SUNTECH RAYTHEON commercial panels: can they be mounted on residential homes?

check out this video around 1minute mark
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H4auUp0oLsE

anyone ever mount these panels on a residential home? are there two junction boxes on the back?
I'm assuming you would just put those two in series and then connected them to the next panel in series as well? I couldn't find it on SMA's sunny 2.21 software. I'm in the middle of downloading version 3.0 which is supposed to have updated panels/inverters.

It's a unique panel and selling for less than 60 cents/watt.

Comments

  • stephendv
    stephendv Solar Expert Posts: 1,571 ✭✭
    Re: SUNTECH RAYTHEON commercial panels: can they be mounted on residential homes?

    Looks like 2 junction boxes and a weird mounting system. Full installation guide here http://am.suntech-power.com/images/stories/pdf/installation/2012/stp_reliathon_installation_guide_20120710.pdf
  • niel
    niel Solar Expert Posts: 10,300 ✭✭✭✭
    Re: SUNTECH RAYTHEON commercial panels: can they be mounted on residential homes?

    that's odd stephen as i see 1 junction for each and the associated pigtails for them. it would seem the 2 halves are combined internally.

    i don't see why you couldn't mount it on a home with the standard mounts that hug or clamp to the frame, but they aren't specifying the overall dimensions in stephen's link to know if some won't suit. i'm wondering if the frame itself is reinforced or thicker due to the single large mount that is centrally located.

    btw, it's nice to know there will still be 36 cell pvs being made.
  • rollandelliott
    rollandelliott Solar Expert Posts: 834 ✭✭
    Re: SUNTECH RAYTHEON commercial panels: can they be mounted on residential homes?

    So you are saying the two halfs are wired in parallel?
    That's what I thought until I looked at the voltage specs which are around 36v MVP
    If each cell is half a volt that should be 18v right?

    I was thinking of using huge lag bolts to bolt a 6x6" alumin tube to the rod but how would you space it off the roof an inch or so to bolt it???
  • stephendv
    stephendv Solar Expert Posts: 1,571 ✭✭
    Re: SUNTECH RAYTHEON commercial panels: can they be mounted on residential homes?

    Ah, you're right neil, just 1 junction box... and just 1 panel. Rolland, there are no "halfs" they just happen to use 2 panels in all their diagrams. Datasheet with dimensions here: http://am.suntech-power.com/images/stories/pdf/datasheets/jun2012/Reliathon%20295.pdf
  • rollandelliott
    rollandelliott Solar Expert Posts: 834 ✭✭
    Re: SUNTECH RAYTHEON commercial panels: can they be mounted on residential homes?

    the video of their pre production panel clearly shows TWO halfs
    the pdf you linked to is also preliminary
    so does the final product have 2 halves or not?
  • stephendv
    stephendv Solar Expert Posts: 1,571 ✭✭
    Re: SUNTECH RAYTHEON commercial panels: can they be mounted on residential homes?
    the video of their pre production panel clearly shows TWO halfs

    Meh, right you are. Think I'll just sit this one out :blush:
  • Cariboocoot
    Cariboocoot Banned Posts: 17,615 ✭✭✭
    Re: SUNTECH RAYTHEON commercial panels: can they be mounted on residential homes?

    "Specifications subject to change without notice."

    You see it everywhere! :p
  • niel
    niel Solar Expert Posts: 10,300 ✭✭✭✭
    Re: SUNTECH RAYTHEON commercial panels: can they be mounted on residential homes?

    you are right about the 36 cells being for 12v, but they must combine them in series with another set of 36 cells. (confirmed in video) 36 cells + 36 cells for a total of 72 which is fine for pwm charging of 24v batteries. i'm wondering if they mean to have 1 bypass diode for when the lower portion is shaded? that wouldn't be a good thing as many more would be needed. we have to remember too that they mean to feed this to gt inverters even though it could work for 24v batteries and 12v when using mppt.

    also i took a closer view of the frame and that frame is hugely thick. watch the beginning of the video when the guy puts his hand on the frame to get an idea. my guess is around 2.5in.
  • inetdog
    inetdog Solar Expert Posts: 3,123 ✭✭✭✭
    Re: SUNTECH RAYTHEON commercial panels: can they be mounted on residential homes?
    niel wrote: »
    you are right about the 36 cells being for 12v, but they must combine them in series with another set of 36 cells. (confirmed in video) 36 cells + 36 cells for a total of 72 which is fine for pwm charging of 24v batteries. i'm wondering if they mean to have 1 bypass diode for when the lower portion is shaded? that wouldn't be a good thing as many more would be needed. we have to remember too that they mean to feed this to gt inverters even though it could work for 24v batteries and 12v when using mppt.
    '

    Just going by the description on the video, the only way that the two section panel could deliver better performance than one which use a bypass diode internally in the same position in the circuit would be if the two halves are in fact paralleled internally.

    Now possibly the panels designed for utility scale, unlike those for residential scale, can get away with assuming that there will be no partial shading of the panels except that which happens when the sun is low in the sky (morning and evening). Maybe the "standard" design they are comparing to either does not use any bypass diodes at all and so does not produce any power under this partial shading condition OR they are comparing their design to one (straw man?) which runs the series string of cells straight from the bottom of the panel to the top, so that even with bypass diodes, each column of the panel will contain fully shaded cells and will produce no output. I would imagine that the a careful designer at the residential level would be clever enough to instead mount the panels rotated 90 degrees so that the strings of cells run horizontally rather than vertically. :-)
    SMA SB 3000, old BP panels.