Power One Problems

[SRE]

Anyone else having problems with Power One? We have 3 systems, all different panels, that have decided to trip as soon as there is any heavy rain. I can understand one, but 3? They were installed between March and July 2012.

We've visited one and Power One advised it was most likely to be damp getting through the connectors. This seemed to sort itself out for a few weeks with the first one (when the whole of the UK had really heavy rain and wind) now over the weekend the same one has gone followed by another tow. The common denominator appears to be the Power One inverter 3.6tl.

Anyone else seeing this????

 

[BruceB]

The Power One low RISO limit is 1 Mohm which does appear easy to breach if connectors are installed such that they touch a roof and stay wet. A couple of my Power One installations have had to have connectors tied up better to cure low-riso faults on startup. Clean rainwater itself does not appear to be a problem, but it is when a connector stays damp for a few days and green slime starts growing on it.

 

[whinmoor]

Anyone else having problems with Power One? We have 3 systems, all different panels, that have decided to trip as soon as there is any heavy rain. I can understand one, but 3? They were installed between March and July 2012.

We've visited one and Power One advised it was most likely to be damp getting through the connectors. This seemed to sort itself out for a few weeks with the first one (when the whole of the UK had really heavy rain and wind) now over the weekend the same one has gone followed by another tow. The common denominator appears to be the Power One inverter 3.6tl.

Anyone else seeing this????

Not had any Power One problems. Are the inverters in garages, lofts or outside? Are these models with integrated isolators?

Do you mean connectors in a string of panels or the connectors going into the inverter itself?

 

[SRE]

None of the inverters are in the roof we don't fit them in there and we always put separate isolators on, most are in a garage or utility room. When we spoke to Power One they were talking about the conectors in the string of panels and we always cable tie them. It's a bit worrying really I'd have thought this should have been covered on the panel warranty BUT it's 3 different panels types. Canadian Solar, Yingli and REC.

 

[Gavin A]

could be an issue with how you're making up the cable ends?

They usually need tightening with molegrips to get them fully water tight IME, had to redo some one a job recently our apprentice had done but forgot to tighten up properly.

 

[SRE]

Mole grips as well as mc4 crimpers?

 

[Gavin A]

Mole grips as well as mc4 crimpers?

the crimpers are to crimp the cable on, the molegrips are to tighten the water proofing glands up against the cable, most of the time if they're just hand tightened it won't form a proper seal.

 

[whinmoor]

We have used both Canadian Solar and REC with Power Ones. Can't remember using Yingli though. We thought the MC4s on Canadian Solar panels were a bit rubbish.

Have you tried using pre-terminated cables? You can buy 2m, 5m, 10m or 20m lengths from Segen. We always thought they were expensive and make up our own on-site.

 

[SRE]

We make up our own and have .... hand tightened them .... with a very decent grip but not mole grips ever had one of those weeks!! Are we the only ones that haven't done this??

Just seen a customer's photo all over some advertising that a manufacturer and their installers are using - no permission asked! Fuming.

 

[Gavin A]

We make up our own and have .... hand tightened them .... with a very decent grip but not mole grips ever had one of those weeks!! Are we the only ones that haven't done this??

Just seen a customer's photo all over some advertising that a manufacturer and their installers are using - no permission asked! Fuming.

I'm sure we've got a few out there as well. I'm pretty sure that they used to be hand tightenable, and at some point they changed slightly to being a lot stiffer, or we switched to using thinner cable or something.

Sometimes they can be tightened enough by hand, other times not, you've really got to test it by seeing if the MC4 still spins around the cable or not / if it's fully gripping the cable.

I'd suspect this would be the issue though, we've not had this issue with any of the power ones we've installed.

 

[SRE]

At least we know what we're looking for that's half the battle! We've "found" some scaffolding that'll do as a tower for the odd job so at least we don't have to pay for that.

 

[SolarCity]

Different manufacturers seem to be slightly different. Not sure which ones but some seem easy to tighten by hand, with a satisfying clicking sound while you do it. Others we have to use grips.

And some seem to distort out of shape as you tighten them. Very annoying.

 

[Energetic]

I'm sure we've got a few out there as well. I'm pretty sure that they used to be hand tightenable, and at some point they changed slightly to being a lot stiffer, or we switched to using thinner cable or something.

Sometimes they can be tightened enough by hand, other times not, you've really got to test it by seeing if the MC4 still spins around the cable or not / if it's fully gripping the cable.

I'd suspect this would be the issue though, we've not had this issue with any of the power ones we've installed.

We in-roofed a system from easter 2011 last year and the difference in the thickness of the insulation on the cables is amazing. The MC4's don't seem to have changed but the cable diameters have come down massively. Both came from segen.

I can't physically tighten them by hand anymore either.

 

[Worcester]

Nope, we know the real reason it's because you didn't comply with clause 2.1.7

Plugs and socket connectors mated together in a PV system shall be of the same type from the same manufacturer and shall comply with the requirements of BS EN 50521. Different brands may only be interconnected where a test report has been provided confirming compatibility of the two types to the requirements of BS EN 50521.

:wink_smile:

If you had have done, none of these problems would have existed ... like ****** .....

In the very early days we had problems with water getting into an MC4, (late 2010) since then we always tightened the glands with the MC4 tool (50p/pair off fleabay) or grips, also it has always been our standard practice to tie wrap the connectors to the rail so that they don't touch the roof, and through the atrocious weather we haven't had any faults. - I know it's not always easy toi do, it pays off though.

 

[SRE]

These 3 are the first ones we've had. The cables are always clipped to the rails and we always use the MC4 crimper - we've got the MC3 crimper from the earlier days - another useless tool! Anyway, this weather has really hit us and it looks as though the mega hand grip just hasn't been enough.

It's funny isn't it how you can be so careful about 99% of the job but there's always that 1% that trips you up. Still - we've got a mission statement now!