IES87193B2 - External solar inverter enclosure - Google Patents

Abstract

An external inverter enclosure (10) comprises at least one weatherproof cabinet (20) for housing a solar inverter (60), one or more batteries (70), and associated electrical equipment. Cabinet (20) has a lockable access door (22). Heat dissipating fins (43) protrude from the inverter, Wall bracket (15) mounts the enclosure on a wall or other support surface with a ventilation channel provided between the wall bracket (15) and the cabinet, wherein the heat dissipating fins (43) protrude into the ventilation channel for cooling by ambient convection airflow.

Description

EXTERNAL SOLAR INVERTER ENCLOSURE The present invention relates to an external solar inverter enclosure.

Solar Photovoltaic (PV) Systems consist of solar PV modules (which are generally roof mounted but can be ground mounted on proprietary mounting frames and/or rails), a solar inverter and sometimes may be fitted with a battery as an option. A series of solar PV modules connected in a row is called a string.

When the sun shines on the panels DC electric current is generated and this power flows into a solar inverter which converts DC power to usable AC power which can be self- consumed in the property and if there is surplus this can be stored in a battery (if fitted) as DC power or else the surplus AC power can be exported to the utility grid.

In most countries, solar inverters and batteries are located within the property, often in the attic space which reduces the length of DC cable between the PV string on the roof and the inverter. The inverter must be mounted on a non-combustible surface with the requisite clearance from combustible materials such as wooden roof members or walls. In many cases there is no masonry or concrete walls in the attic space to mount the inverter so a wooden panel of plywood faced with plasterboard to provide the required fire protection is erected on which to mount the inverter. There are many electrical and health and safety regulations that needs to be complied with when installing inverters and electrical equipment in confined spaces such as attics. These include (extract from Code of Practice by Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland and Safe Electric Ireland): 0 A DC isolator switch (2 pole) shall be provided at the connection point to the Inverter, and accessible from the inverter location. 0 DC cables must be segregated from AC cables. 0 DC cables must be suitably secured when routed from the PV module array across the roof area to the entry point to the building. Cables must not be exposed to excessive movement from wind or any other mechanical stress due to their installation. 0 Where the DC cables penetrate the roof surface and membrane a waterproof system shall be provided to ensure that the cable way cannot affect the weather tightness of the roof.

String Inverters must be installed on a flat vertical, fire-resistant (concrete/masonry) surface, according to manufacturer’s recommendations, with adequate surrounding space to allow for ventilation, and in an accessible location.

Separation distance to allow ventilation must be to manufacturer’s recommendations.

Inverters must not be installed within a ‘hot press’ / airing cupboard due to the higher ambient temperatures and risk of ventilation paths being obstructed unintentionally.

Where string inverters are not installed on a fire resistance surface (such as in attic spaces), they must be installed on a fire-resistant substrate which extends to a minimum of 150mm beyond the edge of the inverter.

Where installed externally, inverters must have an ingress rating of IP65 or greater.

String inverters must be installed with clearly labelled, accessible (from the inverter location), DC and AC isolator switches.

The inverter must carry a warning label, prominently located — “Inverter. Isolate AC and DC before carrying out work”or an equivalent statement.

A separate metering device must be supplied, on the AC side of the inverter, which records the energy generated (in kWh) by the solar PV system. This metering device must be capable of accurately measuring, recording and displaying the energy generated and must not be reset during prolonged loss of power.

The AC system must be tested and certified by a Registered Electrical Contractor and a Safe Electric certificate must be provided.

An AC isolator (2 pole, switching live and neutral) must be installed between the inverter and the consumer unit, and accessible from the inverter location.

AC isolator must be labelled - “PV System MAIN AC Isolator” or an equivalent statement.

The main incoming point of the dwelling (typically the meter box) must contain a warning label indicating the presence of a separate source of electrical supply to the building.

Wall mounted Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) must be installed on a flat vertical surface, according to manufacturer’s recommendations, with adequate surrounding space to allow for ventilation.

Where wall mounted BESS are not installed on a fire resistance surface (such as in attic spaces), they must be installed on a fire-resistant substrate which extends to a minimum of 150mm beyond the edge of the inverter. o Floor mounted BESS must be installed on a flat horizontal surface, according to manufacturer’s recommendations, with adequate surrounding space to allow for ventilation. o All battery systems, should be installed in a suitable enclosure which ensures that; - The battery is maintained in a clean, dry, and adequately ventilated environment and has suitable protection from environmental conditions.

- Cable connections/termination are not accessible outside the enclosure. - ls insect, vermin proof.

- Allows sufficient clearance for installation, inspection, maintenance and repairs.

- Not be near conductive objects capable of falling across battery terminals or causing a short circuit.

- A pre-assembled BESS may inherently include a suitable enclosure. 0 When installing a solar inverter or battery in an attic space there is a requirement to fit a smoke detector which shall be connected to the smoke alarm of the property as required by insurance companies. 0 Most attics do not have a floored area for tradesmen to walk so an access platform must be constructed across an attic space. 0 Hoisting equipment is required when lifting solar inverters or batteries though any access hatch to enter the attic space.

