Electric Breaker

Electric Breakers

When installing a solar panel system, you have to be familiar with the electric breakers and how it works with a solar PV system to avoid future electric problems. The electric breaker is one of the main components of a solar power system that provides safety mechanisms. If ever the electrical wiring of your system has too much current flowing through it, these breakers can easily cut the power until your solar installer can fix the system’s problem. 

For today’s article, we will discuss electric breakers and their function in solar photovoltaic systems.

What is an Electric Breaker?

An electric or circuit breaker is an electrical switch designed to protect electrical circuits from damage caused by overloading of current or a short circuit. The basic function of an electric breaker is to prevent the current flow once protective relays detect a fault in the system. 

Although it is frequently interchanged with a fuse, which is the simplest Over Current Protection device (OCPD) in electrical circuits, a circuit breaker, is a much-evolved type of device that interrupts the current flow. The main difference between the two is electric breaker is resettable and the fuse is not. The fuse sacrifices itself while protecting the system to overheat, while the circuit breaker can withstand hundreds and thousands of operations. Another difference is that electric breakers are used with relatively higher currents. 

Components of Circuit Breaker

A circuit breaker system is composed of three parts. These three components are the sensing system, relay, and the combination of contacts and the contact actuator. A sensing system is responsible for detecting an overload situation, while a relay is responsible for transferring the information to the switching arrangement, and the combination of contacts and the contact actuator. This electric arrangement is usually observed in power transmission and distribution networks dealing with very high currents, voltages, and powers. 

Circuit Breakers Calculation in Solar Panel Systems

When connecting circuit breakers to the PV system, you have to follow the recommended calculations to avoid future problems and damage to the entire system. The recommendations for using overcurrent protection devices including circuit breakers in solar modules against overloading conditions are given in IEC 60269-6 (volume 6 of IEC 60269-6) and also UL 248-19. 

For circuit breakers, IEC recommends a 20% and 25% margin in voltage and overload current. Most of the time, the ratings are specified by the solar manufacturers at given ambient conditions. If the temperatures exceed this given value, derating must be applied according to the manufacturer’s specifications. 

When it comes to breaker sizes for solar panels, NEC requires the breakers to be sized at 125% of the inverter’s rated output. So a 7680W inverter that outputs 240V, outputs 32A (7680W ÷ 240V = 32A). That requires a 40A breaker (32A x 125% = 40A).

Final Thoughts

If you owned a solar panel system at home,  you have to understand how circuit breakers work to prevent catching fires at home. These devices are one of the major components of the PV solar system as they protect the system wiring from getting too hot and accidentally catch fire if short circuits occurred. Thus, understanding the breaker itself and its proper calculations in the PV system should be done.

OEM

Custom Made Solar Products OEM

OEM stands for Original Equipment Manufacturer which is commonly referred to as a company that manufactures and offers parts and accessories of items that are used as components of a product from another company. To sum it up, OEM commonly manufactures specific items on behalf of brands. Though OEM typically operates in the computer and technology industries, it also works in the solar industry.

Factories for White Label Solar Products

In the case of the solar industry, most solar companies work with solar OEMs to build and design their own solar products such as solar panels, cells, modules, etc. OEM becomes their outsourcing partner that helps them in assembling and reproducing their solar products.

Nowadays, a huge number of solar companies, particularly those large solar manufacturing companies, are partnering with outstanding solar OEMs to deliver the best quality solar products to their solar customers. Mainly, the reason is, these solar OEMs help solar manufacturers cut down their production costs since they no longer have to operate their own factories, purchase needed materials and hire labour to produce their solar products.

As a solar manufacturing company, the first thing you need to consider is to find the most reliable solar OEM in the market. One of the biggest perks of the internet these days is you can now easily find these OEMs even in the comfort of your home. With the help of a solar outsourcing marketplace such as SolarFeeds.com, you can easily find the most reliable and right OEM partner for your solar company. Solar outsourcing marketplace helps solar industry professionals gather accurate and timely information about solar including the list of most trusted Solar Original Equipment Manufacturers.

Kenya

Solar Market Outlook in Kenya

There is an ongoing debate in Kenya’s energy sector because of the growing shift towards solar energy. The leading electricity distributor in Kenya has cited a decrease in revenue as more consumers and businesses are shifting towards solar power.

The proponents of solar energy continue to champion the benefits of this renewable energy source and consumers are shifting to solar power generation, which continues to eat further into the traditional electric distributors’ profits. The high cost of electricity and taxes are the primary motivation to consider renewable energy as an alternative source. As of now, the Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority in Kenya has reported that solar energy accounts for 1% of the country’s current electricity mix. And yet, the country’s location in the equatorial zone means that it has high potential for solar energy. Solar is, therefore, looked at as a viable energy source and as part of the effort to achieve carbon emission goals. Despite having the highest exposure to the sun, Kenya is the most underdeveloped in terms of solar PV capacity. The wider adoption of solar energy will require education and training to succeed. 

Solar Energy Equipment Supply Capacity in Kenya

There is a lack of domestic suppliers and distributors of solar power equipment. They rely on the importation of these supplies from global and online suppliers and distributors. 

Top  Major Seaports & Logistics in Kenya

There are plenty of commercial ports in Kenya wherein solar equipment can be transported. Some of them include

• the Port of Shimoni,
• Kilindini Harbor,
• Port Tudor,
• Port Reitz, Port of Kiunga,
• Port of Lamu,
• Port of Mombasa, 
• Port of Mbaraki.