Targeting a simplified installation process for solar arrays, eIQ Energy will offer custom pre-installed wiring harnesses with its vComm communications module and vBoost DC-to-DC converter through a partnership with Shoals Technologies Group.
(July 12, 2010) – Targeting a simplified installation process for solar arrays, eIQ Energy will offer custom pre-installed wiring harnesses with its vComm communications module and vBoost DC-to-DC converter through a partnership with Shoals Technologies Group.
eIQ Energy’s Parallel Solar technology platform has already made array installation easier by replacing traditional series wiring with parallel connections, which greatly reduce the requirements for on-site skilled electrical work. By adding the option of a custom wiring harness fabricated by one of the nation’s leading contract manufacturers, installers at the job site can simply unroll the cabling, attach it to the modules, and plug in the necessary fuses – no manual connections or terminations are needed on the module side of the inverter.
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To take advantage of the program, an installer uploads a job print depicting the physical layout of the array. Shoals Technologies will fabricate the vComm and wiring harness at its highly automated, ISO-certified production facility and ship it directly to the job site for delivery within two weeks of order submission. Pricing is quoted individually for each specific installation; the service is available immediately.
“Ease of installation has been a priority for the Parallel Solar product family since day one, and Shoals Technologies has the same mindset and outstanding manufacturing skills. We’re very pleased to be able to offer this service, and help minimize the amount of time that installers need to spend on rooftops,” said Oliver Janssen, CEO of eIQ Energy. “We see this as an especially appealing option for arrays of 100kW and above.”
Dean Solon, president and CEO of Shoals Technologies Group, added, “Our history as an automotive industry supplier and decade of photovoltaic expertise, gives us a great deal of insight into combining quality, reliability, and economy in our products and services, including our lines of renewable energy cable assemblies, junction boxes, combiner boxes and components. eIQ Energy has excellent technology, and we’re glad to be working with them to make solar installations easier and more affordable.”
Parallel Solar uses advanced DC power management technology, incorporated in the vBoost DC-to-DC converter module, to allow easy connection of solar panels in parallel rather than in series. This approach allows the connection of an unprecedented number of panels on a single cable run, greatly reducing up-front solar array costs and providing much more design flexibility, while also boosting lifetime energy harvest with distributed MPPT. The vComm module combines multiple cable runs into a unified feed to the central inverter, and also utilizes power-bus wiring to collect real-time performance data from each vBoost, for use in the Parallel Solar Monitoring System data analysis software.
eIQ Energy, Inc. uses power management technology to make solar energy more effective and affordable. For more information, please visit www.eiqenergy.com
Shoals Technologies Group is a manufacturer of balance of systems solutions. Additional information is available at www.shoals.com
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