SURGE ARRESTORS

[SOLENTRICS]

I was at my first ever solar conference in Barrie Ontario and found it very rewarding. I met Robin for the first time in person but spoke to him a few times on the phone. When he did his presentation about the Delta LA302DC arrester, I was discussed at what he said. For over ten years the first order of business was to install delta arresters on all equipment. Now what do I do, MIDNITE will have a working one in a couple of months but the cost is going to be hard to sell as people don't like to spend money if they don't have to. The wonderful world of online shopping has been a great cause of grief to us small operators who are nickeled and dimed to death with online pricing. I am not crying the blues, but this arrester issue is just another issue to deal with. The problem is that there is really no other arrester out there to use. I have a mythology about new products and salesmen. Even though Robin is who he is, I cannot let my guard down and first order is to test the @*#& out everything. Purchasing a new product and abusing it is how I determine if it's up to par with what I need. Many of my installs are twenty minutes to three hours ( one way )in the bush so quality is my first order because service calls for junk products, and we know there is an endless supply out there, is too costly. So my question is, what is too much or too little arrester protection on a system. Robin said that batteries do not require it, but I replace batteries that are shorted after a strike nearby? Do I need to speak to an arrestologist ?

[nigel]

Well if you cant beat them join them.  I also install systems and run an online shop for off grid equipment. The prices in my off grid shop are the prices I charge my installation customers and everything is going very well on and off line. As to the new Midnite Surge arrestors Ive just placed my first order for some,  I also have to Ship from USA to Europe and pay 18% import tax. Apart from the  Delta Units Outback also makes a Surge Protection device which is only a specific fit to the FW250 and FW500 systems.and over twice the price of the suggested retail price of Midnite SPD. Plus MN SPD  are a generic fit and can easily be incorporated in to any other system .  As to new technology I think we have to give the designers of new kit some respect, they were aware of Delta limitations when starting on the design of the new SPD ( Been Off Grid Five Years with Delta products Fitted On My System and have survived many a Electrical Storm , be that luck or design no one will ever know) But when a product specifically brought to market to offer better protection than existing kit with visual indicators and substantially better clamping of surge voltages you have to make your own decisions.  Delta LA  have been a good seller for me but I expect the New MN SPD will be even better. The extra cost is minimal in the overall cost of a complete system and when offered to the client who,s parting with a lot of money on his new kit they are very thankful that such a product is available, recommended  and 9 times out of ten is purchased.
Having dealt with Midnite for some years now and been waiting for the SPD a while Ive already made my decision in Midnites abilities and extensive testing to put my faith in the new SPD.
Nigel

[niel]

arrestologist? now that's an interesting title. how about lightning cop?

i think part of the problem lays with the nec requiring the ground lead to enter the home with the pv leads and that brings the lightning into the home and it does whatever it wants to from there. the nec has suggested placing another ground rod at the pvs, but this can't be intertied underground with the regular ground rod as it is supposed to be due to ground loops setting up with more than 1 ground path. as the nec has it it will pass to 2 separate rods and the addition of the ground rod at the pvs will not stop a large potential from trying to get to the other rod as well. at least if the single connection between the rods was underground that it would keep it away from entering the house and would be seen as 1 large grounding system instead.

the sad reality is we have to do it whiles' way. most lightning/emp events tend to take out the inverter's ac out as this portion has more wiring to pick up the lightning or pulse. this can still jump to the dc area and the batteries so protect the dc side of things as best as you can. even with surge arresters, there are no guarantees, but just more effort to give the wiring and equipment a better chance. a better term might be surge suppressor as they clamp down after a certain voltage leaving the lower voltage portion of the lightning/surge to get through if the thing managed to divert all of the higher energy.

put them on the dc area as well seeing as how you have damaged batteries before. as said, there are no guarantees with lightning or the emp surges from it, but you can increase your odds. i'm no expert with lightning or surges, but i basically understand it so i'm no arrestologist.

edit to add-
i see you are in canada and i'm not sure if your country has adopted the same rules as whiles put to us here in the states. if there isn't a rule mandating the ground wire enter the house with the pv wires then don't do it. 2 ground rods can be intertied then with far better results or if the main electrical ground rod is right there then take the ground lead from the pvs straight to that rod and don't bring it inside.

[TonyU]

I am sure that the Midnite SPDs will be great, but there are other choices out there that are available right now.
Take a look at what citel Inc. has to offer.  I have no connection to them what-so-ever, but I have used their products.
Understanding SPDs and how they are used is the first step to success, so do as much research as you can.  That way you will be able to make your own informed decisions, regardless of who's products you are looking at.
As for people not wanting to pay for SPDs, the only thing I can think to say is "You get what you pay for".  If you don't -pay- for protection, you don't -get- protection!

[Cheburatorol]

 
So qrazy..
Oh..

Dosent matter