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Westinghouse Solar AC Installation Guide 

 

Copyright © 2011 - Westinghouse Solar 

 

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P a g e

 

 

 

still draw power from your utility.  Your electric bill is reduced because you only pay for the net 
amount of electricity you use. 

Westinghouse Solar AC Panel Design and Performance 

Ordinary solar power systems use a centralized inverter, and require the installation of a separate 
racking system to mount the panels.  These ordinary systems also require manual interconnection 
of high voltage DC wiring, and manual grounding of all panel and racking components.  With the 
racking, wiring, grounding and inverters built into Westinghouse Solar panels, installation is much 
easier, reliability is greater and performance is 5 to 25% higher than ordinary systems. 

The rating on each panel indicates the nominal DC power output in watts of a panel when it is in 
bright sunlight in 25 degree C conditions, and the sun’s rays are perpendicular to the surface of 
the panel.  Because the inverter operates at about 95% efficiency, the AC output of the system will 
be approximately 5% less than the peak DC output.  So at peak conditions, a 235 watt 
Westinghouse Solar AC panel will produce up to about 223 watts of power.  In real world 
conditions throughout the day, as the sun rises, moves across the sky, and then sets, the output of 
the panels will increase from essentially zero at dawn to a peak of about 175-214 watts 
(depending on season, sun angle, mounting angle and roof orientation), and then decline again to 
zero.  Each panel operates independently, so if one is shaded or dirty the adjacent panels will still 
operate to maximize their energy output. 

Westinghouse Solar AC panels use Enphase micro-inverters, which are mounted on the back of 
each panel.  The easiest way to determine the output from your Westinghouse Solar AC panels is 
with the optional Energy Management Unit (EMU).  The EMU communicates with Enphase’s 
“Englighten” website for real time reporting and analysis on the performance of each of your 
Westinghouse Solar panels.  The EMU is installed by plugging it into any convenient 120 VAC wall 
socket and providing an Ethernet connection to your broadband router or modem. After 
installation of the EMU, the full network of Westinghouse Solar AC Panels automatically begins 
reporting to Enlighten.  Alternatively, you may measure the voltage, current and power output of 
each branch circuit of Westinghouse Solar AC panels with conventional electrical instruments, 
taking the appropriate cautions when handling live electrical circuitry. 

4.

 

Using this Guide 

This guide will familiarize you with the fundamentals of design and installation of your 
Westinghouse Solar Power System.   The guide also serves to illustrate the simplicity and 
efficiency of solar design when equipment is developed in unison with each other.  Westinghouse 
Solar Power Systems consist of hundreds of individual separate parts built into one integrated 
solar electric system delivering easier, faster design and installation over ordinary solar 
installations. 

This guide contains three primary sections. The first section covers the physical properties of solar 
design specific to the Westinghouse Solar Power System, including how to layout your 
Westinghouse Solar Power System, how to choose components, and the structural requirements 

Содержание AC System

Страница 1: ...Rev 10 12 11 AC System Installation Guide V2 60 Cell Modules ...

Страница 2: ...MATERIALS OR CUSTOMER SERVICE THE ADVICE AND STRATEGIES CONTAINED HEREIN MAY NOT BE SUITABLE FOR EVERY SITUATION THE CONTENTS OF THIS WORK ARE INTENDED FOR A TARGET AUDIENCE THAT HAS SOME BASIC CONSTRUCTION AND ELECTRICAL WIRING KNOWLEDGE THIS WORK IS SOLD WITH THE UNDERSTANDING THAT THE AUTHOR IS NOT ENGAGED IN RENDERING LEGAL ACCOUNTING OR OTHER PROFESSIONAL SERVICES IF PROFESSIONAL ASSISTANCE I...

Страница 3: ...ting a Roof Layout 7 3 Elements of Designing a Solar System Specific to Westinghouse Solar AC Panels 8 4 Westinghouse Solar Mounting and Structural Requirements 10 5 Drafting a Solar Array 12 Section III Creating an Electrical Diagram 14 1 Westinghouse Solar AC Electrical Requirements 14 2 Single line diagram preparation 15 3 Electrical Line Diagram 16 4 Grounding 16 Section IV Installation 18 1 S...

Страница 4: ...ssioning Westinghouse Solar AC Systems 31 Section V Westinghouse Solar Operations 33 1 Troubleshooting 33 2 Troubleshooting an Inoperable Inverter For Experienced Installers 34 3 Disconnecting the Inverter from the PV Panel 34 Section VI Definitions 35 Section VII Appendix i Section VIII Technical Support xiii Table of Figures xiv ...

Страница 5: ...nghouse Solar AC documentation Perform all electrical installations in accordance with all local electrical codes the National Electrical Code NEC ANSI NFPA 70 and local utility requirements 2 Parts and Tools Required tools include Splice Driver WHS provided Splice Driver Available from Westinghouse Solar 1 4 Ratchet Wrench Available from any tool source 9 16 Combination Wrench available from any ...

