derek the solarboi
derek the solarboi
  • 32
  • 55 647
Infrared Camera Battle to the Death (TOOL REVIEW)
The winner gets the right to pants the other brands at conventions
# The four contenders:
* Flir's C5: amzn.to/3VHMHHG
* Klein's TI290: amzn.to/4b4B566
* HIKMICRO's Pocket2: amzn.to/4esCHcs
* Seek's ShotPRO: amzn.to/4esAv4M
^ These are affiliate links, which helps the channel!
# Other cameras mentioned:
* Fluke's PTi120: www.fluke.com/en-us/product/thermal-cameras/pocket-pti120
* Klein's TI270: amzn.to/3VnsIN7
# Follow me!
* Mastodon 🐘: mastodon.energy/solarboi/
* TikTok 🕰️: tiktok.com/@thesolarboi
* Blog 🧑🏻‍💻: solarboi.com/
* Instagram 📸: thesolarboi
Переглядів: 337

Відео

Mini review - Solar Serpent by Rack-A-Tiers!
Переглядів 290Місяць тому
You can get your own Solar Serpent here with my affiliate link: solarboi.com/serpent/ # Follow me! * Mastodon 🐘: mastodon.energy/solarboi/ * TikTok 🕰️: tiktok.com/@thesolarboi * Blog 🧑🏻‍💻: solarboi.com/ * Instagram 📸: thesolarboi
HUGE breakthrough for rooftop solar (UL 3741 and news from Ironridge!)
Переглядів 6 тис.4 місяці тому
It's a long time coming, but maybe we can FINALLY ditch optimizers and microinverters as a standard feature of solar installations. NEW: I made a website that cross-references as many racking and inverter systems as I could find that qualify under UL 3741! UL3741.com @IronRidgeSolar's press release: www.ironridge.com/2024/02/27/flush-mount-systems-listed-to-ul-3741/ # Follow me! * Mastodon 🐘: m...
When the solar network is down
Переглядів 1988 місяців тому
Fluke sent me a sweet LinkIQ tester, so let's troubleshoot some non-communicating Fronius inverters! #solar #networking #maintenance #troubleshooting
Slick Tools at RE+ 2023
Переглядів 1049 місяців тому
I love a good monotool, and the AG Bender for squirrel/bird guard from @slicktoolsllc2689 was probably my favorite on the show floor this year! solarboi's links: Website: solarboi.com/ Instagram: thesolarboi TikTok: tiktok.com/@thesolarboi Mastodon: mastodon.energy/@solarboi
Fluke buys Solmetric!
Переглядів 1489 місяців тому
Fluke buys Solmetric!
EZ Solar at RE+ 2023
Переглядів 979 місяців тому
EZ Solar at RE 2023
Sometimes solar breakers DO trip for a reason...
Переглядів 65510 місяців тому
Sometimes solar breakers DO trip for a reason...

КОМЕНТАРІ

  • @dilaraarslan5590
    @dilaraarslan5590 День тому

    Hello, I would like to ask how long I can capture video from Hikmicro? If I press the video capture button once, how long is the longest I can capture video? Is it possible to record video very small animal in 1 m far, such lizards?

  • @solargoat
    @solargoat 11 днів тому

    You absolutely killed this product review. The content was extremely rich

  • @SuperCloneRanger
    @SuperCloneRanger 13 днів тому

    The US government imposes an 9hz limit on infrared sensors, FLIR cant sell/export infrared sensors with a high FPS because they could be used for weapons. Asian sensors aren't artificially limited.

    • @derekthesolarboi
      @derekthesolarboi 13 днів тому

      No WAY, really?! That's so bonkers

    • @SuperCloneRanger
      @SuperCloneRanger 13 днів тому

      @@derekthesolarboi yup search 'FLIR Export Fact Sheet'. I think the biggest purchasers of IR sensors is still weapons/military equipment manufacturers so it made some sense 20 years ago but tech moves fast, now its just making FLIR uncompetitive.