The present invention comprises of a fully weather proof IP rated enclosure in which the solar inverter, isolation switches, MCB, energy meters and batteries are housed. The enclosure negates the need to enter an attic space to house the inverter and battery system where health and safety risks exist and also reduces the installation time of fitting the solar inverter and associated equipment as the fit-out of the enclosures can be completed and tested off site.

The solar inverter enclosure houses the inverter and the heat dissipation fins protrude in to the ventilation cavity immediately behind the enclosure therefore allowing sufficient cooling by ambient convection airflow. The aperture though which the inverter is located has a sealing/weathering strip to maintain the airtight integrity of the inverter enclosure.

The mounting bracket for the enclosure allows for the inverter to be removed for maintenance or repair while leaving the rest of the ancillary equipment in-situ.

Cables transitioning between the inverter and battery enclosure are mechanically protected by a weathering cover.

The enclosures secured by tamper proof locks which may only be opened by us of a tool.

The enclosures are fitted to a wall bracket with keyhole type fixing system which alternates between the inverter enclosure and the battery enclosure so as not to fit in the incorrect sequence - i.e. solar inverter enclosure on top and battery on the bottom.

By locating the inverter and battery storage system externally it does not require access inside the property for service and maintenance.

Ancillary equipment such as external power points and EV charging points may be supplied, pre-fitted as an option.

The present invention houses all the solar equipment in an IP rated weatherproof enclosure and which can be mounted to any external wall and all the electrical equipment can be pre- fitted and tested off-site. Once the enclosure is mounted the only site work that needs to be carried out is to connect the DC power for the solar module strings into the inverter (all external cables) and run an AC power supply from the inverter into the consumer unit of the property.

It can typically take 1-2 days to carry out the electrical installation of a solar system and with this system it is estimated it will take 3-4 hours. While mounting electrical equipment in an enclosure may not be exactly novel, the concept of solving the issues surrounding installing solar equipment inside a property by using an off-site assembled solution for ease and speed of installation is quite novel.

Some special features in the solar inverter enclosure of the invention are as follows: (1) Inverters require ventilation so any heat can be dissipated. Inverters have a series of heat dissipation fins at the rear of the inverter body and the inverter enclosure provides an opening in the back of the inverter enclosure so the fins protrude through into a cavity that is cooled by ambient air. The area between the edge of the opening and the inverter body is sealed with a sealing strip to maintain the integrity of the IP rating of the enclosure. (2) The invention provides a locking system that holds the inverter in place and if ever the inverter needs to be removed for repair or maintenance then the locking bracket can be removed and the inverter withdrawn through the door of the enclosure while leaving all other electrical equipment in-situ.

The invention will hereinafter be more particularly described with reference to the accompanying drawings which show by way of example only, one embodiment of an external solar inverter enclosure according to the invention.

In the drawings: Figure 1A is a side view of the external solar enclosure fixed to a wall of a building such as a house.

Figure 1B is a front view of the external solar enclosure.

Figure 2A is an enlarged view of the external solar enclosure encircled as “A”on Figure 2B.

Figure 3 is a perspective view of the external solar enclosure mounted to a wall of the building.

Figure 4A is a view from one side of the external solar enclosure; Figure 4B is a front view of the external enclosure; Figure 4C is a view from the other side of the external solar enclosure; and Figure 4D is a plan view.

Figure 5A is a perspective view from the rear of the external solar enclosure; Figure 5B is a perspective view from the front and one side; and Figure 5C is a perspective view from the front and the other side.

Figure 6 is an exploded perspective view of the external solar enclosure from the front and one side.

Figure 7 is an exploded perspective view of the external solar enclosure from the rear and the other side.

Figure 8A is a front view of the external solar enclosure with the two access door opened; and Figure 8B is a perspective view of the opened upper enclosure from the front and one side.

Figure 9A is a side view of the lower cabinet of the external solar enclosure; Figure 9B is a front view; Figure 9C is a view from the other side; and Figure 9D is a plan view.

Figure 10A is a perspective view of the upper cabinet; Figure 10B is a cross-sectional side view along B-B of the front view; Figure 10C and Figure 10D is an enlarged view of the area marked “C”in Figure 10B.

Figure 11A is a perspective view of the upper cabinet from the rear and one side with the access door opened; and Figure 11B is a partially exploded perspective view of the upper cabinet.

Figure 12A is a perspective view of the upper cabinet of the external solar en closure; and Figure 12B is an enlarged view of the area marked “E” in Figure 12A.

Figure 13 is a partially exploded perspective view of the upper cabinet of the external solar enclosure with the access door opened.

Figure 14 is a perspective exploded view of the upper cabinet of the external solar enclosure; and Figure 15A is an exploded cross-sectional side view of the upper cabinet taken along the line D-D of Figure 15B which is a front view of the upper cabinet with the access door opened.

List of reference numerals External solar enclosure 12 Cable protection panel 14 Keyhole style locating slots.

