Abstract: A junction box used for making electrical connections to a photovoltaic panel. The junction box has two chambers including a first chamber and a second chamber and a wall common to and separating both chambers. The wall may be adapted to have an electrical connection therethrough. The two lids are adapted to seal respectively the two chambers. The two lids are on opposite sides of the junction box relative to the photovoltaic panel. The two lids may be attachable using different sealing processes to a different level of hermeticity. The first chamber may be adapted to receive a circuit board for electrical power conversion. The junction box may include supports for mounting a printed circuit board in the first chamber. The second chamber is configured for electrical connection to the photovoltaic panel. A metal heat sink may be bonded inside the first chamber.

Abstract: A system and method for combining power from DC power sources. Each power source is coupled to a converter. Each converter converts input power to output power by monitoring and maintaining the input power at a maximum power point. Substantially all input power is converted to the output power, and the controlling is performed by allowing output voltage of the converter to vary. The converters are coupled in series. An inverter is connected in parallel with the series connection of the converters and inverts a DC input to the inverter from the converters into an AC output. The inverter maintains the voltage at the inverter input at a desirable voltage by varying the amount of the series current drawn from the converters. The series current and the output power of the converters, determine the output voltage at each converter.

Abstract: A system and method for combining power from DC power sources. Each power source is coupled to a converter. Each converter converts input power to output power by monitoring and maintaining the input power at a maximum power point. Substantially all input power is converted to the output power, and the controlling is performed by allowing output voltage of the converter to vary. The converters are coupled in series. An inverter is connected in parallel with the series connection of the converters and inverts a DC input to the inverter from the converters into an AC output. The inverter maintains the voltage at the inverter input at a desirable voltage by varying the amount of the series current drawn from the converters. The series current and the output power of the converters, determine the output voltage at each converter.

Abstract: Various implementations are directed to a method for detecting, by a device, an increase in temperature at certain parts of an electrical system, and taking appropriate responsive action. The method may include measuring temperatures at certain locations within the system and estimating temperatures at other locations based on the measurements. Some embodiments include an integrated cable combining electrical conduction and heat-detection capabilities, or an integrated cable or connector combining electrical conduction with a thermal fuse.

Abstract: A system and method for combining power from DC power sources. Each power source is coupled to a converter. Each converter converts input power to output power by monitoring and maintaining the input power at a maximum power point. Substantially all input power is converted to the output power, and the controlling is performed by allowing output voltage of the converter to vary. The converters are coupled in series. An inverter is connected in parallel with the series connection of the converters and inverts a DC input to the inverter from the converters into an AC output. The inverter maintains the voltage at the inverter input at a desirable voltage by varying the amount of the series current drawn from the converters. The series current and the output power of the converters, determine the output voltage at each converter.

Abstract: An apparatus for a system power device utilized in an interconnected power system. The interconnected power system may include multiple system power devices connected to various inter connections of groups of direct currents (DC) from power sources which also may be connected in various series, parallel, series parallel and parallel series combinations for example. The apparatus may include a processor connected to a memory and a communication interface operatively attached to the processor. The communication interface may be adapted to connect to a mobile computing system of a user in close proximity to the system power devices. A graphical user interface (GUI) of the mobile computing system may allow various operational and re-configuration options for the interconnected power system which may include installation, maintenance and monitoring schedules in the interconnected power system when the user of the GUI is in close proximity to the system power devices.

Abstract: A system and method for combining power from DC power sources. Each power source is coupled to a converter. Each converter converts input power to output power by monitoring and maintaining the input power at a maximum power point. Substantially all input power is converted to the output power, and the controlling is performed by allowing output voltage of the converter to vary. The converters are coupled in series. An inverter is connected in parallel with the series connection of the converters and inverts a DC input to the inverter from the converters into an AC output. The inverter maintains the voltage at the inverter input at a desirable voltage by varying the amount of the series current drawn from the converters. The series current and the output power of the converters, determine the output voltage at each converter.

Abstract: Methods for arc detection in a system including one or more photovoltaic generators, one or more photovoltaic power devices and a system power device and/or a load connectible to the photovoltaic generators and/or the photovoltaic power devices. The methods may measure voltage, current, and/or power delivered to the load or system power device, and the methods may measure voltage noise or current noise within the photovoltaic system. The methods may periodically, and/or in response to detecting noise, reduce an electrical parameter such as current or voltage in order to extinguish an arc. The methods may compare one or more measurements to one or more thresholds to detect arcing, and upon a comparison indicating that arcing is or was present, an alarm condition may be set.

Abstract: An assembly or adapter configured to provide a supply-side interconnect of electrical power to a distribution board. The adapter may be incorporated internal or external to the distribution board, by occupying the space of one or more circuit breakers, inserting an adapter into a meter termination socket, or the like. The adapter includes terminals provided to route the conductors from the utility to a breakout panel (or subpanel) for adding power devices as a supply side interconnect, and back to a regular route that may go through the meter and/or the main circuit breaker, and on to the loads. A switching component may provide an inline configuration that configures the conductors for backup function, and a parallel configuration that is a parallel interconnecting route when utility service is available.

Abstract: Various implementations described herein are directed to determining an order of power devices connected in a serial string to a central power device. The physical order may be stored in a non-volatile computer-readable storage medium.

