What is a good brand of dc switches that will not break the bank?
They need to handle 100 amps at 24 volts plus some margin as well.
Are these heavy enough?
MNEDCRT 175A to 250A
MNEDC175RT, MNEDC250RT
Hi Russ,
I was going to suggest using the MNEDC 100 A Panel Mount breaker, if the operating current is never over 100.0 Amps. This is a C size frame, which will fit into the MN DC Quad box, e-panels, etc:
https://www.solar-electric.com/midnite-solar-150-volts-100-amps-dc-panel-mount-circuit-breaker.html
The MN DC breakers are rated for continuous current at its listed current rating (Handle Rating).
FWIW, Vic
Hi,
Is this the type you are talking about?
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/262907934006
Midnite Solar Circuit Breaker, 100A 150VDC, 1-Pole, Din Mount, Model MNEPV100
They are the cheaper option also for me with the overboard postage costs from the states.
For overkill I was looking at these as well.
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/New-Siemens-NFX3N250-Circuit-Breaker-250A-3-pole-600V-AC-250V-DC-Adj-Trip-/171930977048?hash=item2807e28318:g:1AAAAOSwFnFV9O70
Siemens NFX3N250 Circuit Breaker 250A 3 pole 600V AC 250V DC Adj Trip
Too bad you are in OZ. I have some 156 amp/600VDC switches that we will never use. You could have one for free. They are actually four of the 1" wide E frame sized Carling breakers put together in series. They are a switch, not a breaker. Any of you on the forum that would like one or two, give us a shout. The MNEDC100 panel mount is probably a good choice. The MNEPV100 din rail is also good, but costs more.
You can contact Max in OZ at this e-mail. He probably has some of the MNEDC100's coming from us. 168solagen@gmail.com
Good luck
What is the postage on a couple of switches Robin?
Ballpark.
No rush, but I will have to have it done before autumn and the increase in pv output again.
Quote from: russ_drinkwater on April 17, 2017, 04:31:03 PM
What is the postage on a couple of switches Robin?
Ballpark.
No rush, but I will have to have it done before autumn and the increase in pv output again.
I used to send stuff to Au when I sold on feebay. We got around the import duties by calling stuff "engineering Samples" or "Salvage" you can probably honestly claim either one?
Shipping is not something I am current on these days.
It is a measly 9,000 miles so I don't see why it should be so expensive to ship! :o
Tom
Quote from: Robin on April 16, 2017, 08:55:33 PM
Too bad you are in OZ. I have some 156 amp/600VDC switches that we will never use. You could have one for free. They are actually four of the 1" wide E frame sized Carling breakers put together in series. They are a switch, not a breaker. Any of you on the forum that would like one or two, give us a shout. The MNEDC100 panel mount is probably a good choice. The MNEPV100 din rail is also good, but costs more.
You can contact Max in OZ at this e-mail. He probably has some of the MNEDC100's coming from us. 168solagen@gmail.com
Good luck
Lets see If I can ship from the Commonwealth to OZ !
CDN to AUZI
Russ ya know Encarta flow ? problem is CDN shipping , USA to Auzi on person to person is better .
We have more BS & Crap of stuff
VT
PM is open
Been 2 robins house B4 , we cleaned well !!
Nig`
If the value is under $1000 au then no import duties, just postage from the states.
Let me know the cost and if it ok I can bpay or the like to where ever account etc etc.
Russ just so you know those switches are a cube, about 6'' x 6'' x 6'' each... nice 'n beefy
http://midniteftp.com/forum/index.php?topic=939.0
Russ , You get squared with Robin & I'll pick up from MN or touch base with Robin ( Leave at Michelle's desk ) and I will ship to you from USA from my USA house to you as personal . End of this month Im back down for the last time till fall .
VT
What is the weight range?
I would need to get 4 to do all systems.
Robin, how much cash for 4 units!
And payment options?
Russ your fastest contact will be Robin @ MidNitesolar.com.... ps leave out the spaces ;)
Ta mate.
Russ im down in first of may , Make it happen & have time to spare, Im not going to time to your speed .
VT
I will tell Michelle to give you all the 156 amp switches you want. No charge. She will get them from Walter, but I will show here where they are located.
I will tell Michelle to give you all the 156 amp switches you want. No charge. She will get them from Walter, but I will show here where they are located.
Thank You Robin
I'll get them sent over to Russ .
Im thinking it worth a bunch of donuts for all the staff ! I can handle that as well .
Russ , I know yur a day ahead , but wake up !!
VT ;)
EDIT ADD :
I have been in-touch with russ in Az land , I called & had a chat .
He was working with ryan on two WBjr's that failed Said he couldn't post pictures etc for ryan .
I'm going to ask Walter to sell me two WBjrs for russ & let his AUZI dealer handle the problem .
Russ will send me his pictures & i'll resize them & post them here & (russ where was your original post on the WBjr ? )
I hear from Russ , he's doing Birthday stuff this week !! Sounds better than dun-dee ;)
VT/ Nig`
Russ,
I bought some of these from the garage sale then Robin gave me some more. They are really rugged. They are wired 4 units in series but I have used some with wiring changed to parallel. Some are used on Caterpillar electric forklifts for emergency shutdown. None have failed. One of the forklifts had a stuck (welded) contactor which did a lot of damage when it raced out control. They can be remotely tripped but do not put non governed power to the trip coil. A 100 ms. Pulse at about 17 volts will trip them. The units are internally ganged so it's not possible to use them as independent switches. Midnite uses a similar trip coil on thr rapid shutdown systems so they have the exact details for tripping.