  • @Rickles
    @Rickles 26 днів тому

    Call J G Wentworth. 877 splash wow

  • @Rickles
    @Rickles 26 днів тому

    Sounds like a sim is doing this maintenance.

  • @Rickles
    @Rickles Місяць тому

    Is that SMA? Curious which model.

    • @derekthesolarboi
      @derekthesolarboi Місяць тому

      Fronius, actually! Their snap inverters

    • @Rickles
      @Rickles Місяць тому

      Ah ok. Name makes sense. Snap this circuit board off haha.

  • @TikkaQrow
    @TikkaQrow Місяць тому

    Common in hobbyist electronics It's cheaper to make

  • @Bungadoom42
    @Bungadoom42 Місяць тому

    Breakoff pcbs are kinda common in telecom and some hobbyist boards.

  • @marcellowithtwols
    @marcellowithtwols Місяць тому

    That was laborious…. Wish you had gotten to the point faster.

  • @GabrielHollinger
    @GabrielHollinger Місяць тому

    Good to know that it works on most connectors! Thats the main reason I was skeptical of the serpent(no longer post this review). My daily is a Milwaukee control screwdriver.

  • @triforcelink
    @triforcelink Місяць тому

    Could the wire strands have moved with the change in temperature and caused the connection to become weak?

    • @derekthesolarboi
      @derekthesolarboi Місяць тому

      That's pretty unlikely, given modern alloys. Expansion and contraction due to temperature is taken into account in the design of these products.

  • @Rickles
    @Rickles 2 місяці тому

    Really great video. Thanks.

  • @poodoo-3-
    @poodoo-3- 3 місяці тому

    im obsessed with ur PURPLE BEARD

  • @sspyder181
    @sspyder181 3 місяці тому

    I like no racking... just lay the panels on a form board 12 inches off ground... large strings, clamps only on the board side and wallah! Cheapest, fastest roi, no need for rsd. No inspection

  • @AlexandreLollini
    @AlexandreLollini 3 місяці тому

    The new-ish fashion of micro-inverters somewhat offset electrical risks : the micro-inverter reliably cut power when the mains is in off position. For people with battery systems it is needed to cut cords or shut off both before and after battery, and the way to turn those off should be available outside of the building. One micro inverter for each panel or pair of panels limits voltage and also reduces drastically the dangerous DC side. I also prefer the efficiency of large inverter system with long strings of panels, especially when the area has only one orientation and is well lit by the sun. But If I was to install some solar in tricky orientations, varied, and with partial shadows, I would choose the microinverters, also simple grid tie is a lot less complex than adding a battery in the mix. Enphase batteries are hugely overpriced, capacity is abysmal, and inverter power available when dark or cloudy is also abysmal. For my house that also have 2 businesses I 've chosen an off-grid system, with the ability to plug in a big battery charger on the grid in case of failure or if there are 5 straight days or rain in winter. 3 years it did not happen.

  • @RipleySawzen
    @RipleySawzen 3 місяці тому

    Residential rooftop solar is one of the absolute worst use cases for solar. Commercial rooftop solar has a dozen advantages over it. Why aren't we investing in that???

    • @derekthesolarboi
      @derekthesolarboi 3 місяці тому

      We are! Like, a ton! Like I said in the video, these solutions have been around in the commercial rooftop space for a couple years now. But the residential market is still massive and needs attention.

    • @RipleySawzen
      @RipleySawzen 3 місяці тому

      @@derekthesolarboi I don't think residential solar is even worth talking about until every Walmart and Costco in America has installed solar on their roofs. If it's not cost-effective for multi-billion dollar businesses, it ***cannot*** be cost-effective for the masses.

    • @derekthesolarboi
      @derekthesolarboi 3 місяці тому

      @RipleySawzen it IS cost effective for multi-billion dollar businesses. They just often choose to invest in things that make them even more money than solar. 🤷🏻‍♂️ And there ARE a ton of Walmarts and Costcos that have solar. It takes time to built shit out.

