Microinverters are a popular choice for residential and commercial solar installations. They inherently meet NEC 2017 requirements for module-level shutdown, increase system efficiency and performance, and help with shading issues. Learn more about how microinverters convert DC to AC power right at the panel level in this video.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
LAS VEGAS – September 10, 2017 – APsystems introduces the YC600, a dual-module, utility-interactive microinverter with Reactive Power Control (RPC) technology and Rule 21 grid support functionality at Solar Power International in Las Vegas, NV.
The first of its kind, the YC600 was designed to accommodate today’s high output PV panels, offer enhanced capability and meet the latest grid compliance standards, including UL 1741 SA requirements for California Rule 21 as well as voltage and frequency ride through and RPC for European and Australian DER requirements.
Offering an unprecedented 300VA peak output power per channel, the YC600 works with 60 and 72-cell PV modules and offers dual, independent MPPT per panel. The unit operates within a wider MPPT voltage range than competing brands for a greater energy harvest and boasts a durable, NEMA 6/IP67, powder-coated aluminum enclosure, bucking today’s trend of plastic casings.
“Integrating smart grid-interactive capability, reactive power control and Rule 21 support functionality into a dual-module microinverter while still maintaining independent MPPT per channel is a groundbreaking achievement in microinverter technology,” said Olivier Jacques, executive vice president, USA and EMEA. “We’ve significantly raised the bar with this product.”
The YC600 builds on the successful APsystems line of multi-module microinverters, simplifying installation and reducing logistics costs. The unit features both integrated ground and DC connectors for fast, hassle-free installation and maintains inherent compliance to NEC 690.12 Rapid Shutdown code requirements. An integrated ZigBee antenna offers broadband communication over a mesh network for fast, accurate data monitoring.
“The demands on today’s power conversion systems require that manufacturers not only bring cutting-edge concepts into existence, but also include the complex capabilities of successful previous generations, all while accommodating both current and new compliance standards,” said Dr. Yuhao Luo, APsystems’ chief technology officer. “The YC600 includes dozens of new and advanced features and functions that outclass competing products. And then we added free monitoring.”
The groundbreaking new microinverter will debut at Solar Power International, being held in Las Vegas, Nevada, September 11-13, booth #1745. The product is now available in Australia and Asia-Pacific markets and will soon launch in the U.S. market mid-Q4 and EMEA market late Q4 of this year.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
SEATTLE, Wa.; LYON, France; JIAXING, China – September 5, 2017 – APsystems will unveil the YC600, a dual-module, smart grid and Rule 21 compliant microinverter at the Solar Power International trade show in Las Vegas. A groundbreaking design in microinverter technology, the YC600 will offer the highest peak output power, faster transmission speed and more modules allowed per string than comparable microinverters. A wider MPPT voltage range will result in a greater energy harvest for homeowners.
The first of its kind, the YC600 is designed to accommodate today’s high output PV panels, offer enhanced capability and meet the latest grid compliance standards while providing an unprecedented level of power with dual, independent MPPT per channel. The unit also builds on the successful APsystems line of multi-module microinverters, simplifying installation and reducing logistics costs.
The new microinverter will debut at the APsystems booth #1745 September 11-13 at SPI.
APsystems will unveil the YC600, a dual-module, smart grid and Rule 21 compliant microinverter at the Solar Power International trade show in Las Vegas. A groundbreaking design in microinverter technology, the YC600 will offer the highest peak output power, faster transmission speed and more modules allowed per string than comparable microinverters. Additionally, a wider MPPT voltage range will result in a greater energy harvest for homeowners.
The first of its kind, the YC600 is designed to accommodate today’s high output PV panels, offer enhanced capability and meet the latest grid compliance standards while providing an unprecedented level of power with dual, independent MPPT per channel. The unit also builds on the successful APsystems line of multi-module microinverters, simplifying installation and reducing logistics costs.
The new microinverter will debut at the APsystems booth #1745 September 11-13 at SPI.
Email sales.usa@APsystems.com to set up a meeting during the convention or find out more about APsystems microinverter products.
By Larry Busby, Technical Services Manager at APsystems USA
For a PV installer, there’s nothing worse than having to return to a jobsite. Except, of course, having to do it more than once. We’ve all heard the expression “work smarter, not harder,” but you would be surprised how often solar installers get in a truck and roll out to a jobsite to adjust or repair something that probably could have been fixed remotely back at HQ. Many software-savvy solar installers are boning up on best-practices to better utilize the systems and information already available to them—most of it right at their fingertips—to save both time and money.
