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3.0--Grid-tied System Design NY

photovoltaic modules

switch
inverter

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1) Sharp 224 W PV modules

+
(5376 W)
-

1)
2) Conduit goes from roof to DC
11) disconnect
+
4) 3) THWN-2 AWG#10 wire in
-
in 3/4" EMT conduit
1)
4) Fronius 5100 inverter
+
- + - 3) 5) Junction box on roof
1) 5)
9) 6) Sq. D HU361, 30 A (18 A DC)
with series string fuse = 15 A per
pole
2), 3)
200 A 7) Sq. D DU221RB, 30 A
10) + 8)
+ 3)
8) Existing main panel.
+ load

-
7) 9) E-Mon single-phase 50 A meter
G line 3) line

L1 10) to Grounding Electrode

6)
load
L2 30 A
G 11) USE-2 wire AWG 12 in free air
N G
!
12)
12) #8 bare ground

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Figure out a system to Power

the whole load like this

Load in KILOWATT-HOURS per year

Full-Sun-hours/year x system efficiency

If your yearly load is 7000 kWh, the sun in New York City is
1642 kWh/m2 per year and the system efficiency is 75% (0.75)
then the PV system you will need to run it is:

7000/ (1642 x 0.75) = 5.68 kW PV System

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What’s the efficiency?

Inverter output power =

STC Array power (watts) [STC = 1000 W/^2 and 25 C]
x mismatch and dust factor (0.9)
x Array temperature factor (0.885 at 46 C)
x wiring efficiency (0.97)
x inverter efficiency (0.94)

That’s STC Array power x These numbers

0.9 x 0.885 x 0.97 x 0.94 come from the
That is: Florida Solar
STC Array power x 0.72 Energy Center
Experience base
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Use the yearly electrical usage (load)

To find out what this is, call the utility or

add up use from each bill

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Another way to assess your load

Load sizing

AC Appliance wat # number equals watt-hr/ number equals

ts appliances of hours day of days watt hours
used per per week
per day week
lights, primary 15 6 4 360 7 2520

lights, 15 8 0.5 60 7 420

secondary
TV and stereo 200 1 2 400 7 2800

computer 50 1 2 100 7 700

refrigerator, 200 1 7 1400 7 9800

energy star
average daily load in
kWh
2320 16240 2.32

watt hours battery total amp amp hours per day

with 1.1 for voltage hours per
inverter loss week
17864 24 744.33 106

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How Many Modules?

Step 1) Select an inverter and module

Step 2) determine how many modules you need in

SERIES to get the system voltage required by inverter
This is often referred to as a “series string”.

Step 3) multiply modules per “series string” by power

Rating per module

Step 4) divide total system power desired by power of

each string

Step 5) decide how many “series strings” matches inverter

Power rating

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What are my module choices?

Sharp: 140, 175, 224 W

Sharp 70s are triangular
Trina 175, 230
Solon 230
SolarWorld 235
Sanyo 215 W
Mitsubishi 185
Unisolar roofing
Atlantis roofing
SunTech 210
SunPower 225
… MORE

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What are my Inverter choices?

Inverters for Stand-alone

•Xantrex DR, SW Plus Inverters that can do both
•Prowatt
• Exeltech Xantrex XW
•Hundreds of others! Beacon M5
Outback Flex
Inverters for Net Metering
•Xantrex GT
•SMA 2500, 6000 W, 7000 W, 8000 W
•Fronius 2 kW, 3 kW, 4 kW, 5.1 kW, 10 kW,
Solectria 3-phase
• PV Power, Magnetek, Outback and more!

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XW

What if the customer

wants backup power?

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Certified Devices

SMA 6000
Fronius

Sunny Tower
Beacon M5

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Inverters

In the “old days”, people using solar energy had to use DC

appliances. While some DC appliances are still popular in off-grid
homes, the average on-grid home is wired for AC.

Inverters convert DC to AC. Modern inverters are very efficient; 85

to 95% is typical.

The newest innovation in inverters are models that can work in

synchrony with utility power. These inverters have sine-wave output,
are able to synchronize their output with the utility wave form, and
have special safety features to prevent back feeding the grid if utility
power is down.

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No “Islanding”
The utility grid is a very well controlled entity. It has to be this way
to prevent electrical chaos. For example, if the frequency of the
utility power varies, then power is lost due to out of phase waves
canceling each other out! Thus, the frequency standard for utilities is
often as small as +/- 0.5 Hz. When the frequency drifts even 0.2 Hz,
the utility starts shedding loads. The voltage is more variable, going
from 108 to 132 V.

Inverters have to be able to follow the utility wave form and shut off
under a variety of circumstances. The inverter must be able to shut
down, even when the utility power is down but other inverters or
inductive loads are on in the local neighborhood. Otherwise, the
power back feeding into the grid could create a dangerous condition
called ISLANDING.