Страница 6: ...he wiring and installation of this product if you are not qualified to work with household AC voltages if you are not knowledgeable about construction techniques and if you are not experienced in working on rooftops and other dangerous locations Figure 1 Westinghouse Solar AC System How Westinghouse Solar AC Works Westinghouse Solar AC panels are installed on a sunny generally south facing rooftop...

Страница 7: ...r dirty the adjacent panels will still operate to maximize their energy output Westinghouse Solar AC panels use Enphase micro inverters which are mounted on the back of each panel The easiest way to determine the output from your Westinghouse Solar AC panels is with the optional Energy Management Unit EMU The EMU communicates with Enphase s Englighten website for real time reporting and analysis o...

Страница 8: ... the services of a professional solar installer may be needed The convention we use to describe the orientation of Westinghouse Solar layouts in this guide is that the north south direction describes rows of panels that are aligned vertically where north is the peak of the roof and south refers to the gutter An east west row describes a horizontal grouping of panels from left to right There are di...

Страница 9: ...e array for your roof attachment points The top and bottom frames of Westinghouse Solar panels is where the Groove Figure 2 is accessible and will serve as connection between the array and the chosen roof mounting solution The Groove provides full adjustability in the east west direction of your roof allowing you to adapt attachment spacing to nearly every rafter scenario Figure 2 Roof attachment ...

Страница 10: ...Westinghouse Solar AC Installation Guide Copyright 2011 Westinghouse Solar 6 P a g e Figure 3 Six by two array installed in portrait mode Figure 4 Comparably sized four by three array in landscape mode ...

Страница 11: ... in degrees D Roof measurements Take accurate measurements that can easily be transferred onto a sheet of graph paper or into the CAD program you are working with to design the layout Remember to include any obstacles that will interfere with your array design When measuring the peak of the roof exclude the roof cap in your measurements because this is an unusable area for solar attachments E Azim...

Страница 12: ...e Solar AC You should understand the spacing requirements mounting methods and wiring basics that are a part of the Westinghouse Solar AC design You will need to follow the equipment specific rules below in order to create a safe and efficient Westinghouse Solar AC system Westinghouse Solar AC Branch Circuits When Westinghouse Solar AC panels are arranged on a roof layout they are wired in paralle...

Страница 13: ...flashed is a roofing term for professionally sealing a penetration by installing a separate metal flashing underneath the row of shingles above the penetration as illustrated below Concrete tile and barrel tile dimensions are shown in the Appendix Figure 6 Roof top buffer room example on composition shingle roof Use an Offset L Bracket when modules connect over an attachment point The Offset L Bra...

Страница 14: ... wind conditions These roof attachments are located on both the top and bottom of your single row array The second rule requires that panels which overhang the last footing in a row may stick out no more than a maximum of 16 from that footing Before finalizing your roof drawing check with your local building department to identify any unique wind or snow load requirements that pertain to your juri...

Страница 15: ...inghouse Solar Frame voiding the warranty Shared Attachment Points Westinghouse Solar roof layouts that include multiple rows of panels leverage the installation efficiencies of panel integrated racking The stainless steel Westinghouse Solar splices Connectors that ground and connect panels in the east west direction serve as structural components The North South Bracket serves as a structural con...

Страница 16: ...fault roof attachment profiles included in the Appendices may be attached to your plans for review by local planning and permitting jurisdictions Figure 10 Westinghouse Solar inter panel spacing and panel dimensions Adding Additional Equipment to the Roof Layout Westinghouse Solar AC Wire Runs After the roof layout is complete with Westinghouse Solar AC panel locations and the existing electrical ...

Страница 17: ... Equipment Include junction boxes and disconnects on your roof layout as needed The conduit will connect all of this equipment in the same sequence as your electric diagram For this reason it may be helpful to finalize the electrical line diagram before finalizing equipment placement on the roof layout ...

Страница 18: ...lti row branch circuit An AC branch circuit is ended with an end cap which is a plastic fitting that protects the last inverter in a circuit from moisture and exterior elements Because the wiring harnesses come built into the inverters at a preset length a 6 extension cable is necessary to wire branch circuits in the north south direction and also to route the inverters past obstructions such as a...

Страница 19: ...ould not exceed the rating of the main panel C Available breaker space The most straightforward method to back feed a residential grid tied electrical service is by utilizing a double pole breaker to interconnect your circuit up to 15 panels or circuits if more than 15 panels to the main panel Survey how many breaker spaces are available a double pole breaker will require approx two inches of spac...

