Photovoltaic system with improved DC connections and method of making same
View Patent ↗A micro-inverter assembly includes a housing having an opening formed in a bottom surface thereof, and a direct current (DC)-to-alternating current (AC) micro-inverter disposed within the housing at a position adjacent to the opening. The micro-inverter assembly further includes a micro-inverter DC connector electrically coupled to the DC-to-AC micro-inverter and positioned within the opening of the housing, the micro-inverter DC connector having a plurality of exposed electrical contacts.
1. A photovoltaic (PV) module assembly comprising:
a PV panel;
a panel direct current (DC) connector coupled to an inactive side of the PV panel; and
a micro-inverter assembly comprising:
a housing;
a DC-to-alternating current (AC) micro-inverter disposed within the housing adjacent a recess formed in the housing; and
a micro-inverter DC connector comprising a plurality of exposed electrical contacts positioned within the housing and coupled to the micro-inverter; and
wherein the panel DC connector and the micro-inverter DC connector comprise mating connectors disposed within the recess formed in the housing.
2. The assembly of claim 1 further comprising a plurality of blocking diodes coupled between a plurality of spring contacts of the micro-inverter DC connector.
3. The assembly of claim 1 wherein panel DC connector comprises:
a plurality of leads formed on an internal surface of the panel DC connector; and
a plurality of blocking diodes coupled between the plurality of leads.
4. The assembly of claim 3 wherein the micro-inverter DC connector comprises a plurality of spring contacts positioned to engage the plurality of leads of the panel DC connector.
5. The assembly of claim 1 wherein the panel DC connector is coupled to the inactive side of the PV panel with an adhesive.
6. The assembly of claim 1 wherein the micro-inverter DC connector comprises a first plug-and-play connector having one of female connections and male connectors and the panel DC connector comprises a second plug-and-play connector having the other of male connections and female connections.
7. The assembly of claim 1 further comprising a plurality of fasteners coupling a frame of the PV panel to the housing of the micro-inverter; and
wherein a portion of the housing of the micro-inverter is positioned beneath a lip formed in the frame of the PV panel.
8. The assembly of claim 7 wherein the plurality of fasteners electrically grounds the frame of the PV panel and the housing of the micro-inverter.
9. The assembly of claim 1 further comprising a gasket positioned between the micro-inverter DC connector and the panel DC connector to form a watertight connection therebetween.