Solar Power World

  • Home
  • Top Solar Contractors
    • 10th Anniversary Roundtables
  • Articles
    • Most Recent Posts
    • News
      • Latest News Items
      • Solar tariffs
    • Featured
      • Latest Feature Stories
      • Contractors Corner
      • Trends in Solar
      • The Solar Explorer
  • Policy
    • Monthly Snapshots
  • Markets
    • Residential
    • Commercial
    • Community Solar
    • Utility
  • Products
    • 2020 Top Products
    • Batteries and Storage
    • Inverters
      • Global Manufacturing Locations
    • Racking and Mounting
    • Software
    • Solar Panels
      • U.S. solar panel manufacturers
      • Global Manufacturing Locations
  • Subscribe
  • Resources
    • About SPW
    • Digital Issues
    • Event Coverage
    • Leadership
      • 2020 Winners
      • 2019 Winners
      • 2018 Winners
    • Podcasts
    • Product Databases
      • Solar Inverter Models
      • Solar Panel Models
      • Solar Racking Models
      • Battery Storage Models
    • Product Manufacturing Locations
      • Global Inverter Manufacturing Locations
      • Global Solar Panel Manufacturing Locations
      • U.S. solar panel manufacturers
    • Solar Classrooms
      • Inverters
      • Solar panels
      • Roof-mount systems
      • Ground-mount systems
      • Residential energy storage systems
    • Suppliers
    • Videos
    • Webinars / Digital Events
    • Whitepapers

Install tip: Crimp DC connections correctly to avoid unnecessary downtime

By SPW | March 27, 2019

Share

Ginlong Solis

This installation tip was provided by Auston Taber, senior service engineer at Ginlong Solis

Ginlong Solis has seen multiple issues with DC inputs to its inverters. In the past, we have taken responsibility for DC issues that our inverters reported by providing RMAs, performing firmware upgrades, changing out internal components and more. One particular customer was having problems regardless of how we attempted to resolve this issue. We performed all of the above and exhausted our remote troubleshooting efforts. At that point, we dispatched a technician to the site to determine the cause of the issues.

The customer reported that the inverter had multiple arc faults throughout the day and then it would have some level of underproduction, but the client never investigated the roof thoroughly. Upon our arrival, we found that the DC connectors on the home runs on the roof were melting.

Ginlong Solis

They somehow stayed together in some cases, but they were creating a potentially hazardous condition on the roof with exposed DC connections lying around unprotected. We discovered that the subcontractor had used male DC pins inside both the male and female sides of the connector. These pins would just barely touch, which is what would cause the arc faults, and they would generate a lot of heat that would melt the connection and cause a bigger arc before disconnecting.

Upon inspecting the rest of the field-made DC connections, we found they were all done the same. After replacing the connectors, we had no more issues on the site, but both the customer and Ginlong spent a lot of time and effort resolving a straightforward issue that should never have happened. The contractor was using untrained labor to make these connections — someone who didn’t understand the basics of using the proper connection components.

Our pro tip is twofold: First, check your field-made DC connections prior to troubleshooting any other equipment. That should resolve any issues the inverters are reporting. The inverter is usually not the symptom; it’s one of the tools to help diagnose the issue. Second, make your DC connections correctly and use trained subcontractors familiar with building PV systems.

Tell Us What You Think! Cancel reply

Related Articles Read More >

Solar Spotlight: Fortress Power on sizing solar batteries for system longevity
Sunrun now offering customers SolarEdge Energy Hub inverter
ACE Controls releases latest line of replacement dampers for solar trackers
Trina Solar releases list of inverters and trackers compatible with large-format G12 solar panels

Exclusive SPW Content

Videos Podcasts Webinars Whitepapers

SPW Digital Editions

Solar Power World Digital EditionBrowse the current issue and archived issues of Solar Power World in an easy-to-use, high-quality format. Bookmark, share and interact with the leading solar construction magazine today.

Solar Policy Snapshot

Solar policy differs across state lines and regions. Click to see our monthly roundup of recent legislation and research throughout the country.

Read More >

Popular Posts See More >

Solar investment tax credit extended at 26% for two additional years
SolarJuice American to take over consumer contracts of bankrupt residential solar installer Petersen-Dean
What the Biden administration could mean for solar and storage
The changing state of retiring solar panels
Solar Power World
  • Top Solar Contractors
  • Solar Articles
  • Top Products
  • Leadership
  • WTWH Media
  • About/Contact Us
  • Advertising
  • Subscribe
  • Windpower Engineering & Development

Copyright © 2021 WTWH Media, LLC. All Rights Reserved. Site Map | Privacy Policy | RSS

Search Solar Power World

  • Home
  • Top Solar Contractors
    • 10th Anniversary Roundtables
  • Articles
    • Most Recent Posts
    • News
      • Latest News Items
      • Solar tariffs
    • Featured
      • Latest Feature Stories
      • Contractors Corner
      • Trends in Solar
      • The Solar Explorer
  • Policy
    • Monthly Snapshots
  • Markets
    • Residential
    • Commercial
    • Community Solar
    • Utility
  • Products
    • 2020 Top Products
    • Batteries and Storage
    • Inverters
      • Global Manufacturing Locations
    • Racking and Mounting
    • Software
    • Solar Panels
      • U.S. solar panel manufacturers
      • Global Manufacturing Locations
  • Subscribe
  • Resources
    • About SPW
    • Digital Issues
    • Event Coverage
    • Leadership
      • 2020 Winners
      • 2019 Winners
      • 2018 Winners
    • Podcasts
    • Product Databases
      • Solar Inverter Models
      • Solar Panel Models
      • Solar Racking Models
      • Battery Storage Models
    • Product Manufacturing Locations
      • Global Inverter Manufacturing Locations
      • Global Solar Panel Manufacturing Locations
      • U.S. solar panel manufacturers
    • Solar Classrooms
      • Inverters
      • Solar panels
      • Roof-mount systems
      • Ground-mount systems
      • Residential energy storage systems
    • Suppliers
    • Videos
    • Webinars / Digital Events
    • Whitepapers