Electrical Panel & Solar - Center Fed and 100A?

[solarfrank]

You have a Challenger , was very popular in the ’80s and ’90s. Challenger is no longer in business, Eaton/Cutler Hammer they do compatible breakers.
Some of the electrical panels from Challenger had some problems with overheating of the bus bar.
You a Challenger 100A main and 125 bus bar, please check the photo attached.

[subchaos]

does most system request a 200A panel?

[foo1bar]

does most system request a 200A panel?

No - there are many installs that are done with an existing 100 or 125A panel.

However I'm happy I upgraded to a 200A panel.
Would have done that even if I wasn't doing solar.

[jsquared22]

http://www.eaton.com/Eaton/ProductsS...ters/index.htm


I got a Eaton with my install.... its specifically made, and labeled, for solar installs.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]6653[/ATTACH]

Thanks for the picture Alisobob. Did you require stucco work too? The install looks great.

[jsquared22]

Thanks for the label picture Solarfrank. Any chance you could please provide a picture of the panel too?

[Alisobob]

Thanks for the picture Alisobob. Did you require stucco work too? The install looks great.

stucco.JPG

Yea, but they did a great job floating in in over a large area. A little paint, and its invisible.

[Dan Z]

I have the exact box show in the original post. It is 125 A. What did you end up doing?

[jsquared22]

I decided to upgrade to a solar ready 200 AMP Square-D Homeline panel purchased from Home Depot.

[Dan Z]

What did the install cost and do you have a recommended electrician? Or did you do it yourself?

[jsquared22]

Here's a picture of the install.

[jsquared22]

What did the install cost and do you have a recommended electrician? Or did you do it yourself?

It was a struggle to find an electrician with my budget. I ended up doing it myself.

[Dan Z]

Wow! I assume you are not an electrician. If I decide to go the same route, would you be available to discuss the details of the install?

--Mod Note: The Forum would like to distance itself from any how-to discussion of DIY performing of electrical work that, in most of the US anyway requires a permit and the services of a licensed electrician.

[Glen]

Interesting, I think I have the same panel as originally posted. No issues with my 4.125 kWp system.

[sensij]

Interesting, I think I have the same panel as originally posted. No issues with my 4.125 kWp system.

Inverter size matters more than panel rating. In your case, a 3800 W inverter will have a 20 A PV breaker. For a center-fed panel with a 100 A main and 125 A bus, adding 20 A of PV is fine.

[Dan Z]

Interesting, I think I have the same panel as originally posted. No issues with my 4.125 kWp system.

What city? Mircoinverters or string inverter? I think 4.125 is about 17 Amps (so probably two branches for a microinverter system). They fed the wires directly into your main panel?