Power center In TX

[laszlo]

High availability, code-compliant, offgrid system in Central Texas.  The picture shows the power center which is set 60 ft away from the house and A/C conduit is run to the house. Generation capacity:  4.4 KW PV, and ready for DC and A/C side upgrades if needed.   

Dual Magnum 4448-PAE inverters currently  in failover configuration (the baby switch fails over the Magnums between one other).  The inverters can be easily paralleled in the future  if the need arises by simply reversing one of the breakers in the baby panel, and turning on the parallel mode in  the Magnum RTR (box with dial on top of inverter on the left).

One inverter uses the Midnite E-Panel and the other the Magnum mini panel (mmp) centers.  I have posted a review of both these elsewhere in this forum.

The Classic  MNGP remote is in a different location - over a long ethernet cable that was made per spec provided in this forum.

A/C "service entrance" box top right.

Total of 8 Midnite SPD devices installed  in system -- protection for  all inputs, outputs,  PV combiners, and the DC shutoff.

All labeling and safety warning for GFP, automatic genstart, PV system, per NEC code.

[mtdoc]

Wow - 4.4Kw PV on one Classic!  Is it in an air conditioned space?  What kind of power are you getting out of it in full sun?

8 SPDs?  have some lightening do ya?!!

[laszlo]

I see about 3300 watts  at peak times this week +/-.   The Classic is  current-limited at 63amps.  The array can output about 3800watts real life,  but in summer heat  this is not going to happen.

The weather is volatile here in April - June period -- we often have big storms come through.
As far as lightning protection, a previous inverter I had  in a cabin system went toast due to lightning induced surge so I consider this  a good insurance.  I took the experiment and sawed open a Delta lightning arrestor and  they are just two wires in the sand.  So I can confirm what Robin wrote about them.

[TomW]

8 SPDs?  have some lightening do ya?!!

I fully understand that. Ours has 9 or 10 I think just on the RE system and another 3 on the Grid stuff.

Tom

[laszlo]

I am posting this for zoneblue to show rafter placement used for the array. This is an old carpentry trick -- basically lapping the post with your your rafters. Saves a lot of hardware and very solid.  This is not how the finished array looks - there are aluminum rails on top of teh rafters but give a pretty good idea of the structural elements.

[laszlo]

Array getting finished.

[boB]

Yeah !!  Now That's a roof !!

[vtmaps]

This is an old carpentry trick -- basically lapping the post with your your rafters.

Nice looking structure... I can't quite see all the detail...  I see where one rafter meets the post, but what about the rafters that are not on the post?  I don't see any notches in the one that I can see.

--vtMaps

[laszlo]

Hi! Thanks for the comments.

Vtmaps -- the four pair of rafters are all on posts but they are short and stubby at the front  so they are hard to see.  I will look for a better pic and post it up. Looking at zoneblue's array at http://www.zoneblue.org/cms/page.php?view=off-grid-solar,  I think he may have been able to use this structure for the ground mount.

[dgd]

Laszlo,
That looks like a quite shallow angle this array is at 10degrees or so. I wonder if you get any issues with vegetation debris, leaves etc especially after a good windy day.
Also the panels seem to be resting on those sets of dual rafters but I cannot understand how panel mounting bolts would line up. So is there some further wood or ali struts below the PVs.
It looks like a good substantial mounting, the nearest front support looks to be in a decent concrete footing
dgd

[laszlo]

Hello dgd!

The roof has a  4 over 12 pitch, which is about 12.5 degree as I remember. My latitude is 30 north (subtropical)  so this incidence  angle works out pretty well. I store my dirt bikes and other stuff underneath so it also serves as a carport.

This slope works out well for shedding the leaves and dirt and  such.  Once we had snowfall in 15 years  that stayed over 2 hours and the snow did not slide off but other than that it works ok for this latitide.

There are aluminum channel rails under the panels, so the bolt pattern we just created with a jig, and drilled them as we installed the panels. The rails, as well as each panel is grounded, as required by code.

[freegirl]

Dual Magnum 4448-PAE inverters currently

Dude, sir, are you still subscribed to this thread? I am pouring through these system photos to round the system that I am designing. Newbie. I am eyeing that very same model inverter. You don't see tons of reviews on it. Just wondering if you're still happy with yours.

thank you ever so much. :>

[laszlo]

System is working well, thanks for asking.  Just I have not been able to log on here as much as I would have liked.  The Magnum PAE 4448 inverters are solid and no issues so far.

[Jacotenente]

Great job...esp on that array!

[zoneblue]

Yes, the woodwork is both clever and attractive. Nice.