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  • Alisobob
    Banned
    • Sep 2014
    • 605

    #16
    Originally posted by HX_Guy
    Install started today, not the most finesse looking install but shortest/easiest route I guess).


    Hey man.... dont shoot the messenger. That said, you appear to have a very nice home. NO WAY am I going to accept that rats nest of flex conduit... painted or otherwise.

    Make them re-do it...

    ....please?

    Comment

    • HX_Guy
      Solar Fanatic
      • Apr 2014
      • 1002

      #17
      Hah, yeah, I texted them about it earlier already. To be fair, some of that is my own doing (the bottom box if for my landscape irrigation, which I installed myself, with flex tubing).

      Comment

      • SunEagle
        Super Moderator
        • Oct 2012
        • 15148

        #18
        Originally posted by Alisobob
        Hey man.... dont shoot the messenger. That said, you appear to have a very nice home. NO WAY am I going to accept that rats nest of flex conduit... painted or otherwise.

        Make them re-do it...

        ....please?
        I agree that looks terrible. Flexible conduit shouldn't criss cross like that, or should at least be run more horizontal and a lot neater.

        And that one between the new Meter pan and the inverter on the other side of the wall may be a little too long per code. They could have install intermediate up to the wall and then flex in the last couple of feet.

        Comment

        • HX_Guy
          Solar Fanatic
          • Apr 2014
          • 1002

          #19
          Originally posted by SunEagle
          I agree that looks terrible. Flexible conduit shouldn't criss cross like that, or should at least be run more horizontal and a lot neater.

          And that one between the new Meter pan and the inverter on the other side of the wall may be a little too long per code. They could have install intermediate up to the wall and then flex in the last couple of feet.
          I rough measured that run to be about 9.5 ft. Not sure what code is here in AZ, but someone told me its 15 ft in California. An NEC 690 article I read didn't mention anything about run length, only that is liquid-tite conduit is used, it must be secured no more than 12" from the any box/junction/etc a day least every 54" in between.

          It'll need to pass inspection of course and my city is supposed to be super strict so I'm guessing the installer doesn't want to do it twice and is doing it right the right time, aesthetics aside.

          Comment

          • russ
            Solar Fanatic
            • Jul 2009
            • 10360

            #20
            That looks like typical workmanship in India where the worker thinks it might be inspected. What happens where they think the boss will never look you don't even want to know!
            [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]

            Comment

            • Mb190e
              Solar Fanatic
              • May 2014
              • 167

              #21
              Originally posted by Alisobob
              Hey man.... dont shoot the messenger. That said, you appear to have a very nice home. NO WAY am I going to accept that rats nest of flex conduit... painted or otherwise.

              Make them re-do it...

              ....please?
              +1 I agree no amount of paint is going to fix the flex conduit.

              Comment

              • SunEagle
                Super Moderator
                • Oct 2012
                • 15148

                #22
                Originally posted by HX_Guy
                I rough measured that run to be about 9.5 ft. Not sure what code is here in AZ, but someone told me its 15 ft in California. An NEC 690 article I read didn't mention anything about run length, only that is liquid-tite conduit is used, it must be secured no more than 12" from the any box/junction/etc a day least every 54" in between.

                It'll need to pass inspection of course and my city is supposed to be super strict so I'm guessing the installer doesn't want to do it twice and is doing it right the right time, aesthetics aside.
                I have to look more closely at the NEC, but I thought the longest you can run flex conduit with wires energized above 50volts was 6 feet. Although i could be wrong.

                I hope the inspector passes your install but I would at least check it out with someone that understand the local electrical code.

                Comment

                • silversaver
                  Solar Fanatic
                  • Jul 2013
                  • 1390

                  #23
                  Originally posted by Alisobob
                  Hey man.... dont shoot the messenger. That said, you appear to have a very nice home. NO WAY am I going to accept that rats nest of flex conduit... painted or otherwise.

                  Make them re-do it...

                  ....please?
                  +1.


                  That is cheap way of doing the installation and hopefully you can pass your inspection. There is no need to look at other installation job.... the installer is cutting corner

                  Comment

                  • Alisobob
                    Banned
                    • Sep 2014
                    • 605

                    #24
                    derate.JPG

                    I had to look this up for myself.... yup... the thing starts to derate at 120 degrees, and by 135 degrees, output is cut 30% or so.

                    ...wow.

                    Comment

                    • Ian S
                      Solar Fanatic
                      • Sep 2011
                      • 1879

                      #25
                      Originally posted by Alisobob
                      [ATTACH=CONFIG]5321[/ATTACH]

                      I had to look this up for myself.... yup... the thing starts to derate at 120 degrees, and by 135 degrees, output is cut 30% or so.

                      ...wow.
                      That's not bad. Remember, that the 120F where derate starts is ambient temperature not inverter temperature. Even here in the Valley of the Sun, ambient temps of 120+ are few and far between.

                      Comment

                      • Alisobob
                        Banned
                        • Sep 2014
                        • 605

                        #26
                        Ambient temps are measured in the shade. If the sun beats down on this box, its much higher than ambient.

                        I find it odd its so temperature sensitive...

                        Comment

                        • sensij
                          Solar Fanatic
                          • Sep 2014
                          • 5074

                          #27
                          Originally posted by Alisobob
                          Ambient temps are measured in the shade. If the sun beats down on this box, its much higher than ambient.

                          I find it odd its so temperature sensitive...
                          So temp sensitive? SMA inverters derate too, according to this, at about 45 deg C. Sure, Enphase micros will go up to 65 deg C at full power, but they are intended to be mounted in a very hot location, and kind of have no choice. String inverters are not meant to be mounted in direct sunlight, and the installation manuals for most will tell you that.
                          CS6P-260P/SE3000 - http://tiny.cc/ed5ozx

                          Comment

                          • control4userguy
                            Solar Fanatic
                            • Aug 2014
                            • 147

                            #28
                            ^yeah and I think the DC drop to the inverter should not be baking in the hot sun either.

                            Comment

                            • HX_Guy
                              Solar Fanatic
                              • Apr 2014
                              • 1002

                              #29
                              The inverter is on a north facing wall which is why I put it outside. I think I might have mentioned earlier already but I measured the temp in the garage at 126 degrees over the summer.

                              Comment

                              • subdriver97
                                Solar Fanatic
                                • Nov 2014
                                • 133

                                #30
                                Originally posted by silversaver
                                +1.


                                That is cheap way of doing the installation and hopefully you can pass your inspection. There is no need to look at other installation job.... the installer is cutting corner
                                This is the very reason that when checking vendor references beyond speaking to them on the phone I asked to visit their home so I could view the installation workmanship myself. Look at this thread where I posted photos of two different installs in which both homeowners were happy about their vendor's work. You never know what someone else is willing to accept.

                                If you are a homeowner who is about to put a solar panel system on your home or you are a newbie to the solar market, get started here! A non-technical forum to help you understand the in's and out's of solar.

                                Comment

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