Smart Combiner Installation Manual
SolarBOS, Inc. 310 Stealth Court Livermore CA 94551-9552 925-456-7744 ph. 925-456-7710 fax www.solarbos.com
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 1.0 22 June 2012 1.1 1 August 2012 1.2 15 Nov 2012 1.3 20 March 2013
By DK DK ST AO
Description Preliminary Release Production Release Termite Settings Field Cal, COM Port
SolarBOS, Inc. 310 Stealth Court Livermore CA 94551 925-456-7744 ph. 925-456-7710 fax www.solarbos.com
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IM MPORTA ANT SAF FETY IN NSTRUCTIONS ***SAVE E THESE E INSTR RUCTION NS*** This ma anual conta ains importa ant instructtions for alll SolarBOS S smart co ombiner mo odels that mus st be follow wed during the installation and use e of the sm mart combiner. The sm mart combiiner are designed d and a tested d according g to interrnational safety requirem ments. As with w all elec ctrical and electronic equipment,, certain prrecautions must be obse erved when n installing the t smart combiner. c T To reduce the risk of personal injury and to ensure the e safe insta allation and d operation n of the smart comb biner, you must carefully y read and follow f all instructions and a warning gs in this In nstallation G Guide. a Hazard d Symbols Safety and This sym mbol appea ars beside e instructio ons and w warnings tthat deal with dangerous voltages that can injjure people e who come e in contact with them.
Warning gs G: A warnin ng describe es a hazard d to equipm ment or perssonnel. It ca alls WARNING attention to t a proced dure or prac ctice, which h, if not corrrectly performed or adhered to, t could res sult in damage to or destruction o of part or all of the SolarBOS S equipmen nt and/or oth her equipm ment conneccted to the SolarBOS equipmen nt or person nal injury. gs may also o be accom mpanied by one or mo ore of the ssafety and h hazard sym mbols Warning describe ed above to o indicate th he type of hazard h desccribed there ein. S Other Symbols In addition to the safety and hazard h sym mbols descrribed previo ously, the fo ollowing symbol is also used u in the Installation Guide: This sym mbol accom mpanies nottes that calll attention tto suppleme entary informattion that you u should kn now to ensu ure optimal operation o of the syste em.
ROUND symbol s ma arks areass in the ccombiner for connecting This GR equipme ent grounds s only.
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Warrantty All smarrt combiner sold in the e USA have e a five-yearr warranty. For warran nty coverag ge, or if you have h questiions about the smartt combiner warranty, contact So olarBOS at the address, telephone e number, or web siite listed o on page 1 (to send e e-mail, see e the contact section of the t SolarBO OS web site e: www.sollarbos.com).
WARNING G: All elec ctrical insta allation musst be done e in accord dance with h the National Electrical Code ANS SI/NFPA 7 70, local building co odes, and the requireme ents of the authority a ha aving jurisd iction.
WARNING: W To preve ent electriccal shock or injury, all wiring and co ommissioning procedu ures must b be performe ed by qualiffied person nnel.
WARNING G: Before installing or using th he smart ccombiner, read all off the instruction ns and warnings on the combinerr and in thiss Installatio on Guide.
WARNING: W PV array ys produce e electrical energy wh hen expose ed to light and thu us create an n electrical shock haza ard.
WARNING: W The smartt combinerss use an inttegrated dissconnect switch, s yet both b the line e and load side of the switch mayy still be energized e in n the OFF position. p Allways test b both sides o of the disconnect d before b serv vicing the sm mart combiner.
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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 925-456-7744.
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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
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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
N3/N4 N3/N4 N3/N4 4XF 4XF 4XF 4XF 4XF 4XF
8 12 16 8 12 16 8 12 16
20.00 20.00 20.00 18.40 18.40 18.40 20.00 20.00 24.00
20.00 20.00 20.00 16.40 16.40 16.40 16.00 16.00 20.00
6.00 6.00 6.00 7.68 7.68 7.68 8.13 8.13 9.88
18.00 18.00 18.00 14.25 14.25 14.25 13.81 13.81 15.25
18.00 18.00 18.00 19.28 19.28 19.28 17.81 17.81 19.25
All dimensions are in inches unless otherwise noted.
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Weight (lbs.) Standard Contactor Disconnect 35 37 39 35 37 39 35 37 39 26 N/A N/A 26 N/A N/A 26 N/A N/A N/A 30 32 N/A 30 32 N/A 37 39
W Input Wiring Refer to o Figure 5 and a Table 2 for the in nput wiring locations o of the smarrt combinerr. PV positive and negative conducttors are wirred into the positive lug g and nega ative distribution block, re espectively. These terrminal loca ations are cclearly marked. All PV V safety gro ound conductors are wire ed into the ground bus s located att the bottom m of the smart combine er. NOTE: The T smart combiner enclosure is shipped d with no entry hole es. A knock-outt is required d for the ap ppropriate cconduit size e. SolarBO OS recommends wire entry y to be mad de according g to Figure 5.