    • @RipleySawzen
      @RipleySawzen 3 місяці тому

      @@derekthesolarboi You can't really claim it's cost-effective when you don't see wide-adoption by businesses. That's not how economics works. When it is cost-effective, you absolutely will see that adoption. And we're just starting to see it. But seeing as I cannot yet recommend my condo association install panels on the large flat roof, I'd say we're not quite there yet for the common man. Shouldn't be long though.

  • @robertito_dobbs
    @robertito_dobbs 3 місяці тому

    Nice video, well done. Like and sub'd.

  • @terenceparker6061
    @terenceparker6061 3 місяці тому

    firefighter unfamiliarity yes, but also a lot of lobbying by Enphase and SolarEdge in 2014, 2015, 2016 and by then, they locked in 90% of the resi sites.

  • @jbphot0
    @jbphot0 3 місяці тому

    Anyone who has experience with solar arrays knows that zip ties do not save lives and are often degraded and fall apart after a few years and the wires fall all over the place. This video appears to be biased and promoted by companies that lost market share to Enphase and SolarEdge and Tesla who use reliable switches to remove the deadly voltage and current from the system by isolating it into smaller, less hazardous sections electronically. My car has electronic airbags and anti-lock brakes with 100s of electrical connectors. By Derek's logic this means my car is less safe, so I should remove these safety systems or drive a care from the 70's because its inherently safer. Maybe airplanes should remove the numerous safety systems and 1000s of connections they use to keep us alive every day? What Derek is missing is that technology enables safety systems to evolve and become safer by reducing risk to life by simply removing the energy, and we see examples of this evolution in our daily lives and in products we use every day. I do applaud Derek for his research in code development history, and work in the solar industry as an installer, but he has no idea about how life safety systems work from an engineering or historical standpoint. I'm disappointed to see him promoting zip ties as life safety devices. I'm optimistic the industry and certification labs will clamp down on the companies taking shortcuts when it comes to life safety for fire fighters, or anyone that works around a solar array. UL 3741 needs revisions to close some of these loopholes exploited by these examples.

    • @derekthesolarboi
      @derekthesolarboi 3 місяці тому

      People talk a lot about zip ties falling apart over time, but I think this is mainly a thing with older, smaller zip ties. I've visited many 10 year old sites with the beefier zip ties we use today, and they're as quality as the day they went in. For a long time, wire management was not a primary concern, and neither were quality zips, and I think that's what most people are actually talking about. Also, when talking about life safety devices in cars, that's ubiquitous and standard equipment across the industry and across country lines. The US is literally the only country that requires this. Australia had something similar for a while but repealed it because it created unsafe systems.

  • @SnarkySolarGuy
    @SnarkySolarGuy 3 місяці тому

    This is a very informative video, and I agree with a lot of it. However, I don't view 690.12 as a "UL3741 vs. MLPE" for rapid shutdown compliance. Article 690.12(B)(2) provides 3 options (depending on Code cycle) and the industry finally has another choice beside MLPE since there are finally some PVHCS out there. Burned strings of modules are great for anti-MLPE arguments, but the underlying issue in our industry is module connectors, not the scary optimizers or microinverters themselves. Our installers suck at making proper connections AND using the proper connectors per 300.33(C). Many commercial rooftops can take advantage of UL3741, but not many residential systems will since the inverter must be placed on the roof. As with most things, anti-MLPE folks will jump on a UL3741 system and never look back, regardless of whether or not they are saving money- which is what this really boils to. Some will be on the fence but try it out anyway. Project 5 years from now, and we will see how it all pans out. As with most things in our industry, the right answer is "It depends."

    • @derekthesolarboi
      @derekthesolarboi 3 місяці тому

      The inverter doesn't have to be placed on the roof. We can run comms up there for automatic disconnects, or go the string-level power electronics route, either is better than what we have to do right now. The products haven't really been made to take advantage of this yet, and we'll see what the market does.

