Developed specifically to provide installers with a cost-effective and easy-to-use solution for connecting medium power solar PV installations to the grid, the new PV-DB distribution and protection board from Eaton’s Electrical Sector eliminates the need for cumbersome, costly and inconvenient ad-hoc arrangements and also ensures that the requirements of G59/2 are fully satisfied.
A semi-standardised product that is built to order and supplied fully tested and ready for immediate installation and use, the PV-DB board is fast and easy to install, and provides convenient facilities for the paralleling of both single- and three-phase inverters, which is a common requirement in commercial PV installations in the size range 20 kWp to 250 kWp.
The PV-DB comprises a standard distribution board section that is sized to suit the number of inverters in the system and their ratings, together with a section that incorporates a G59 protection relay and contactor, a MID-certified kWh meter, a four-pole rotary isolator that is lockable in the off position, and a socket outlet for use with G59 commissioning instruments. Labelling that meets all applicable regulatory requirements is also included as standard.
The protection relay fully meets the stipulation that, before they can be connected to the grid, solar PV installations rated at more than 16 A per phase must provide the protection specified in the Energy Network Association (ENA) Engineering Requirement (ER) G59/2 and that all systems rated over 50 kWp must have a dedicated G59 relay to provide this protection.
The kWh meter provides an accurate record of the energy generated by the PV installation, and its readings are suitable for use as the basis for claiming payments under the feed-in tariff scheme.
Despite being built to order, PV-DB distribution and protection boards from Eaton’s Electrical Sector are available on short deliveries. Their pricing is also extremely competitive, especially when the savings on installation and commissioning time compared with using ad-hoc solutions are taken into account.
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Editor’s Notes
Eaton’s electrical business is a global leader in power distribution, power quality, control and automation, power monitoring, and energy management products and services. Eaton is positioned, through its Cutler-Hammer®, Moeller®, Powerware®, Holec®, MEM®, and Santak® global electrical product series, to answer today’s most critical electrical power management challenges.
Eaton Corporation is a diversified power management company with more than 100 years of experience providing energy-efficient solutions that help our customers effectively manage electrical, hydraulic and mechanical power. With 2011 sales of $16.0 billion, Eaton is a global technology leader in electrical components and systems for power quality, distribution and control; hydraulics components, systems and services for industrial and mobile equipment; aerospace fuel, hydraulics and pneumatic systems for commercial and military use; and truck and automotive drivetrain and powertrain systems for performance, fuel economy and safety. Eaton has approximately 73,000 employees and sells products to customers in more than 150 countries. For more information, visit www.eaton.com.
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