Bad Installation

[jason121]

I was asked to write a report today regarding a poor solar installation.
There are two inverters. The left is wired out the dead side of a shared AC isolator while the other inverter is wired of the live side (from the meter ) feeding another AC isolator.
In my opinion one inverter would feed back into the other this way.

Also do the Samil inverters have much earth leakage to cause nuisance tripping if two wired in parallel. Samil technical couldn't answer that question today.

Any thoughts

thanks Ja

 

[jackhammerJIM]

Its not clear from the pictures and description but sounds like a radial circuit with 2 ac isolators (nothing wrong with that ) what size is the ac supply ? what size array ?

The inverters won't feed into one another .

Cant comment on the nuisance tripping . what are the ocpd characteristics ?

 

[jason121]

Its 2kw pv.1kw east and 1kw south. If I fit more than 1inverter I always sub fuse each inverter. Best practise for isolation and fault finding. Ocpd not fimiliar with that. They have blown 4 inverters up so far. So there is a fault some where

 

[jackhammerJIM]

Over Current Protective Device .

What size is the ac supply cable ?

 

[jason121]

B16 with 2.5mm feeding meter split with 1.5mm flex from isolators

 

[Leesparkykent]

B16 with 2.5mm feeding meter split with 1.5mm flex from isolators

sounds like a pile of dog turd! How long is the AC run roughly?

 

[jason121]

1 meter max, not long. no problems with voltage rise.

 

[jackhammerJIM]

Its only a 2kw system Lee. Agree on it sounding dodgy though .

Have you done any testing ???

 

[jason121]

Yes panel strings are ok. AC good except the wiring dodgy. These a 1100TL samil inverters.

 

[TJ Anderson]

Love the DC launched over the ridge tile SKY TV Style

 

[Leesparkykent]

Love the DC launched over the ridge tile SKY TV Style

Haha I didn't notice that until you pointed it out, I wonder if he left the job on his horse swinging his lasso like he did with that dc cable lol.

 

[shanky887614]

why didnt they use a proper inverter? you can have multiple strings feeding an inverter?

at only 2kw its only 1kw per string or 4 x250 watt panels per string.

one of the companies i did work for usually did around 10 per string (cant remember exact it was about 3-4ish years ago)

 

[Leesparkykent]

why didnt they use a proper inverter? you can have multiple strings feeding an inverter?

at only 2kw its only 1kw per string or 4 x250 watt panels per string.

one of the companies i did work for usually did around 10 per string (cant remember exact it was about 3-4ish years ago)

Yes like a dual MPPT inverter

 

[jason121]

East and south facing arrays. Im not sure if there is one small enough

 

[whinmoor]

East and south facing arrays. Im not sure if there is one small enough

There probably wasn't when that job was installed so the 2-inverter solution was probably the only option. Nowadays an option might be the Hosola Bright 2000MTL.

 

[Gavin A]

I think there have been some significant issues with some of those smaller Samils, so it could just be that. Can't remember where I heard that from though.

 

[jason121]

I have spoken too the various governing bodies. RECC first, they are not interested in helping, pointed me in the direction of the MCS bodies. Napit said if the sub contract MCS installer hadnt registered the installation and main contractor had (customer has no mcs certificate but registered for FIT) it is the responibility of the main contractor to put the job right. Main contractor gone bust. Although the sub contractor did a bad job, its not there responsibility to put it right, although they are still trading.
So I spoke to gemserv to try and find who registered the job, they woudnt tell who had.

Customer will have to prove that they have paid for the installation before releasing the certificate. So still unsure who had done the installation at this point. I managed to find the installer in end when he let the name slip. Found out that it was the installer who gone bust who registered the install.
So in short customer has to pay for all the repairs out his pocket or house insurance if he is covered. What a load of croc.

 

[TedM]

I don't suppose the customer has paperwork on any Workmanship Warranty Insurance?

 

[jason121]

Nothing only two part p certs

 

[saint]

I think there have been some significant issues with some of those smaller Samils, so it could just be that. Can't remember where I heard that from though.

Not that I know of. Got any further info on this? I think samil inverters are very good we have had no issues with them at all. In fact the only inverters we have had problems with are SMA.

 

[Gavin A]

Not that I know of. Got any further info on this? I think samil inverters are very good we have had no issues with them at all. In fact the only inverters we have had problems with are SMA.

we've done a lot of the bigger samils with no issue, but I'm sure I heard tell of issues with the smallest samils at one point a couple of years back - I remember it because it was at the time I was quoting on a social housing project that would have involved around 100 of the small samil inverters, so was a bit concerned (didn't happen in the end).

 

[whinmoor]

The problem might be the start-up or MPP voltage on the Samil SolarRiver 1100TL.

It doesn't work very well (possibly not at all!) on cloudy days with 4 regular 250w panels (e.g. Solarworld or REC). You'd be better off going with high voltage panels such as HJ Solar or using a different inverter brand (Omnik, Mastervolt or Solis).

 

[JulianC]

we've done a lot of the bigger samils with no issue, but I'm sure I heard tell of issues with the smallest samils at one point a couple of years back - I remember it because it was at the time I was quoting on a social housing project that would have involved around 100 of the small samil inverters, so was a bit concerned (didn't happen in the end).

I do a lot of work for a Birmingham housing association and recently got asked to look at some problematic pv installs. 6 smaller Samils all packed up with the same 'relay fault' so far. 130+ installs in total, put in around 3 years ago. I understand a few more are giving problems.

 

[SibertSolar]

I also recall some early issues with the small Samil units but can't quite put my finger on what it was. As a potential alternative, we have a 1kW unit that has a 60vdc min MPPT rating, suitable for 400-1100Wp depending on panel type.