Same trip specs as the MNDC175RT and MNDC250RT breakers.
These units were custom built for Midnite so Carlingswich will not release any data on them but by downloading the E frame breaker catalog from Carlingswich you can deduce all the information from that catalog.
I have them on each of my battery banks just in case of a massive failure or short.
Dave
I have paypaled the cash for postage etc.
Really appreciate the help guys as I have had one chinese circuit breaker cook and do not want risk this again if the house is unattended especially in the summer months.
Only 24 volt systems, but once the input to the batteries gets to 50-60 amps plus things can get very warm.
I may have to turn up some step down cable lugs to fit into the classic so I can run heavier cable from the reg to the batteries as well. ;D
BUSY BUSY day , saw Mr W @ Midnite , We crawled up & got the item's . Packed & then weighted for shipping , paper work out the ozzue , they are sent . Treats also delivered . I was thinking they were just small & quick , took the day to get this to happen .
eight PM and now Im packing to move @ 05:00 loaded for my trip !
I saw the B17 working , BUT Michelle was off today & so I'm not going to push such a nice offer & ask/disturb Robin for a picture allowance . 07:40-09:20 @ the Midnite , postal till 16:00 & 4 trips , man !
VT
Edit add : Im back in Kanada now & have my camera for post up the pictures , Huge breakers & weight .
Russ , USPS receipt sent from e-mail
Sounds like a fun filled day Nigel. How did the B17 look in operation? As cool as the still photos so far released?
Ralph
Yes I have slobbered over the b17 on the youtube clip :-[ :(
Be a long wait for me to procure one, sigh!
Even longer if they do not eventually make them in various voltages. :'(
Thanks again for all the effort Nigel!
Have to admit I got a bit of a scare when I saw that fried dc isolator switch!
I knew that they were not the best, but was all I had at the time.
Sure hope this cures the problems ;D
Quote from: ralph day on May 02, 2017, 07:46:46 AM
Sounds like a fun filled day Nigel. How did the B17 look in operation? As cool as the still photos so far released?
Ralph
Well I saw it / looked at it doing it's thing BUT since I was on a mission I didn't really study it . I could of spent some serious time , But without approval , no movies or pictures ,and I was just passing by it on the way to Mr W office .
It was just before 9 Am or so as I passed it , cloudy gray day & light rain . It was doing something cuz i saw one meter going blue /red . If I had know that it was setup & working when I first got there @ 07:30 , then I would of had a much closer look .
VT
Edit Add: Ralph , I know yur still looking for an outback cover . I just haven't been in that area with the right folks , YET !
Canada & it's Customs is a huge pain , That is why I do all my stuff myself .
Thanks for your efforts while there Nigel!
You have the last of the postage there now?
Nigel, thanks for all the help with this. You are welcome to take pictures and video of the B17 or just about anything else we are working on. The only secret thing at the moment is the Little Willy. Magnum and OutBack are not going to like the Little Willey at all!
The B17 will have a 3 and 5 bay version. For those of you who have not seen the Alt-E video, go to our home page and look for the B17 article. You can click on something there that takes you to the videos.
The modules plug in with a blind mate connector. We are planning on 2000 watts per module, so at 48V, that is a bit over 40 amps. We do have 80 amp contacts on the connector, so maybe we can do a 24V unit, but it would be limited to the three bay version. We have an integrated 250 amp breaker. If you had two inverter modules and one controller module, you would be at 166 amps for the two inverter modules. You don't want to go much over that due to surge power. We could have a problem on the 48V five bay version depending on how many inverter modules are installed? We do use long trip curve breakers, but we are really pushing the limits here.
I do expect that there will be some good deals for beta testing B17's later this year to our forum gang, so hang in there. It really is a cool product. You normally don't sit around and stare at your inverter, but with the B17, you can't help but stare at it. It is just a very cool product.
We have another engineering tech starting Thursday to help out on the inverter projects. We are also toying with hiring another engineer to help Bob. The battery based inverter project is massive. There are four main battery based inverters, not just one. Our batteryless inverter projects are going well too.
Hope this helps,
Robin
Hi Robin,
can we get a B-17 specific thread started as Larry asked for, for the VOICE upgrade...?
it would keep all the data /info easier to locate.
tks.
Quote from: Robin on June 06, 2017, 01:11:51 AM
Nigel, thanks for all the help with this. You are welcome to take pictures and video of the B17 or just about anything else we are working on.
Robin
Thanks Robin .
I do NOT like to assume & overstep !
Respect & as you know I ask to do stuff.
VT / Nig`
Been busy over winter, but I have the alloy for the switch mounting frames.
Just have to pull my finger out before the solar output start to peak again.
System has been making 10-12 kw per day on average and the rolls batteries are performing well for the "junkers" they were at purchase.
Switches/circuit breakers have remained a lot cooler over winter even thought the input has been similar.
Thanks Robin, The switches showed up today, and will work out great. I'll send a picture once I get them set up. Thanks for your help! Dale
Thanks for this great DC switch, here are a couple of pictures of it installed! In the future I may set up the shunt trip for a dirty shutdown. I redid the busbars so it's 4 156A in parallel, 2 for each forklift FLA battery. If I like, I could separate the handle linkage on the front to be able to run each battery separately, although then the shunt trip would only work for one side.
I've seen these offered very reasonably on Ebay also, great for a lithium bank.