    • @SnarkySolarGuy
      @SnarkySolarGuy 3 місяці тому

      Considering comms is the number one call to any service line, it will be interesting to see how those disconnects pan out. I guess it is "better" if we cannot rely on a trained, competent workforce.

    • @thomaswegener9342
      @thomaswegener9342 3 місяці тому

      Good that you mention risk associated to (PV) connects: Don't forget MLPE triples the number of PV connectors on roofs!

    • @SnarkySolarGuy
      @SnarkySolarGuy 3 місяці тому

      @@thomaswegener9342 That is true, but I caution people who think that getting rid of MLPE will get rid of shitty installers.

  • @rosspursifull537
    @rosspursifull537 3 місяці тому

    I love your video. It was super educational. (And, I am a microinverter fan and Enphase investor.) UL 3741 is a blow to Enphase.

    • @derekthesolarboi
      @derekthesolarboi 3 місяці тому

      I don't know if it's as much a blow to Enphase as it is to SolarEdge. SolarEdge requires all the complexity of module-level shutdown, without the simplicity of microinverters. One can market microinverters as a premium product, which Enphase does pretty well, but I think SolarEdge will have a harder time making that pitch in the long run.

  • @XDividendDad
    @XDividendDad 3 місяці тому

    Great Video!

  • @JasonRobinsonidaho
    @JasonRobinsonidaho 4 місяці тому

    Man I just want to find a used tractor with back hoe

  • @JasonRobinsonidaho
    @JasonRobinsonidaho 4 місяці тому

    you have to be both a high & low voltage electrician, and a network admin

  • @jpnovak923
    @jpnovak923 4 місяці тому

    Tesla has been good for the industry in promoting the benefits of solar and getting more people on board but yeah, their customer service is the absolute worst

    • @derekthesolarboi
      @derekthesolarboi 4 місяці тому

      They unfortunately acquired a lot of negative business practices from SolarCity

  • @derekthesolarboi
    @derekthesolarboi 4 місяці тому

    lol I can't take you seriously with the purple beard

  • @blenderablesmoothie
    @blenderablesmoothie 4 місяці тому

    😲😲

  • @IronRidgeSolar
    @IronRidgeSolar 4 місяці тому

    Hey Derek! Thank you for putting together such a detailed and informative video. We appreciate the shout out as well! At IronRidge we want to help ensure that installations and services remain relevant and compliant in a dynamic market - while providing incredible savings.

    • @zackmaxwell4061
      @zackmaxwell4061 3 місяці тому

      @derekthesolarboi great video. Thanks for making a video explaining the changes that not everyone in the solar industry is aware of. @IronRidgeSolar, I have a question about your UL 3741 Installation Addendum. Are other inverter manufacturers going to have to work to produce proprietary String Isolation Devices or work with third parties to produce equipment that will meet requirements for a UL3741 listing with IronRidge Racking? I see Tesla already has one listed and I assume this is partly why they were the first Inverter to get approval with XR rail and racking.

    • @JasonRobinsonidaho
      @JasonRobinsonidaho 2 місяці тому

      When will Iron Ridge have a non-ballasted (residential solar) based racking system with ul3741 validation? I don't exactly want to have to use a bunch of concrete blocks on the top of my residential roof when it isn't designed for that extra weight??

    • @burtonnystrom4606
      @burtonnystrom4606 2 місяці тому

      😢s

  • @jpacheco621
    @jpacheco621 4 місяці тому

    Great job, love your videos!

  • @jasont80
    @jasont80 4 місяці тому

    All these regulations are a great way to kill innovation and ultimately lessen the spread of solar.

    • @derekthesolarboi
      @derekthesolarboi 4 місяці тому

      Regulation isn't bad. But when it's pretty clear the regulation isn't doing the right thing, it's worth pushing back on it.

    • @jasont80
      @jasont80 3 місяці тому

      @@derekthesolarboi Maybe, but many regulations seem to invoke the law of unintended consequences. Don't get me wrong, I want a simple set of regulations that make things safer for the public. But regulators need to think them through to the end, instead of just letting the vendors with the only "approved parts" to do the writing.