Output Wiring s have larg ge fault currrent ratings. When te emperature e and Many off our smartt combiners voltage drop adjusttments are considered d, the outpu or sizes can become quite ut conducto large (50 00 MCM orr greater) and difficult to t manage . NEC Articcle 310.4 allows paralleling of condu uctors greater than AW WG 1/0 to achieve a high her ampaciities. NOTE: On O units with provision n for using crimp lugs use Panduit part num mber LAA250-3 38-5 for 25 50MCM wirre or a UL L listed equ uivalent part from ano other manufacturer. Be su ure to use the appro opriate partt number fo or the inten nded wire gaug ge. NOTE: Rain tight orr wet locatio on hubs tha at comply w with the Sta andard UL5 514B must be used u for NE EMA 3/3R outdoor o app plications. N NEMA 4 or 4X applications must use watertight hubs that comply c with h the Stand dard UL514 4B. Use Myyerstype, watter-tight co onduit fitting gs such ass Thomas & Betts H H200TB (fo or 2” conduit) or o H300TB (for 3” cond duit) or equ uivalent from m others. In nstall fittingss per manufacturer’s recom mmendatio ons.
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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 N3/N4 N3/N4 N3/N4 4XF 4XF 4XF
Table 2b. Contactor Combiner
# of Circuits
A
B
C
D
8 12 16 8 12 16
20 20 20 16 16 16
8 8 8 6 6 6
8 8 8 6 6 6
12 12 12 5 5 5
Enclosure Type N3/N4 N3/N4 N3/N4 4XF 4XF 4XF
Table 2c. Disconnect Combiner Enclosure Type
# of Circuits
A
B
C
D
N3/N4 N3/N4 N3/N4 4XF 4XF 4XF
8 12 16 8 12 16
20 20 20 16 16 16
8 8 8 6 6 6
5 5 5 4 4 4
12 12 12 5 5 5
All dimensions are in inches unless otherwise noted.
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# of Circuits
A
B
C
D
8 12 16 8 12 16
20 20 20 16 16 16
8 8 8 6 6 6
8 8 8 6 6 6
12 12 12 5 5 5
annel Map The Cha The follo owing sche ematic show ws the chan nnel map fo or the PV sstring inputss for up to 8 8, 12 and 16 channels. c (a a) (b) (c) 1
3
2 4
5
6
7
8
9 11 13 15
10 12 2 14 16
Figure 6: Inp put wire labelin ng schematic for (a) 8 string gs, (b) 12 strin ngs, and (c) 16 6 strings
nitoring website will display PV string s curre ent readingss according g to the cha annel The mon map sho own above..
PV Strin ng Fuses All SolarrBOS smarrt combiners s ship with fuses insta alled accord ding to the u user’s predeterrmined requ uirements. All fuses an nd connecttion points a are electrically tested prior to shipm ment. SolarB BOS mainta ains stock of o common fuse sizes if replacem ments are necessa ary or spare es desired. WARNING: W Never ope en a fuse h holder while e it is underr load. Elecctrical arcing and damage to o the fuse holder will occur if a fuse holder is opened unde er load.
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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.
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Figure 7. The SolarBOS Smart Combiner includes a manual push button (1) and monitoring unit input terminals (2).
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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
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 8.3. Channel lights correctly indicating active and inactive channels. (5,10,11 inactive)
Figure 8.2. Light configurations for '085'
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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 (4th 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.
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Setting the Modbus Address The user can access monitoring data on a computer by downloading the Termite 2.9 software at http://www.compuphase.com/software_termite.htm. 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. http://www.pjrc.com/teensy/serial_install.exe ii) If a Windows “add new hardware” dialog comes up when you plug the sensor in, point to the following .INF file: http://dlnmh9ip6v2uc.cloudfront.net/datasheets/Dev/AVR/LUFA%20CDC%20Bootloader.inf
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.
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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
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10. Then, T type the address s in the text box and prress enter. The progra am will automatically re-genera ate the men nu as show wn in Figure e 10 below.
Figu ure 11. SolarBO OS Current Se ensor text barr
Smart Combiner C Orientation O n NEMA-3 3/4/4X enc closures may be insttalled in e either the vvertical or the horizontal orientation. This applies to smart com mbiners witth the “N3”” “N4” “4X XF” and “4X XSS” with the do oor facing the sky), tthey should d be designattion. If installed horrizontally (w supporte ed by appro opriate mou unts. WARNING G: Do not install the e smart com mbiner dire ectly to the e roof material. Doing so will void the e warranty. Disconn nect Switch Assembly The disc connect or contactor models m of th he smart co ombiner incclude a han ndle installe ed on the enclosure doo or with clea arly marked ON and OFF positions. The e switch ha andle (located on the en nclosure do oor) allows padlocking g in the OF FF position n enabling Lock Out/Tag g Out procedures.
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Defeatin ng the Disc connect Ha andle For som me applic cations, it may be necessaryy to tempora arily defeat the integra ated discon nnect switch on the smart combinerr. With the e switch on n, the hand dle door intterlock mayy be defeated d with a to ool to allow w the door to be ope ened. The doo or interlock may be de efeated in the t ON possition but reac ctivates auttomatically when the enclosure door is closed d. See item m 1 on Figurre 7. With the e enclosure door open, it is possib ble to opera ate the switc ch with an auxiliary a ha andle by defeating the handle interlock witthout using a special tool. t
Figurre 7. Defeating g the Disconn nect Switch
WARNING: W Only qualified perso onnel shoulld defeat th he handle door in nterlock on the smart combiner. c
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