Smart Combiner Installation Manual

Transcription

1 Smart Combiner Installation Manual SolarBOS, Inc. 310 Stealth Court Livermore CA ph fax

2 Copyright 2012 SolarBOS, Inc. All rights reserved. All rights reserved. No part of this document may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photographic, magnetic, or otherwise, without the prior written permission of SolarBOS, Inc. SolarBOS makes no representations, express or implied, with respect to this documentation or any of the equipment and/or software it may describe, including (with no limitation) any implied warranties of utility, merchantability, or fitness for any particular purpose. All such warranties are expressly disclaimed. SolarBOS is not liable for any indirect, incidental, or consequential damages under any circumstances. (The exclusion of implied warranties may not apply in all cases under some statutes, and thus the above exclusion may not apply.) Specifications are subject to change without notice. Every attempt has been made to make this document complete, accurate and up-to-date. Users are cautioned, however, that SolarBOS reserves the right to make changes without notice and shall not be responsible for any damages, including indirect, incidental or consequential damages caused by reliance on the material presented, including, but not limited to, omissions, typographical errors, arithmetical errors or listing errors in the content material. Revision History Rev. No. Date By Description June 2012 DK Preliminary Release August 2012 DK Production Release Nov 2012 ST Termite Settings March 2013 AO Field Cal, COM Port SolarBOS, Inc. 310 Stealth Court Livermore CA ph fax 1

3 IMPORTANT SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS ***SAVE THESEE INSTRUCTIONS*** This manual contains important instructions for all SolarBOSS smart combiner models that must be followed during the installation and usee of the smart combiner. The smart combiner are designed and testedd according to international safety requirements. As with all electrical and electronic equipment,, certain precautions must be observed when installing the smart combiner. To reduce the risk of personal injury and to ensure the safe installation and operationn of the smart combiner, you must carefully read and follow all instructions and warnings in this Installation Guide. Safety and Hazard Symbols This symbol appears besidee instructions and warnings that deal with dangerous voltages that can injure peoplee who come in contact with them. Warnings WARNING: A warning describes a hazardd to equipment or personnel. It calls attention to a procedure or practice, which, if not correctly performed or adhered to, could result in damage to or destruction of part or all of the SolarBOSS equipment and/or other equipment connected to the SolarBOS equipment or personal injury. Warnings may also be accompanied by one or more of the safety and hazard symbols described above to indicate the type of hazard described therein. Other Symbols In addition to the safety and hazard symbols described previously, the following symbol is also used in the Installation Guide: This symbol accompanies notes that calll attention to supplementary information that you should know to ensure optimal operation of the system. This GROUND symbol marks areass in the combiner equipment grounds only. for connecting 2

4 Warranty All smart combiner sold in the USA have a five-yearr warranty. For warranty coverage, or if you have questions about the smart combiner warranty, contact SolarBOS at the address, telephonee number, or web site listed on page 1 (to send , seee the contact section of the SolarBOS web site: WARNING: All electrical installation must be done in accordance with the National Electrical Code ANSI/NFPA 70, local building codes, and the requirements of the authority having jurisdiction. WARNING: To prevent electrical shock or injury, all wiring and commissioning procedures must be performed by qualified personnel. WARNING: Before installing or using the smart combiner, read all of the instructions and warnings on the combinerr and in this Installation Guide. WARNING: PV arrays producee electrical energy when exposed to light and thus create an electrical shock hazard. WARNING: The smart combinerss use an integrated disconnect switch, yet both the line and load side of the switch may still be energized in the OFF position. Always test both sides of the disconnect before servicing the smart combiner. 3

5 Introduction SolarBOS has introduced a new line of smart combiners designed for use with all module and inverter combinations. Combiner features include: Listed to UL 1741 Simplified input and output wiring Compact, low-cost, and flexible design Available in NEMA 3, 3R, 4 powder-coated steel, and NEMA 4X stainless steel or fiberglass enclosures (others available upon request) Integrated current sensing module Integrated load-break disconnect switch (optional) Integrated load-break contactor switch (optional) Unpacking and Inspection All SolarBOS smart combiners are thoroughly checked before they are packaged and shipped. Although they are shipped in sturdy packaging, damage can still occur during shipping and delivery. It is important to carefully inspect the shipping container and contents prior to installation. If you detect any external damage after unpacking, report the damage immediately to SolarBOS and the shipping company that delivered the unit. Items not rejected within 10 days of delivery are considered accepted without recourse. If it becomes necessary to return the combiner, please use the original packing material. If you need assistance in dealing with a damaged unit, contact SolarBOS at

6 Smart Combiner Options There are three versions of the SolarBOS smart combiner: the standard combiner (Figure 1), the disconnect combiner (Figure 2) and the contactor combiner (Figure 3). Figure 1. SolarBOS Smart Standard Combiner Figure 2. SolarBOS Smart Disconnect Combiner Figure 3. SolarBOS Smart Contactor Combiner 5