    • @kasmstamps1897
      @kasmstamps1897 3 місяці тому

      You reckon? For me in Oz a system that designed to produce 15MWh per year for $10kAUD. For a similar systems in USA about U$40-50k ? Seems pricey to me.

    • @jasont80
      @jasont80 3 місяці тому

      @@kasmstamps1897 Gifts from the government increase prices also.

  • @TheSolarman73
    @TheSolarman73 4 місяці тому

    The company that built Dietz and Watson previously built some of the most absolutely horrible projects with zero wire management.

    • @derekthesolarboi
      @derekthesolarboi 4 місяці тому

      Yeah, that was kind of a wild time in solar, too. We were all still figuring it out. Though the Dietz and Watson fire wasn't caused by the solar, I don't think, if I recall correctly. It just was the headline.

  • @danheidel
    @danheidel 4 місяці тому

    As someone that literally did electrical engineering design work on a solar RSD, I agree with every point you've made. The whole thing is absolutely idiotic. Every EE I've spoken to that has worked on the devices is 100% against the idea. To add to the issue is that Tigo operated in bad faith. When a bunch of solar manufacturers got together to form the Sunspec RSD standard, all the companies (including Tigo) all agreed to suspend enforcement of any patents that affected the resulting Sunspec implementation. The sunspec standard is a decent one and the industry got on board and everyone started pivoting their independent RSD tech to all use the same keep-alive signal and Sunspec standards for certification. And of course, as soon as everything was finished, Tigo started running around and enforcing those very patents and trying to strong-arm money out of everyone against their agreements to the contrary. On top of that, their legal arguments were absolutely absurd - including claiming they somehow had patent rights for things like powerline signal transmission. Tigo was essentially putting a private tax on every residential solar panel in the country. I think their terms varied from company to company but I know that in some cases, they were asking close to $20 a panel. Now, there's a bunch of lawsuits going around and a ton of money and resources being wasted on this nonsense because Tigo got greedy. The problem with UL3741 as a workaround is that it is an extremely complex standard to meet. It effectively shuts out small and mid-sized solar manufacturers since the certification process is so expensive. It also greatly limits your flexibility in putting a system together since the certification only applies to the very specific products that went through the certification process. Want to use a different brand of rack mount or a different clamp? Now your system is out of cert. This whole thing is due to a very poorly thought out NEC decision and really, the only way to properly fix the issue is to revert that code modification.

    • @derekthesolarboi
      @derekthesolarboi 3 місяці тому

      Would love to get more info about this in particular, if you'd be willing to hit up my website's contact form

  • @benkuttesch1166
    @benkuttesch1166 4 місяці тому

    To answer your last question, yes. Rapid shut down has been a boat anchor on the industry since it's introduction.

  • @NoName-rn2bg
    @NoName-rn2bg 4 місяці тому

    Wonderful video, wonderful intention and we career professionals understanding the impact of this ,deeeeeply support this coming change (again) .. I've been here long enough to see it mandated, I look forward to being here long enough to watch it go away! 😆

  • @MattPaiss
    @MattPaiss 4 місяці тому

    Derek, really well done video! So, if "old is new" again, are there any new arc-fault protections to ensure no connector fires now that strings can once again be 600-1000V? That was one of the selling points to quality MLPE - arc-fault detection at the module level.

    • @derekthesolarboi
      @derekthesolarboi 4 місяці тому

      Very few MLPEs enable arc-fault detection at the module level (the only one I can think of is SolarEdge's temp sensor in their newer optis), and that kind of detection isn't required by code previously. Quite frankly, MLPEs have made it much more challenging in the past to nail down where an arc fault is. Arc faults are a pain to trace down anyway, but MLPE's don't generally make it easier or more reliable.