Wall Bracket 17 Openings 19 Wall bracket spacer - to accommodate uneven wall surface Upper cabinet 22 Solar Inverter Enclosure door 23 Solar enclosure back bracket — forms the cavity for cooling the heat dissipation fins 24 Knock-out for cable entry Ventilation cut-outs Lower cabinet 32 Battery Enclosure Door 33 Ventilation holes 37 Cable entry gland 38 Cable entry gland (for heavy gauge battery cables) 40 Weathering Lid 41 Inverter opening sealing bead 42 Inverter opening cut-out 43 Inverter heat dissipation fins 44 Locking bracket 45 Inverter Mounting Bracket 46 Keyhole style locating slots. 47 Upper locking point 48 Lower locking point 49 Weathering lid fixing holes 50 Tamper proof locks 60 Inverter 61 AC isolation switch 62 Miniature circuit breaker (MCB) 64 Residual current circuit breaker with overcurrent protector (RCBO) 65 Air ventilation cavity 66 Energy meter 67 Weathering strip 68 DC isolation switch 70 Solar batteries 72 Battery isolation switch 100 Building 105 Roof 110 Footpath Referring to the drawings, the external solar enclosure 10 comprise an upper cabinet 20, which is the solar inverter enclosure and a lower cabinet 30, which is the solar battery enclosure. A cable protection guard 12 is provided between the two cabinets 20 and 30.

The enclosure 10 can be installed at the side of a building 100 as shown in Figure 1A beneath the roof 105 and footpath 110.

The external solar enclosure 10 is fixed to the building by a wall bracket 15. The upper cabinet 20 is provided with air ventilation cut outs 25 and cable entry locations 24. S pacers 19 are provided on the wall bracket 15 to accommodate uneven wall surfaces. A weathering lid 40 is provided on top of the upper cabinet 20. Tamper proof locks 50 are provided on access doors 22 and 32 of the upper and lower cabinets 20 and 30.

The wall bracket 15 as shown in Figure 5 has a number of openings 17 which provide for weight reduction and ventilation of both cabinets 20, 30. Cables (not shown) run in the area between the upper and lower cabinets 20, 30 between the cable entry glands 37 and 38 and are shielded by the guard 12.

Referring to Figure 7, beneath the weathering lid 40 is an inverter opening sealing bead 41, inverter opening cut-out 42, and inverter heat dissipation fins 43. Also located at the rear of the upper cabinet 20 are retaining bracket 44, inverter mounting bracket 45, keyhole locating slots 46, an upper locking point 47 and a lower locking point 48. Ventilation holes 34 are provided at the back of the cabinet 30. Weathering lid fixing holes 49 are used to retain the weathering lid 40.

As shown in Figures 8A and 8B, inverter 60 is located within the cabinet 20, together with an AC isolation switch 61, a miniature circuit breaker (MCB) 62, a residual current circuit breaker with overcurrent protector (RCBO) 64 energy meter 66, a DC isolation switch 68.

Located within the lower cabinet 30 are solar batteries 70 and a battery isolation switch 72.

An air ventilation cavity 65 is located between the inverter 60 and the inverter heat dissipation fins 43 which protrude into the ventilation cavity 65. A weathering strip 67 is located around the periphery of the inverter 60. The inverter 60 can be withdrawn from the

Claims (5)

enclosure by releasing the retaining bracket 45 and removed through the open door 22 of the upper cabinet 20. It is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the specific details described herein which are given by way of example only and that various modifications and alternations are possible without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims. CLAIMS:

1. An external solar inverter enclosure comprising at least one weatherproof cabinet for housing a solar inverter, one or more batteries and associated electrical equipment, a lockable access door and heat dissipating elements protruding from the inverter, means for mounting the enclosure on a wall or other support surface with a ventilation channel provided between the mounting means and the cabinet, wherein the heat dissipating elements protrude into the ventilation channel for cooling by ambient convection airflow.

2. An external solar inverter enclosure as claimed in Claim 1, in which the enclosure comprises two weatherproof cabinets, one for housing the solar inverter and the second for housing one or more batteries, with electrical cable connections being provided between the two cabinets and a cable guard being provided between the two cabinets to shield the electrical cables; and optionally in which an opening is provided at the rear of the, or one of the, cabinets to enable the heat dissipating elements protrude into the ventilation channel with weatherproof sealing being provided between the edge of the opening and the heat dissipating elements.

3. An external solar inverter enclosure as claimed in any of the preceding claims, in which the inverter is held in place by releasable locking means; optionally, in which the mounting means for the enclosure comprises an elongated wall bracket which is fixable to the wall or other support surface and the wall bracket includes a plurality of spacers for adjustment of the angle of the wall bracket; optionally, in which the cabinet or uppermost cabinet is provided with a weathering lid; and optionally, in which the, or each, cabinet is provided with tamper proof locks, and optionally, in which the, or each, cabinet is provided with a plurality of cable entry glands.

4. An external solar inverter enclosure as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, in which the, or each, cabinet is of rectangular construction having a front face, a rear face and a pair of adjacent side walls, with the door being provided in the front face and the ventilation channel being provided in the rear face.

5. An external solar inverter enclosure as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, in which an external power socket is provided on the external surface of the /I b 5hb 5hb