Large 208v Three Phase Inverter

Status
Not open for further replies.
BackCountry

BackCountry

Electrician
Location
Southern California
Occupation
Licensed Electrician and General Contractor
Just got a call from a potential customer that a 10+ year old Solectria PVI-75-208 has failed and their install contractor is no longer in business.

Their service is 120/208v 3p, which is uncommon for us at 75kw.

Does anyone know of a 208v inverter that’s larger than 25kw? Our go-to would be SMA, CHINT or even Solectria itself only makes 25kw max models. It’s a ground mount, I haven’t seen if it’s strung into a combiner — I’m sure it is. If so we’re going to have to do some magic to swap it out and replace with three 25kw units. I don’t see any like for like replacement at this point at 75kw unless someone is aware of one.
 
BackCountry said:
Just got a call from a potential customer that a 10+ year old Solectria PVI-75-208 has failed and their install contractor is no longer in business.

Their service is 120/208v 3p, which is uncommon for us at 75kw.

Does anyone know of a 208v inverter that’s larger than 25kw? Our go-to would be SMA, CHINT or even Solectria itself only makes 25kw max models. It’s a ground mount, I haven’t seen if it’s strung into a combiner — I’m sure it is. If so we’re going to have to do some magic to swap it out and replace with three 25kw units. I don’t see any like for like replacement at this point at 75kw unless someone is aware of one.
Click to expand...
75kW is big for 208/120V. If you will consider a 480/277V inverter with a transformer you have many more options.
 
ggunn said:
75kW is big for 208/120V. If you will consider a 480/277V inverter with a transformer you have many more options.
Click to expand...

I’m with you, that’s what I’d usually do — and that may be what we have to do, I’d never seen anything over 33kw from SolarEdge, but clearly we’re not going to put their optimizers in on a swap out.
 
BackCountry said:
I’m with you, that’s what I’d usually do — and that may be what we have to do, I’d never seen anything over 33kw from SolarEdge, but clearly we’re not going to put their optimizers in on a swap out.
Click to expand...
SolarEdge makes a 50kW 208/120V inverter, the SE50KUS, but it doesn't get you all the way there if you need more DC than it can handle, and yes, there are the optimizers.
 
BackCountry said:
Right. We’ll have to see how it’s strung.
Click to expand...
I'm not sure what you mean, but SE inverters are strung differently than other string inverters, and then there are the optimizers; if you go with SolarEdge the array will need to be restrung.
 
ggunn said:
I'm not sure what you mean, but SE inverters are strung differently than other string inverters, and then there are the optimizers; if you go with SolarEdge the array will need to be restrung.
Click to expand...

Very familiar with SolarEdge

I meant we’ll have to see how it’s strung to see if we can split it into three CHINT 25kw to avoid a step up tx
 
BackCountry said:
Very familiar with SolarEdge

I meant we’ll have to see how it’s strung to see if we can split it into three CHINT 25kw to avoid a step up tx
Click to expand...
Noted. As long as the DC max voltage is the same as for the original inverter the stringing will likely be OK.
 
ggunn said:
Noted. As long as the DC max voltage is the same as for the original inverter the stringing will likely be OK.
Click to expand...

Finally got out there. It’s a central string inverter, all combined at the ground mount: the inverter is about 500’ away.

Luckily it has a 20 year warranty, and Solectria sent the parts out, along with a technician who’s coming in a few weeks. Problem solved.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top