For solar arrays, the most critical software typically lies within the power conversion devices, gateways and interconnected online monitoring platform provided by the inverter manufacturer. The online platform not only monitors the performance of the system, but also tracks a profusion of data points simultaneously and stores that information in the cloud. By checking certain performance specs, settings, activity and historical data, installers can quickly troubleshoot and fix common hitches or, at worst, narrow down the problem that’s plaguing a PV system.
Every inverter monitoring interface is a little different, but much of the information and tools available are typically the same. With an MLPE system like microinverters, you’re able to drill down to the PV panel level to see what each module is producing at any given time. When troubleshooting a system issue, or perhaps if you see a PV panel which is reporting low or zero watts, first try rebooting the system remotely if your monitoring platform offers that capability. With some systems, a reboot may help the interface identify the issue or it might reset the array to its default parameters in case an unusual grid event threw a monkey wrench at it. It could also spur the system to begin downloading recent updates which may have stalled when the system encountered the issue. You may even consider rebooting more than once.
If you’re still troubleshooting the issue, check the DC side of your system. For a microinverter system, you want to be sure each inverter is reporting at its minimal operating range (such as 16V) incoming DC from the panel. Next, check your AC output. If your system shows it registering 0V or 120V, the inverter may not be sensing the grid or enough volts from the grid to register as a 240V grid connection. Without an identified grid connection, the inverter will not convert energy, so if you see this as an issue with multiple sequential inverters, it could be a cable or connector problem. If it applies to the entire string or array, the problem could be a loose wire in the junction box, or a tripped or off breaker.
With a low wattage problem, you can drill down to the panel level online and check the voltage. If it’s registering under its minimal operating range, it’s likely a panel problem and not the inverter. You may still have to visit the site, but at least you know what you’re replacing and exactly where it is on the array which saves you time troubleshooting. When you hit the site, unplug the suspect panel from the inverter and take a live load DC voltage and current reading. If your panel is reading below its minimum startup voltage and 0 current, then the panel is the culprit and needs replacing.
Also, don’t underestimate the value of historical data. Looking back over a system’s history—especially that of a single panel—may allow you to identify recurring issues that seem to affect that particular panel. Perhaps a chimney shadow hits the panel at the same time each day. You can look back through the production history to see if it occurs often, or if you have multiple installations in a particular area, you can check each of those when you see unusual grid activity to see if and how it may be affecting your other sites.
Understanding what the site metrics are telling you will give you better insight into what’s happening at a job site. Learning what you can do to troubleshoot an issue online can not only save you a truck roll, but also significantly reduce your time identifying the problem if you do have to drive to the site. Most importantly, if you do need to hit the job site, remember that safety is paramount and to always turn off the AC before doing any work on the roof.
Solar Power World’s 2017 Top Solar Contractors list is out, and APsystem solar partners are in the top ranks.
The annual list ranks solar installers and other contractors according to their influence in the U.S. solar industry. These leading firms are active in markets across the country, and SPW notes the cumulative installation numbers from the past year in all markets, services and states.
Congratulations to APsystems solar partners who made the list. Thank you for showing leadership across the industry and pointing the way to a clean energy future.
Find the entire list of Solar Power World’s 2017 Top 500 Solar Contractors online here
Intersolar 2017: North America’s most attended solar event and premier networking platform.
APsystems: The global leader in solar microinverter innovation.
Join APsystems at this year’s Intersolar North America event, July 11-13 in San Francisco. APsystems will bring its full line of dual- and four-module microinverters to booth 9245, with live training for installers.
APsystems live training courses are registered to confer NABCEP CE credits and cover proper installation and setup of APsystems microinverters, the APsystems Energy Communication Unit (ECU) gateway and APsystems Energy Monitoring and Analysis (EMA) web portal.
Jason Higginson, APsystems Director of Marketing USA, will be a featured speaker at the conference on two panels. Don’t miss the Executive Panel Discussion: Evaluation of Main Technologies and Application Segments for Energy Storage Systems on July 12th at 11.30 am. And on July 13th 11.30am the Executive Roundtable Discussion: Emerging Technological Advancements that Foster Sustainable Solar Deployment.
Meet the team and find out how you can bring APsystems power, reliability and value to your customers today. Email sales.usa@APsystems.com to set up a meeting during Intersolar North America 2017.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
SEATTLE, Washington – June 5, 2017 – APsystems joined the approved vendor list for Dividend Solar, a leading home-energy financing platform.