Страница 20: ...n rating of the breaker used to interconnect with the main service 240 V double pole 30 amp breaker Conductor sizing overcurrent protection load centers disconnect switches and other equipment must be sized according to the National Electrical Code in addition to any special requirements of the local permit jurisdiction Special considerations for solar include but are not limited to the following ...

Страница 21: ...Westinghouse Solar AC Installation Guide Copyright 2011 Westinghouse Solar 17 P a g e Figure 12 Single Branch Circuit Westinghouse Solar AC Wire Diagram ...

Страница 22: ... on or drop tools or hard objects on the glass of the solar panel Do not scratch the back sheet behind the glass of the solar panel Use approved glass cleaning products on panels Do not connect the panels directly to power loads such as a motor since the variation of output power depends on solar irradiation which may cause damage to the connected load Do not block frame drain holes 2 Layout Layin...

Страница 23: ...efine the first row of attachment points The second row of attachment points is created by measuring 65 5 8 up the pitch of the roof from the first chalk line snap a second line at this interval The spacing interval for the next row of attachment points up the pitch of the roof is 66 1 2 This larger distance represents the necessary three quarter inch gap between all rows in the north south direct...

Страница 24: ...gently moving from left to right across the assumed rafter location You should be able to detect the firmest spot by paying attention to the sound and bounce of the roof surface The more the hammer bounces the further your hammer is from the rafter location Mark the firmest location with piece of chalk prior to pre drilling This technique also works on concrete tile roofs when a tile is removed ex...

Страница 25: ...on Step 1B Loosen the composition shingles directly above the pre drilled roof penetration make sure to loosen and remove any nails or staples that will interfere with the Composition mount flashing The Composition mount flashing will extend 9 above the pre drilled hole Test that the shingles are adequately loosened by dry fitting the comp mount flashing Line up the hole in the flashing with the p...

Страница 26: ... raised area of the Composition mount flashing Before tightening the lag bolt must be seated in the pre drilled hole this will ensure that the lag bolt does not damage the underlying rafter achieving maximum attachment strength Step 1E Tightening Lag Bolts Using socket wrench or impact driver with a 1 2 socket slowly torque down lag bolts until the head of the lag bolt is 1 8 from seating on the F...

Страница 27: ...modules are installed Leaving the upper L brackets loose allows the module frames to be installed without interference 4 Module Installation The figure below illustrates the thread patterns of a Westinghouse Solar Splice Notice that the threads on either end are opposite This design feature allows the splice to connect two Westinghouse Solar module frames together when rotated Observe that one end...

Страница 28: ...s into the top and bottom Groove of the module frame Position the first module above the first and second row of L Brackets using two people to carefully lower the module into place 3 8 hex bolts are adjusted inside the Groove to line up with the L Bracket fork 3 8 Flange Nuts are threaded onto the 3 8 hex bolts loosely to allow height adjustment and array leveling The module will temporarily rest...

Страница 29: ...ng 3 8 hex bolts as a resting point Repeat this step at both the upper and lower short edges of the module Step 2 Loosely thread 3 8 Flange nut onto Hex bolt prepare for second module by inserting upper and lower Westinghouse Solar Splices Step 3 Slide the second module over the Splices installed in Step 2 until bottomed out on the splice channel ...

Страница 30: ... male and female connector patterns Once the first row of Westinghouse Solar V2 modules is complete secure the wiring harnesses to the module frame by preloading the wire management clip with the AC wiring then clipping the plastic wire management clip to the modules C Channel Completing a single row of Modules Repeating Steps 1 4 continue to loosely assemble the 3 8 hex bolts with their associate...

Страница 31: ...nnector in the first row with an Extension Cable that will reach the upper row modules bulkhead connection Westinghouse Solar AC Extension Cables are available in a length of 6 12 and 20 Tip Careful planning of wiring layouts will create a quick installation without interruptions or the need to purchase additional equipment Installing a Second Row of Modules To install a second row of modules in t...

Страница 32: ...South Brackets are installed at all inter row L Bracket locations in preparation for the second row of modules Tip If a module is left out of the array to make room for a roof vent an additional North South bracket may be required to support the second row and maintain Westinghouse Solar structural requirements Step 7 Lower the first module of the upper row into place until the module surface is l...

Страница 33: ... is spliced in the east west direction Tip By pre threading the 3 8 flange nut onto the 1 hex bolt it will take fewer wrench rotations to complete the assembly in step 8 Step 9 Connect Modules in the east west direction only after securing the North South Bracket hardware and installing the 3 8 hardware at the top of the array After each additional modules North South bracket and hardware are secu...

Страница 34: ...by attaching the grounding conductor to one of the 0 173 diameter 4 4 mm holes on the frame marked ground using an a ILSCO GBL 4DB lug star washer and thread rolling 10 32 X Taptite II stainless steel screw and torque to a value of 20 Lbf inch Attach a solid copper gauge AWG 4 12 to the lug to enable array grounding Figure 20 Ground conductor applied to enable array grounding 7 Adding AC Interconn...

