?

Kent Osterberg
Blue Mountain Solar
_______________________________________________
List sponsored by Redwood Alliance

List Address: RE-wrenches at lists.re-wrenches.org

Change listserver email address & settings:
http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org

List-Archive: http://www.mail-archive.com/re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org/maillist.html

List rules & etiquette:
www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm

Check out or update participant bios:
www.members.re-wrenches.org

_______________________________________________
List sponsored by Redwood Alliance

List Address: RE-wrenches at lists.re-wrenches.org

Change listserver email address & settings:
http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org

List-Archive: http://www.mail-archive.com/re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org/maillist.html

List rules & etiquette:
www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm

Check out or update participant bios:
www.members.re-wrenches.org

_______________________________________________
List sponsored by Redwood Alliance

List Address: RE-wrenches at lists.re-wrenches.org

Change listserver email address & settings:
http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org

List-Archive: http://www.mail-archive.com/re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org/maillist.html

List rules & etiquette:
www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm

Check out or update participant bios:
www.members.re-wrenches.org

_______________________________________________
List sponsored by Redwood Alliance

List Address: RE-wrenches at lists.re-wrenches.org

Change listserver email address & settings:
http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org

List-Archive: http://www.mail-archive.com/re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org/maillist.html

List rules & etiquette:
www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm

Check out or update participant bios:
www.members.re-wrenches.org

_______________________________________________
List sponsored by Redwood Alliance

List Address: RE-wrenches at lists.re-wrenches.org

Change listserver email address & settings:
http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org

List-Archive: http://www.mail-archive.com/re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org/maillist.html

List rules & etiquette:
www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm

Check out or update participant bios:
www.members.re-wrenches.org

-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches_lists.re-wrenches.org/attachments/20190909/a3b3fa72/attachment.htm>
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: image001.png
Type: image/png
Size: 27561 bytes
Desc: not available
URL: <http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches_lists.re-wrenches.org/attachments/20190909/a3b3fa72/attachment.png>
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: image002.jpg
Type: image/jpeg
Size: 1367 bytes
Desc: not available
URL: <http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches_lists.re-wrenches.org/attachments/20190909/a3b3fa72/attachment.jpg>