How worried should I be?

[DanB]

I'll take the panel off and get a picture of the wiring later. I don't have a multi-meter, and I don't think I would know enough about this stuff to safely start disconnecting and testing things...

Btw, I didn't leave the shoe - it was connected to my foot at the time

 

[jason121]

Actually I have just made a calculation and both arrays must be producing something, If you turn of one isolator then check voltage output on inverter you will see the change.

As Gavin A said in an earlier post it is possible that it is set up with one MPPT (channel) when it requires two for max efficiency or to perform properly. The front panel will have to come off and the wiring checked (there will be a bridge wire that need removing)

Page 13 shows the bridge wire

http://www.power-one.com/sites/powe...ion_manual_for_aurora_string_pv_inverters.pdf

Look on the floor, you might find the bridge wires, unless there is more.

 

[Orffyreus]

Well spotted Jason121, I was too busy looking at the shoe, it will be interesting to see the inverter with the panel off, maybe a couple of nails acting as a bridge perhaps?

 

[Gavin A]

well the problem is obvious from that video.

they've either run it all into input 2, or one string isn't connected properly, as input 1 is showing no voltage, and no power.

er as someone's already pointed out.

 

[DanB]

Okay, here is the panel:





No shoes this time

There's an 'input' dip switch which is at 'Ind' - is that correct? Going off to look at the manual now.

 

[moggy1968]

unfortunately the manuel is far from well translated!

It takes a bit of working out. I haven't used one of these inverters since SMA bought out the 3600TL so without a manual can't remember how it goes, but as above, they do need to be set up correctly for 2 string operation. It's not just plug in and away you go! If they did look in the manual it's entirely possible they didn't understand it, I had to 'phone a friend' for clarification the first time I did one of these!

 

[Orffyreus]

That all looks ok Dan, apart from the shiny metal cover that should be screwed over the AC connector.

Hopefully you are going to say that you did that and your chimp, sorry electrician did not leave it like that?????

Better get your shoes fitted with rubber soles till all his work has been checked :mickey:

Looks like you need a multimeter or a sparky.

One thing I have come across is that the Jetion panels have a VMP of 51v and a Voc of around 61v. With ten panels connected to the one string that would exceed the max input voltage of 530v for that inverter.

As Pin 2 is showing 399v for six panels I have to wonder if Pin 1 has blown something?

You really need to get a friendly knowledgeable solar guy in your are to have a look in my opinion

 

[Gavin A]

where did we find out that they were using Jetion panels?

399V for 6 Jetion's seems very high for operating voltage, I'd expect that for 8 panels.

if they have run 10 panels in one string then that's definitely going to be why it's not working - hopefully it's not done too much damage.

the other string voltage makes it look like they've run it in 2 strings of 8 though. The other likely reason that a string won't work is that it's been wired in reverse polarity... but if it is the 50V panels, then the issue here is that they'd have to be run as a string of 6 + 2 x 5 panels in parallel to get the voltage in range, which could well involve going back on the roof to rewire it.

this really isn't good enough for a professional installation, it's the sort of thing I'd expect from a DIY install.

 

[Orffyreus]

I had a look at Dans system on PVOutput He has 16 x Jetion 250w panels There is a link on his comment, page 6.

You could be right RE 399v = 8 panels Gavin A but even then, given panel orientation the installer should have known better :behead:

Definitely looks like someone is going to have to go on the roof

 

[Jimy]

How worried should I be?


?

Very worried. That is a disgrace.

 

[DanB]

They are Jetion panels. I think they are JT250SBa

There are 6 panels on the garage roof (so we are assuming that's one 'string'?) and 10 on the house roof.

 

[DanB]

Now I think back, originally they specified the system with two inverters - one for each set of panels, and said they'd do that for the same price. Then when the installers arrived, they said that wouldn't be necessary, and only fitted one. Is this now suspicious too?!

Just trying to work out if this is a good company which has been nobbled by an incompetent sparky, or whether the whole organisation is just bent?

 

[DanB]

That all looks ok Dan, apart from the shiny metal cover that should be screwed over the AC connector.

Hopefully you are going to say that you did that and your chimp, sorry electrician did not leave it like that?????

Read more: http://www.electriciansforums.net/p...710-how-worried-should-i-8.html#ixzz2JaY65GUL

Surely you know by now that I won't have been touching any 'metal covers'?

Having said that, I did put the network cable in, but the voltages involved there are much lower!

 

[jason121]

Based on the information provided, panels will have to come off and be rewired. Two strings wont work on that inverter with that panel.

 

[Earthstore]

Dan, I will just try to explain a couple of things that may help you understand.
If you have 2 sets of panels on different orientations you either need two inverters, or what can be more efficient is one inverter with dual MPPT, basically two inputs, one for one set of panels and one for the other set.

However, the sets of panels need to be wired up correctly, if the panels from different orientations are wired together then the ones that are not in the sunshine will drag the others down, also the voltage of the sets of panels must be within the inverters range, too low and the inverter will not start up, too high and it will either shut down or damage the inverter.
Also the inverter needs to be set up correctly for duel MPPT.

It appears that yours has not been wired up correctly, I can also see a couple of other mistakes too.

My advice would be to pay a local installer to come and write a basic report on this, nothing complicated, and then have a pop at the installation company, at least you would have some hard facts as to what is wrong, alternatively, just pay someone to put it right.
Be warned though that you may need scaffold so it may not be cheap.

If you ask, somebody from this forum may oblige, there are some good chaps on here.

I hope this helps.

PS. Do not play with this yourself, high voltage DC is very dangerous, much worse than 240V AC...

 

[Orffyreus]

Now I think back, originally they specified the system with two inverters - one for each set of panels, and said they'd do that for the same price. Then when the installers arrived, they said that wouldn't be necessary, and only fitted one. Is this now suspicious too?!

Just trying to work out if this is a good company which has been nobbled by an incompetent sparky, or whether the whole organisation is just bent?

It may well be that the company was good but some sparky thought he would be able to walk away with an inverter for free although the lack of response from said company would make me think they were not up to much.

My mistake Dan, I realise that you are wary of touching "metal objects" is this a form of OCD?

RE network cable, I would take it out, and using the spare gland that is in your first pic, refit it through the empty hole next to the AC cable :wink_smile:

I think the general consensus here is that the wiring of the panels needs looking at. Did the installer not leave you a wiring diagram?

 

[Orffyreus]

One consolation Dan is that January has been a bad month anyway so you won't have lost too much...yet!

Solar generation for January 2013. http://www.renewable-energy-resource.net/solardata.html

 

[DanB]

This is the Aurora Communicator today:



I presume both inputs should be showing something?

 

[Orffyreus]

Hi Dan,

Yes they should, as I said before my first step would be to use a multimeter to check if string one was actually generating any power, this way you can rule out any inverter issues.

Then it would be a case of checking how the system IS connected and if thats ok check each panel individually.

Check the DC wiring to confirm that pin 1 is the house and pin 2 the garage.

 

[Gavin A]

all of which should really be done by the installer, although from the pics and this thread, it's a bit questionable whether they actually class as being competent people.

If you do test the DC yourself, then make sure you switch the inverter off first, and be careful about the size of the spark you can get when testing the DC - it could well be running at 600V if it's all in one string, and the flash when pulling your probe away could be surprisingly big particularly if you do it in full sunlight. Remember those cables are live all the time in daylight.