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Trip telltale
Posted: Fri Oct 26, 2012 10:15 pm
by bampah
The trip for my solar panel inverter/meter is not very accessible and when it tripped out earlier in the year, I was unaware of it for some time.
Is there anything on the market [i](or can anyone suggest something)[/i] that I could install in an immediately visible position that would show that the trip had gone.
I don't particularly want something as obvious as an 'always on' light but am open to suggestions.
Re: Trip telltale
Posted: Sat Oct 27, 2012 11:44 pm
by ericmark
Most makes of MCB have a half-width option that sandwiches onto the MCB with both N/O and N/C contacts so it can be used to work a light or buzzer.
However consumer units often don't have the option to move the MCB's a half space often you need a distribution unit to have the room required.
Much depends on the make of the unit. Also some supplies give away free monitors to see how much power you are using these simply clip onto the main incoming cable. Fitting one of these to the MCB output would allow remote monitoring of the power being produced. These only work on the AC supply they will not work before the inverter.
Re: Trip telltale
Posted: Sun Nov 04, 2012 4:32 pm
by sparx
hi, have done similar by fitting a mains Neon indicator across the mcb ie from bussbar side to cable side, when mcb closed indicator is bypassed but when tripped light is in series with load and lights up.
This was as an aid to locating a fault and not permanent as when tripped the neon will still allow very small current to flow and if turning off isolator from solar both sides of switch will still be live.