7 Installation Refer to Figure 4 and Table 1 for enclosure dimensions. Use appropriate hardware for the mounting surface. The dimensions of the unit for each smart combiner option and the respective weights are shown in Table 1 below. Figure 4. Combiner Enclosure Dimensions Table 1. Smart Combiner Dimensions Enclosure Type # of Circuits H W D X Y Weight (lbs.) Standard Contactor Disconnect N3/N N3/N N3/N XF N/A N/A 4XF N/A N/A 4XF N/A N/A 4XF N/A XF N/A XF N/A All dimensions are in inches unless otherwise noted. 6

8 Input Wiring Refer to Figure 5 and Table 2 for the input wiring locations of the smart combiner. PV positive and negative conductors are wired into the positive lug and negative distribution block, respectively. These terminal locations are clearly marked. All PV safety ground conductors are wired into the ground bus located att the bottom of the smart combiner. NOTE: The smart combiner enclosure is shipped with no entry holes. A knock-out is required for the appropriate conduit size. SolarBOS recommends wire entry to be made according to Figure 5. Output Wiring Many of our smart combiners have large fault current ratings. When temperaturee and voltage drop adjustments are considered, the outpu conductor sizes can become quite large (500 MCM or greater) and difficult to manage. NEC Article allows paralleling of conductors greater than AWG 1/0 to achieve higher ampacities. NOTE: On units with provision for using crimp lugs use Panduit part number LAA for 250MCM wire or a ULL listed equivalent part from another manufacturer. Be sure to use the appropriate partt number for the intended wire gauge. NOTE: Rain tight or wet location hubs that comply with the Standard UL514B must be used for NEMA 3/3R outdoor applications. NEMA 4 or 4X applications must use watertight hubs that comply withh the Standard UL514B. Use Myers- 2 type, water-tight conduit fittings such ass Thomas & Betts H200TB (for conduit) or H300TB (for 3 conduit) or equivalent from others. Install fittings per manufacturer s recommendations. 7

9 Wire Entry Locations Figure 5. Combiner Wire Entry Locations Dimension A and B are for input wire locations. Dimensions C and D are for output wire locations. These locations are recommendations only. Care should always be taken to assure there is enough wire bend space for the desired output wire gauge when choosing a conduit entry location. The wire entry locations for the standard, contactor and disconnect combiners are shown in Table 2a, Table 2b, and Table 2c respectively. Wire Entry Dimensions Table 2a. Standard Combiner Enclosure Type # of Circuits A B C D N3/N N3/N N3/N XF XF XF Table 2b. Contactor Combiner Enclosure Type # of Circuits A B C D N3/N N3/N N3/N XF XF XF Table 2c. Disconnect Combiner Enclosure Type # of Circuits A B C D N3/N N3/N N3/N XF XF XF All dimensions are in inches unless otherwise noted. 8

10 The Channel Map The following schematic shows the channel map for the PV string inputs for up to 8, 12 and 16 channels. (a) (b) (c) Figure 6: Input wire labeling schematic for (a) 8 strings, (b) 12 strings, and (c) 16 strings The monitoring website will display PV string current readings according to the channel map shown above. PV String Fuses All SolarBOS smart combiners ship with fuses installed according to the user s predetermined requirements. All fuses and connection points are electrically tested prior to shipment. SolarBOS maintains stock of common fuse sizes if replacements are necessary or spares desired. WARNING: Never open a fuse holder while it is under load. Electrical arcing and damage to the fuse holder will occur if a fuse holder is opened under load. 9

11 The Current Sensor Module The smart combiner includes a current sensor module located on top of the bus bar in between the fuse holders as shown in Figure 6. The unit requires a 24V DC power supply available separately from SolarBOS. The module measures the current of each circuit and outputs this information via Modbus/RS-485. Wiring The output from the current sensor module is RS-485 serial using the standard Modbus RTU protocol. The positive data out, negative data out and data shield should be wired to the RS-485 network. The (24V DC in) is wired to the power supply. Minimum wire size of 24 AWG is required for RS-485 communications. The 24V DC wire should be sized based on distance and number of combiners. 2 1 Figure 7. The SolarBOS Smart Combiner includes a manual push button (1) and monitoring unit input terminals (2). 10

12 Field Calibration After hardware installation (combiner completely installed and wired), it is necessary to calibrate the current sensors. Two calibrations must be performed: 1) a zero calibration and 2) an all on calibration. The manual push button (Item 1 in Figure 7) is used to access the calibration menu, tare the current sensors, and enter an operating current for the all on calibration. The push button location may vary by model. Zero Calibration 1. Ensure no current is flowing through any of the combiner circuits (open disconnect or turn off the contactor bypass switch). 2. Press and hold the button for 3 seconds (until all channel lights turn on), then release. The light on channel 1 (upper left-most light) will stay lit, indicating zero calibration mode (see figure 8.1) 3. With the channel 1 light still lit, Press and hold the button for 3 seconds (until channel 1 light flashes), then release. The sensor board will cycle through all channels setting the zero point on each. Figure 8.1. Channel 1 light on. All On Calibration 1. Ensure current is flowing to all wired channels (close disconnect or contactor). Each string must be running at 4 amps or greater in order for the monitoring board to identify active channels. 2. Verify each active string is at its expected current and greater than 4 amps with a DC current clamp. 11

