Solar Drive Sizing
Solar Drive Sizing/Selection: Please see below guidelines and contact us for verification if necessary:
- For Hammer and Impact Crushers, consider using a Soft Starter instead of a Solar Drive. Solar Drives are not recommended since the current tend to be very unstable during normal operation, which makes the Solar Drives prone to go into overload / overcurrent protection. If the feed to the Crusher is controllable (when the current is large, the feed speed should be automatically reduced), one can consider using a Solar Drive, if it is not controllable, a Soft Starter is recommended. Some field conditions do however require the use of a Solar Drive to reduce the impact of the starting current and some users therefor insist on using a Solar Drive (instead of Soft Starter), and mostly use it without any problem (1/10 report overload), but this is then done using the correct design to ensure the feed is controlled.
- For the SP1 Series (when used for Single-Phase Motors), note that some of the Single-Phase Motors have very high Amp ratings, so make sure the Amp rating of the Motor is less than that of the selected Solar Drive, otherwise select a larger kW Solar Drive.
- Select Solar Drive (kW) of two sizes larger than the Motor (kW) for:
- Heavy/High Duty (Industrial) Applications (high torque requirement at start-up, e.g., Crusher, Ball Mill, Compressor with 6 Poles or more).
- Select a Solar Drive (kW) size larger than the Motor (kW) for:
- General Duty Motors with 6 Poles or more (if torque is high).
- Low Duty (low torque requirement at start-up, e.g., Fan, Centrifugal Pump) Motors with 8 Poles or more.
- Low Efficiency Motors (e.g., submersible borehole pumps).
- For use in areas with altitude over 2000m or ambient temperatures above 40 degrees Celsius (preferably use forced cooling, ambient temperature must always be less than 50 degrees). Please Derating Specifications for more info as well as Cooling/Panel Fan Selection specifications.
For Solar Array Sizing, please see entry HERE.
Please Note:
- Up to 22kW models = Plastic Housing; 30kW+ models = Metal
- All models include RS485 terminals (on Control Board) and integrated IGBT
- Prices for spares available on request only (includes items such as keypad, control card, power card, IGBT model, fan, fan board, capacitor, rectifier).
- Please refer to each specific model’s User Manual for important details regarding product Installation, Setup, Safety Information, Precautions and Maintenance
- Use the Solar Drive to Start and Stop the Motor, do not disconnect the supply from the Solar Drive to the Motor while it is running. Also do not disconnect the power supply to the Solar Drive while it is running the Motor.
- Do not use a Solar Drive to run more than 2 motors simultaneously (For SP1 Series Solar Drives, do not use more than one motor per Solar Drive).
- Multiple Solar Drives can be connected to a single PV Array, but in the event that the Solar Drives are set up to automatically start and stop based on available sunlight, adjust the Sleep and Wake Up Voltages of the various Solar Drives so that they don’t Start and Stop at the exact same time (cannot combine SP3 Solar Drives with SP1 Solar Drives using the same Array due to the variance in Array Voltage requirements).
- If you want to use the Solar Drive with AC input as well (Solar Assist Mode), you also need to install Diodes to protect the PV Array (some of the smaller kW ranges only allow for a single power supply though). Please see the Solar Assist Mode FAQ page Entry for more details regarding PV Array Design requirements relating to Solar Assist Mode applications.
- Note that if the cable length between the Solar Drive and Motor is more than 50m, we would also recommend that you install an Output Choke/Reactor, for cables more than 150m we recommend installing a SineWave Filter (instead of the Output Choke/Reactor).
- Please use Copper power cables between the Solar Drive and Motor rather than Aluminium cables (impedance of Aluminium cables are higher and cause more harmonics).
- Regarding the SP1 Series (when used for Single-Phase Motors), note that Single-Phase Motors generally do not perform well when used at slow speeds (not less than 25Hz), especially for applications where the Motor is put under strain (high load at slow speed is a problem for the Motors – the Solar Drive can handle it.
- For installations in enclosures, device keypads can be removed and installed into enclosure doors using additional keypad frames and extension cables.
- Please see the VSD and Solar Drive Peripherals section of the VSD Manual for info on additional items that might be required for installation. Also see the applicable peripheral device manuals regarding information on these items.