Abstract: A junction box used for making electrical connections to a photovoltaic panel. The junction box has two chambers including a first chamber and a second chamber and a wall common to and separating both chambers. The wall may be adapted to have an electrical connection therethrough. The two lids are adapted to seal respectively the two chambers. The two lids are on opposite sides of the junction box relative to the photovoltaic panel. The two lids may be attachable using different sealing processes to a different level of hermeticity. The first chamber may be adapted to receive a circuit board for electrical power conversion. The junction box may include supports for mounting a printed circuit board in the first chamber. The second chamber is configured for electrical connection to the photovoltaic panel. A metal heat sink may be bonded inside the first chamber.

Abstract: A distributed power system including multiple (DC) batteries each DC battery with positive and negative poles. Multiple power converters are coupled respectively to the DC batteries. Each power converter includes a first terminal, a second terminal, a third terminal and a fourth terminal. The first terminal is adapted for coupling to the positive pole. The second terminal is adapted for coupling to the negative pole. The power converter includes: (i) a control loop adapted for setting the voltage between or current through the first and second terminals, and (ii) a power conversion portion adapted to selectively either: convert power from said first and second terminals to said third and fourth terminals to discharge the battery connected thereto, or to convert power from the third and fourth terminals to the first and second terminals to charge the battery connected thereto.

Abstract: Methods for arc detection in a system including one or more photovoltaic generators, one or more photovoltaic power devices and a system power device and/or a load connectible to the photovoltaic generators and/or the photovoltaic power devices. The methods may measure voltage, current, and/or power delivered to the load or system power device, and the methods may measure voltage noise or current noise within the photovoltaic system. The methods may periodically, and/or in response to detecting noise, reduce an electrical parameter such as current or voltage in order to extinguish an arc. The methods may compare one or more measurements to one or more thresholds to detect arcing, and upon a comparison indicating that arcing is or was present, an alarm condition may be set.

Abstract: A distributed power harvesting system including multiple direct current (DC) power sources with respective DC outputs adapted for interconnection into a interconnected DC power source output. A converter includes input terminals adapted for coupling to the interconnected DC power source output. A circuit loop sets the voltage and current at the input terminals of the converter according to predetermined criteria. A power conversion portion converts the power received at the input terminals to an output power at the output terminals. A power supplier is coupled to the output terminals. The power supplier includes a control part for maintaining the input to the power supplier at a predetermined value. The control part maintains the input voltage and/or input current to the power supplier at a predetermined value.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a DC-to-AC converter comprising a first output terminal and a second output terminal. The apparatus also includes a DC-to-DC converter comprising a third output. The DC-to-AC converter is configured to receive a DC input voltage from a DC power source, and to produce a first alternating output voltage at the first output terminal, and a second alternating output voltage at the second output terminal. The DC-to-DC converter is configured receive a DC input voltage from the DC power source, and to step down the DC input voltage at the third output.

Abstract: A photovoltaic panel with multiple photovoltaic sub-strings including serially-connected photovoltaic cells and having direct current (DC) outputs adapted for interconnection in parallel into a parallel-connected DC power source. A direct current (DC) power converter including input terminals and output terminals is adapted for coupling to the parallel-connected DC power source and for converting an input power received at the input terminals to an output power at the output terminals. The direct current (DC) power converter optionally has a control loop configured to set the input power received at the input terminals according to a previously determined criterion. The control loop may be adapted to receive a feedback signal from the input terminals for maximizing the input power. A bypass diode is typically connected in shunt across the input terminals of the converter. The bypass diode functions by passing current during a failure of any of the sub-strings and/or a partial shading of the sub-strings.

Abstract: A method for arc detection in a system including a photovoltaic panel and a load connectible to the photovoltaic panel with a DC power line. The method measures power delivered to the load thereby producing a first measurement result of the power delivered to the load. Power produced by the photovoltaic panel is also measured, thereby producing a second measurement result of power produced by the photovoltaic panel. The first measurement result is compared with the second measurement result thereby producing a differential power measurement result. Upon the differential power measurement result being more than a threshold value, an alarm condition may also be set. The second measurement result may be modulated and transmitted over the DC power line.

Abstract: An apparatus for a power system. The apparatus includes multiple electrical power sources and an enclosure operatively connected to the power sources at multiple input terminals. Multiple loads operatively connect to the enclosure at multiple output terminals by multiple cables. The enclosure includes the input terminals and the output terminals and a controller unit. Multiple selection units operatively connect to the controller unit, multiple power converters are connected to multiple connection paths. The selection units connect to at least one of multiple switches connected in the connection paths. Multiple sensor units are operatively attached to the controller unit which is configured to sense multiple parameters in the connection paths. Responsive to the parameters sensed by the sensor units, the selection units select the connection paths between the electrical power sources and the loads.

Abstract: A multi-level inverter having one or more banks, each bank containing a plurality of low voltage MOSFET transistors. A processor configured to switch the plurality of low voltage MOSFET transistors in each bank to switch at multiple times during each cycle.

Abstract: Various implementations described herein are directed to systems, apparatuses and methods for managing one or more loads connected to one or more power sources using one or more smart outlets. Apparatuses described herein may include smart outlets configured to communicate with one or more controllers and responsively connect and disconnect electrical loads connected thereto. Methods described herein may include signaling and/or controlling one or more loads from a group of loads to connect to or disconnect from one or more power sources.