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Use Only Inverters that meet

National Standards

Inverters must meet IEEE 929-2000 standards, UL

Publication 1741 Standards (Power Conditioning Units for
Use in Residential Photovoltaic Power Systems) and IEEE
1547.

Utilities require an application for renewable energy systems

to be filed by the customer and approved by the utility.

IEEE 929-2000 is FINALIZED. See IEEE.ORG

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Series String Sizing

These are “series strings”

Solar Cells in Series + to - Batteries in Series: + to -

0.5 V + 0.5 V = 1 V 1.5 V + 1.5 V = 3 V

VOLTAGE ADDS VOLTAGE ADDS

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Series String Sizing

Characteristics of series strings:

1. One path for current flow

2. Putting PV modules in series increases

system voltage

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Series String Sizing

Choose series string voltage so that:

1. The nominal voltage is in the inverter’s power tracking

window.

2. The Maximum Power Tracking Window is a range of voltage

points that the inverter will search. It will find the spot where
the maximum output of Watts will come from the current
and voltage being produced. It will operate on this Maximum
Power Point.

3. The open circuit voltage does not exceed the inverter’s max
voltage rating.

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Series String Sizing

DO NOT SHADE
Never let even one cell in a PV module be shaded
during the best sun-hours of the day. Since the
shaded cell is not producing any mobile electrons, it
looks like an open circuit to the entire string. This is
just like having one Christmas tree light burned out
in the string. No current flows!

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Series String Sizing

Inverter
Peak Power Tracking voltage

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Series String Sizing

Sharp 224 PV Module

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Series String Sizing
Calculating Voltage Change with Temperature
COLD
V (at Temp) = V (at STC) + [Temp coeff x (T of interest – 25 C)]

The Sharp 224 module has a temperature coefficient of -0.120 V/C

That’s volts per degree C. It is negative because the voltage gets
HIGHER as the temperature gets LOWER. The open circuit voltage
is 36.6 V at STC (1000 W/sq. m. , 25 C).
At – 20 C (-4 F):

Voc (at -20) = 36.6 + [-0.120 x (-20-25)] For the longest string of
modules, take inverter’s
= 36.6 + [-0.120 x -45)
max voltage and divide by
= 36.6 + [5.4]
Maximum module Voc:
= 42.0 V
For SMA 6000 that would be
600 ÷ 42 = 14.28 modules
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Series String Sizing
Calculating Voltage Change with Temperature
HOT
V (at Temp) = V (at STC) + [Temp coeff x (T of interest – 25 C)]

The max power voltage, Vmp is 29.28 V at STC (1000 W/sq. m. , 25

C). Let’s see what it is at 60 C such as on a hot sunny day, when the
dark-colored module heats up to about 30 C above ambient:

Vmp (at 60 C) = 29.28 + [-0.120 x (60-25)]

= 29.28 + [-0.120 x 35) For the shortest string of
= 29.28 + [-4.2] modules, take inverter’s
= 25.08 V minimum PPT voltage and
divide by minimum module
Vmp:
For SMA 6000 that would be
250 ÷ 25.08 = 9.968 modules
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Series String Sizing

You can choose 10, 12, 13 or 14 Sharp 224 modules in

series.
Now the final choice depends on things like available
space, orientation and budget.

To get the manufacturer’s recommended string sizing, go

to their web-page.
For SMA, that is www.sma-america.com

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Series String Sizing

PV Class System is made with SP 75 modules

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Series String Sizing

You try it: Can I use 12 SP75 W PV modules with the SMA 1800?
How about the Fronius 2000?

SMA inverter

240 Vac DC disconnect

AC disconnect
Load center

12 modules in series

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Wire Sizing

1) Voltage Drop

2) Ampacity

Choose the larger wire

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Voltage Drop

Ohm’s Law V = I R

V= potential in Volts
I= current, originally called “intensity”
in units of Amperes
R = resistance measured in units of
“Ohms”

George Simon Ohm.

(1787 - 1854)

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Voltage Drop
V= I R (“circuit” from the same root word as “circle”) (make units match)

V = I x 2 x d x R in ohms per kft x 1 kft/1000 ft

V= I x d x R in ohms per kft x 2/1000 (kft means 1000 feet)

V= I x d x R in Ω per kft x 0.002 = Voltage drop = Vdrop

where d= the ONE-WAY distance Ω: symbol used for ohms

If I want the voltage drop as a percentage, I have to divide by the

system voltage and then multiply by 100:
You can use meters
Vdrop = [(I x d x R x 0.002) / Vsystem] x 100 and ohms per
Vdrop = (I x d x R)/ Vsystem x 0.002x100 kilometer instead
Vdrop = (I x d x R in Ω per kft)/ Vsystem x 0.2
/ and ÷ means divide by