Страница 35: ...with one 4 pin bulkhead receptacle and one 70 inch AC wire harness with multi pin connectors The AC connectors are oppositely sexed so that multiple inverters can be connected to form one continuous AC branch circuit Please verify that you performed this properly in Section I Step 6 Connect the first Micro inverter to the AC interconnection cable pigtail All AC interconnection cables have four con...

Страница 36: ...live voltage or connecting the harness to the Westinghouse Solar AC string Failure to properly connecting the wires can result in severe damage and void the warranty 2 Turn OFF the AC disconnect or circuit breaker and connect the AC Interconnection Cable Pigtail to the string branch 3 Repeat for each string branch until each one is complete 4 Turn ON the main utility grid AC circuit breaker Your s...

Страница 37: ...e to obtain an RMA number and start the replacement process Inverter Status LED Indications and Error Reporting Startup LED Operation Six short green blinks when DC power is first applied to the inverter indicates a successful inverter startup sequence Six short red blinks when DC power is first applied to the inverter indicates a failure during inverter startup Post Startup LED Operations Flashin...

Страница 38: ...e inverters Verify each inverter is energized by the utility grid as described in the previous step 3 Make sure that any AC disconnects are functioning properly and are closed 4 Verify the PV panel DC voltage is within the allowable range shown in the Technical Data page of this document 5 Check the DC connections between the inverter and the PV panel 6 If the problem persists please call customer...

Страница 39: ...iring NEC U S National Electric Code is a safety code regarding the use of electricity The NEC is sponsored by the National Fire Protection Institute It is also used by insurance inspectors and by many government bodies regulating building codes North South Bracket The North South Bracket serves as a structural connection for V2 60 Cell Westinghouse Solar Power Systems and enables sharing of footi...

Страница 40: ...Westinghouse Solar AC Installation Guide Copyright 2011 Westinghouse Solar i P a g e Section VII Appendix ...

Страница 41: ...Westinghouse Solar AC Installation Guide Copyright 2011 Westinghouse Solar ii P a g e ...

Страница 42: ...Westinghouse Solar AC Installation Guide Copyright 2011 Westinghouse Solar iii P a g e ...

Страница 43: ...Westinghouse Solar AC Installation Guide Copyright 2011 Westinghouse Solar iv P a g e ...

Страница 44: ...Westinghouse Solar AC Installation Guide Copyright 2011 Westinghouse Solar v P a g e ...

Страница 45: ...Westinghouse Solar AC Installation Guide Copyright 2011 Westinghouse Solar vi P a g e ...

Страница 46: ...Westinghouse Solar AC Installation Guide Copyright 2011 Westinghouse Solar vii P a g e ...

Страница 47: ...Westinghouse Solar AC Installation Guide Copyright 2011 Westinghouse Solar viii P a g e ...

Страница 48: ...Westinghouse Solar AC Installation Guide Copyright 2011 Westinghouse Solar ix P a g e ...

Страница 49: ...oof tile hardware Step 1 Remove a tile at roof attachment location Step 2 Predrill using flat tile bracket as a template at rafter location Step 3 Apply roofing sealant to roof Step 4 Install Lag Bolts and washers to secure penetration area bracket in place Step 5 Replace previously removed tile at attachment location ...

Страница 50: ...ile Roof Attachment hardware Step 1 Remove tile at attchment location Step 2 predrill at rafter attachment location Step 3 Apply sealant to attachment location Step 4 Place standoff base over pre drilled hole Step 5 Using lag Bolt with included washer attach standoff base to roof surface using an impact driver ...

Страница 51: ...11 Westinghouse Solar xii P a g e Step 6 Mold Flashing material to the profile of existing tiles Install aluminum standoff into base once flashing is in place Step 7 Seal flashing with vinyl roofing tape and loosely assemble assocated attachment hardware ...

Страница 52: ...ions are available for support of questions regarding product installation operation or warranty of your Westinghouse Solar AC system Phone 1 888 395 2248 option 2 Email tech westinghousesolar com Fax Westinghouse Solar Tech Support 408 395 7979 Mail Attention Westinghouse Solar Tech Support 1475 South Bascom Ave Suite 101 Campbell CA USA 95008 ...

Страница 53: ... shared center attachment point across two panel rows 11 Figure 10 Westinghouse Solar inter panel spacing and panel dimensions 12 Figure 11 Inverter components in a two row array 15 Figure 12 Single Branch Circuit Westinghouse Solar AC Wire Diagram 17 Figure 13 Laying out attachment points for Westinghouse Solar Modules 19 Figure 14 Tapping across assumed rafter location to find firmest point 20 F...

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