The agreement brings APsystems advanced microinverter technology to Dividend’s portfolio of top-tier, consumer-friendly solar products.
“Dividend Solar is a recognized leader in bringing affordable solar to homeowners nationwide,” said Jason Higginson, Senior Director of Marketing for APsystems USA. “Their fast-track financing is an excellent match for our own quick, easy-to-install microinverter systems. Consumers and installers alike will benefit from this pairing.”
Dividend Solar, a division of Dividend Finance, offers $0-down financing which enables homeowners to maximize the benefits of going solar while also enjoying hassle-free performance guarantees and warranty management.
Founded in 2013, Dividend has led the shift towards the direct ownership model in solar. In 2016 the company expanded into home energy financing options to include the next frontier of energy saving upgrades.
Dividend’s technology platform has streamlined the credit approval and installation process, thereby lowering the cost of installing solar panels and energy efficiency upgrades for its customers and partners. Learn more by visiting www.dividendsolar.com.
Good nutrition has been a popular part of the curriculum at Orlando Junior Academy since 2011, with students in grades 5-8 “sowing and growing” fresh vegetables in garden plots and learning cooking skills with each harvest.
But the school’s cooking stations were rudimentary. So Edible Education Experience, a Florida-based 501(c)3 nonprofit organization, dreamed of providing something more grand for students and the greater community.
Three years of fundraising and friend-raising paid off this month with the opening of the new Emeril Lagasse Foundation Kitchen House & Culinary Garden in Orlando’s College Park Neighborhood.
The 3,500-square-foot facility features four cooking stations for food pre, hand-washing sinks, and modern appliances. An educational lounge provides additional instruction space, while the Edible Education Experience organization maintains its offices upstairs. A second-story catwalk looks down into the kitchen area.
The Kitchen House facility was designed to meet LEED standards, including a metal roof and cisterns for rainwater catchment to irrigate the garden, energy-efficient A/C, and other features.
The building also includes a small solar array to power exterior lighting for the building and grounds.
APsystems contributed YC500 dual-module microinverters to the project through area distributor UMA Solar. Superior Solar of Altamonte Springs, Fla., contributed installation and balance-of-system, with modules donated by Solartech Universal.
“The Kitchen House offers Orlando kids a great new facility for learning about healthy cooking and healthy eating,” said Jason Higginson, APsystems Senior Director of Marketing. “We think it’s great that they can also learn about healthy energy through solar power, and we’re proud to be among the solar vendors that came together in support of this excellent project.”
The $1.2 million Kitchen House facility was built with support from, and named for, the Emeril Lagasse Foundation, established by the popular celebrity chef “to create opportunities to inspire, mentor and enable youth to reach their fullest potential through culinary, nutrition and arts education with a focus on life skills development.”
The building is situated in the middle of a 1,000-sf culinary garden, cultivated by students and volunteers to provide a bounty of fresh produce for cooking classes and events. A veranda and picnic area allow outdoor events, as well.
The Kitchen House & Garden now provides educational programming for K-12 students in both public and private schools, area kids’ clubs and other community groups. Summer and holiday camps will be offered where students will use locally grown food and learn how to cook healthy, affordable meals – developing skills and menus that they can take home, and use throughout their lives.
The mission of Edible Education Experience is to connect kids with seed-to-table, garden-to-classroom, learning experiences to build a healthy future, said Janice Banks, executive director.
“We are so grateful to APsystems and Superior Solar for partnering with us and for ‘setting the stage’ where kids can learn innovative ways of turning Orlando’s sunshine into sustainable energy,” Banks said. “The reduced energy bill will be a monthly reminder of this generous ongoing partnership.”
For information on the Emeril Lagasse Foundation Kitchen House & Culinary Garden project, see www.EdibleEd.org and www.emeril.org.
You’re a solar installer not “the IT guy,” so why spend time dealing with connectivity issues, rebooting customers’ Wi-Fi networks?
Real-time monitoring is an essential feature of today’s PV systems, but communication between system monitoring devices and the customer’s router is often overlooked.
Do you know best options and best practices? Christopher Barrett, Director of Techincal Services for APsystems, guides installers through the maze of options and issues for gateway connectivity in “The Installation Issue,” a special publication of Solar Power World on newsstands now.
Read “Address Connectivity Issues to Reduce Trips to Solar Sites” online here.