Since multiplication and division are commutative (not order

sensitive) I can re-write this as:
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Voltage Drop
(0.2 x d x I) x (R in Ω per kft) = %Voltage Drop
Vmp of string
Where: You can use meters and ohms per kilometer instead
• I is the circuit current, which for PV source circuits is the
maximum power current, Imp. For inverters, use Imax.
• d = one way distance in feet
•V is the system voltage, (Vmp for PV, Vnominal for inverter)
• Ω per kft (often written as Ω/kf) is the wire’s resistivity in
Ohms per 1000 feet and is found from NEC Chapter 9, Table 8,
Conductor Properties.
• Math reminder: 2d is the round trip distance. To convert to %,
one multiplies by 100, but to convert feet to kilo-feet, one divides
by 1000. 2 x 100/1000 = 0.2
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Voltage Drop

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Ampacity: How much current

can a wire carry without
significant heating?

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Ampacity

NEC table 310.16 and

table 310.17

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NEC table 310.16
Ampacity

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Ampacity
690.8 Circuit Sizing and Current.

The wires from the PV modules to the inverter or charge

controller must be able to carry 156% of the Isc

Because

125% for continuous duty

125% for irradiance greater than 1000 W/square meter

125% x 125% = 156%

125% = 1.25

156% = 1.56

Ditto: for sizing the charge controller and overcurrent devices

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Ampacity
Now you must de-rate for temperature

A wire that can carry

14 A at 30 C can carry only 0.41 x 14 A (or 5.74 A) at 71 C

18 A at 30 C can only carry 0.41 x 18 (or 7.38 A at 71 C

25 A at 30 C can only carry 0.41 x 25 (or 10.45 A) at 71 C

Or solve for current at 30 C like this:

current you need at 71 C ÷ 0.41 = current at 30 C

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Combiner box: Where paralleling occurs + to +, - to -

Reminder:

Paralleling
increases
current

A fuse for each series string, all 500 of them!

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ETM Solar Works Ampacity
Example

PV module spec:

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ETM Solar Works

Isc =7.7 A
Ampacity
So 7.7 A x 1.25 x 1.25 = 12.012 A

However, if you have series string fuses, you will have to go to a 13

Amp fuse. So we will have to plan for a wire that can take at least
13 A also.

Now de-rate for high roof temp

See bottom of NEC table 310.16
13 ÷ 0.41 = 31.7 A

This means I need a wire that can carry 31.7 A at 30 C. Look it

up in table 310.16. THWN-2 AWG #10 would be OK.

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Ampacity

What if there are more than 3 current carrying conductors in the

conduit?

Now you have to de-rate again using table 310.15(b)(2)(a)

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ETM Solar Works Ampacity
If there are more than 3 current carrying conductors,
use table 310.15(b)(2)(a)

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Ampacity

Take your 30 C current and divide by de-rate factor in table

310.15(b)(2)(a)

For our 31.7 A, we would need

31.7 ÷ 0.8 = 39.63 A if there are 4 to 6 current carrying conductors

in the conduit. Size AWG # 10 is still OK.

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Do I always have to use 0.41? No!
New temperature calculations in NEC 2008
Table
310.15(B)
2(c)

But what
ambient temp
do you use?

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ETM Solar Works Ampacity

Use the
Copper
Development
Association’s
“Outdoor
design
temperatures”

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Ampacity
Now you take the design temp + temp adder from
NEC table 310.15(B)(2)(c)

= the temperature you will need to de-rate to in NEC table 310.16

In Binghamton, the design temp = 84 F.

For a conduit sitting on the roof, you have to add 60 F. So the

temperature to de-rate for is 144 F.

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A design temp of 144 means a de-rate factor of 0.58

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Ampacity

Take the ampacity you need and divide by 0.58 to get the 30 C
ampacity.

For our 13 A we need on the roof-top, take 13 ÷ 0.58 = 22.41 A:

AWG #12 THWN-2

Using 0.41 instead of 0.58 is still OK, because it is more

conservative.

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Ampacity

What if there are more than 3 current carrying conductors in the

conduit?

Now you have to de-rate again using table 310.15(b)(2)(a)

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If there are more than 3 current carrying conductors,
use table 310.15(b)(2)(a)

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Ampacity

Take your 30 C current and divide by de-rate factor in table

310.15(b)(2)(a)

For our 22.41 A, we would need

22.41 ÷ 0.8 = 28.01 A if there are 4 to 6 current carrying

conductors in the conduit. AWG # 12 is still OK.

The new table just saved a few bucks on copper!

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Putting it all together

Size PV system to
serve the load OR fit on the roof OR fit the budget

Then choose PV module and inverter

Now find permissible series strings

Then find the number of parallel strings you need to get the power
you want (total power/watts per string)
Next, size wires for voltage drop and ampacity
from PV to inverter and from inverter to circuit box

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