Solar Venture 300W PV Array Operator and Maintenance Manual
October 2020
22
|
Preventive Care and Maintenance
• Ensure the PV panels are clean and positioned for maximum daily sunlight exposure.
• Secure the Solar Cables and provide strain relief at locations where the cables are stressed.
• Check the integrity of electrical connectors monthly.
MAINTENANCE
PV Array Conditional Maintenance
The Solar Venture 300W PV array(s) will typically be connected to a Power Hub to provide regulated
power to an HPS. The Power Hub User Interface reports an extensive set of PV performance
metrics including a daily and overall historical reports for each of the charge controllers in the Power
Hub. These values should be monitored regularly during normal operation.
If an equal number of PV arrays is attached to each of the Power Hub charge controllers, the
performance values reported by each charge controller on the Power Hub User Interface, both
current and historical, should be approximately equal. This is an indication that all of the connected
arrays are performing normally. If these values are not equal, one or more of the PV arrays may be
under performing.
If a disparity in performance is observed during normal operation, measure the voltage of each array
independently using a handheld multimeter (Figure 16) or the meters provided in the Power Hub
User Interface.
Note:
The charging current from the PV arrays as reported by the Power Hub User Interface will
be low, even in full sun, when the System batteries are near to or at a full charge. This is a normal
operating condition. Consult the System manual for information about using a specific Power Hub
for array maintenance monitoring.
Measuring PV Array Voltages: Background
Voltage “open circuit” (V
oc
)
is unregulated PV array voltage and measured directly from the leads of
an array when not connected to a “load” such as a charge controller (Power Hub). The rated V
oc
of
the Solar Venture 300W PV Array is approximately 65 V under standard test conditions (STC).
When the array is connected to the Power Hub (i.e., the array is connected to a “load”), it is more
likely the operator will see voltages around 45–53 V
mp
reported on the User Interface.
The V
oc
and V
mp
should be measured for each PV array in “ideal” conditions if possible. This means
the arrays should be oriented directly at the sun and unshaded on a clear day to identify the
maximum V
mp
and V
oc
.