13 3. Hold the push button (Item 1 in Figure 7) for 3 seconds, until all channel lights are lit, then release. 4. The light on channel 1 will stay lit. Push the button once to select the light on channel 3 which activates all on calibration. Refer to figure 6 for channel layout. 5. With channel 3 lit, hold the button for 3 seconds until the channel 3 light blinks. Then release. 6. The board is now in all on calibration mode, and you are ready to enter the total current. Measure the total current through all strings with a DC current clamp (5 strings at 8 amps each should yield a total current of 40 amps). 7. The light on channel 10 should be lit, indicating a zero place value. Subsequent presses of the button will advance the light through 1-9. During all on calibration, the board expects a 3 digit number. For boxes with total current under 100 amps, you must first enter a 0. Ex: 85 amps enters as 085. Select the first digit (0-9), then hold the tare button for 3 seconds. The selected value will flash, and then string 10 will light up indicating it is time to enter the next digit. For an example of light indicators for 085 see figure 8.2. Figure 8.2. Light configurations for '085' Figure 8.3. Channel lights correctly indicating active and inactive channels. (5,10,11 inactive) 12

14 8. After all 3 digits have been entered, the board will verify the entered values by flashing each digit one time. Then, the board will calibrate each channel one by one, and then will light up all active channels simultaneously. During this process, 1) verify the total current value was entered correctly and 2) the board properly identifies all active and inactive channels. For an example of active channel verification, see Figure 8.3. Exiting the Calibration Menu To exit the Calibration Menu, press the pushbutton repeatedly until the Chanel 7 light is lit (4 th light from the upper left). Press and hold the button for 3 seconds until all lights flash. The current sensor module is now in run mode. Note: These calibration steps MUST be performed in order to ensure accurate readings of string currents. 13

15 Setting the Modbus Address The user can access monitoring data on a computer by downloading the Termite 2.9 software at After the Termite 2.9 software is installed, follow the instructions listed below. 1. Remove the SolarBOS bus bar cover from the monitoring apparatus. 2. Plug the USB 2.0 cable into the port on the control board and the USB end to your USB port on your PC. 3. Open Termite 2.9 software. 4. Termite settings below are necessary for proper communication with SolarBOS smart board. a) Port: The port number may vary between boards. With Windows 7, one of the following steps may be necessary to identify the correct port: i) Install Windows USB driver from the following URL before plugging the sensor board into the USB port. ii) If a Windows add new hardware dialog comes up when you plug the sensor in, point to the following.inf file: Once a driver is installed, a new COM port will show up in Termite when the sensor board is plugged in. 5. Press and hold the small green button near the USB port. 6. While still holding the green button near the USB port, click the main button in the Termite program that states Disconnect click to connect located at the top left corner. 7. When the button states Waiting for port, release the small green reset button. 14

16 8. The menu will appear as shown in Figure 9. Figure 9. SolarBOS Current Sensor Menu 9. To change the Modbus address, type 2 into the text bar located at the bottom of the Termite window shown in Figure 10. Figure 10. SolarBOS Current Sensor text bar 15

17 10. Then, type the addresss in the text box and press enter. The program will automatically re-generate the menu as shown in Figure 10 below. Figure 11. SolarBOS Current Sensor text barr Smart Combiner Orientation n NEMA-3/4/4X enclosures may be installed in either the vertical or the horizontal orientation. This applies to smart combiners with the N3 N4 4XF and 4XSS designation. If installed horizontally (with the door facing the sky), they should be supported by appropriate mounts. WARNING: Do not install the smart combiner directly to the roof material. Doing so will void the warranty. Disconnect Switch Assembly The disconnect or contactor models of the smart combiner include a handle installed on the enclosure door with clearly marked ON and OFF positions. The switch handle (located on the enclosure door) allows padlockingg in the OFF position enabling Lock Out/Tag Out procedures. 16

18 Defeating the Disconnect Handle For some applications, it may be necessaryy to temporarily defeat the integrated disconnect switch on the smart combiner. With the switch on, the handle door interlock mayy be defeatedd with a tool to allow the door to be opened. The door interlock may be defeated in the ON position but reactivates automatically when the enclosure door is closed. See item 1 on Figure 7. With the enclosure door open, it is possible to operate the switch with an auxiliary handle by defeating the handle interlock without using a special tool. Figure 7. Defeating the Disconnect Switch WARNING: Only qualified personnel should defeat the handle interlock on the smart combiner. door 17