    • @thomaswegener9342
      @thomaswegener9342 4 місяці тому

      Hi Matt, you know as well as I do that PV Arc Fault Detection, NEC 690.11, has nothing to do with Rapid Shutdown, NEC 690.12. And any manufacturer claiming that optimizers or microinverters improve arc fault detection has been telling an unproven fairytale. BTW, it was a well known string inverter manufacturer which obtained the first UL 1699B PV Arc Fault Protection listing for its inverter integrated AFCI. Also pls note there is no product safety standard available for connector temperature surveillance, and therefore this method cannot be relied upon for the time being. Finally, connector fires are not at all related to voltage. It's current that creates heat. These fires are a typical result of connector mismatch, mating connectors from different manufacturers, and improper latching - and guess what is multiplying the number of PV connectors on a roof? Correct, MLPE does.

  • @jaysolar6111
    @jaysolar6111 4 місяці тому

    You’re 100% correct on everything you explained on this video regarding the solar industry in general. I used to be a field performance technician for 5 years at a big residential solar company and from my experience the systems that I visited the most were the ones with MLE/RSD. I’ve seen some 10+ yr old Fronius primo inverters that are running strong. It’s almost a gimmick the way companies sell these products like for example “Hey we offer module level monitoring so you can monitor your system (At a big cost of course)”. When in reality as you know module level monitoring is not needed for most residential PV installs. Overall this is great news specially now in these times.

  • @angiefryer6345
    @angiefryer6345 4 місяці тому

    Love the well-used code book library. 😂

    • @derekthesolarboi
      @derekthesolarboi 4 місяці тому

      I used to get the non-spiral bound versions, but my 2014 and 2017 code books fully fell apart on me after the use I put them through 😂

  • @chulillaclimbing
    @chulillaclimbing 4 місяці тому

    Derek, amazing job with this video! It is extremely educational to explain the history of RSDs and the current UL3741. I could not have explained this better, again congrats!

  • @solargoat
    @solargoat 4 місяці тому

    Riding the solar coaster for life!

  • @gabrielhollinger8347
    @gabrielhollinger8347 4 місяці тому

    Heheheheee. First one here

  • @TorontoCanada5
    @TorontoCanada5 4 місяці тому

    Second

  • @kaibamanyt3558
    @kaibamanyt3558 4 місяці тому

    First 😂

  • @RJSOBO88
    @RJSOBO88 5 місяців тому

    It appears the antioxidant application was done poorly, too much = bad and will create added resistance/ potential thermal damage. (a little goes a long way) I would recheck those terminal block torques after a few hours of 60%+ production and clean up the excess noalox...

    • @Rickles
      @Rickles 2 місяці тому

      I was interested in the burndy taps so I researched a bit. Looks like they come with the compound inside of them already.

    • @RJSOBO88
      @RJSOBO88 2 місяці тому

      @@Rickles they do, however aluminum conductors tend to settle after numerous thermal cycles, specifically in continuous current applications. Re-torque is highly recommended. Ive seen over 4 dozen of these insulated taps fail due to arcing/ loose connections

  • @rodrigocassio2621
    @rodrigocassio2621 7 місяців тому

    2 system in 1, water and electricity! Now the customer don’t need to pay for both things haha

  • @PabloMaril
    @PabloMaril 7 місяців тому

    Amazing job. Thanks a lot for sharing. Cheers from Argentina. I am a solar installer, with a small company, and your videos are inspirational. Keep on doing it, please!

  • @kingmoomoo4207
    @kingmoomoo4207 7 місяців тому

    Im scared to go up a double jump 2 story just relying on 1 suction cup😱 good ideal tho

  • @omarivang
    @omarivang 8 місяців тому

    I prefer lift the solar panels with my hands or the tranzvolt, In fact, use the suction cup only when I have to remove old modules.

  • @AnActualCoconut
    @AnActualCoconut 8 місяців тому

    Ever get the ice ones in the winter? So beautiful!

  • @christianfields4200
    @christianfields4200 8 місяців тому

    Yall are just as bad as LGBTQ.. kinda guessing your with that crew anyway so all makes sense.. just stay th away from our kids

  • @andrewstitely6417
    @andrewstitely6417 8 місяців тому

    😂 they are In everything already