Pika Energy’s PV Link optimizer now meets UL 1741

Pika Energy’s simplified approach to optimized solar with faster installation times and reduced costs has received ETL Listing to the UL-1741 Standard. The PV Link optimizer (model S2501) allows solar installers to build substrings of two to nine modules connected to each PV Link device, speeding up installations and reducing hardware procurement and maintenance costs. PV Link is shipping now to customers in North America as a component of the Pika Energy Island, a single-inverter system for simplified solar-plus-storage.

Earlier in the week, Pika Energy announced the UL-listing of its Pika Islanding Inverter (model X7601). The PV Link optimizers connect to the Pika Islanding Inverter to form the battery-ready Energy Island system, which combines solar generation and smart batteries on a common DC bus.

“PV Link provides a substantial advantage for installers of residential and commercial solar PV,” said Ben Polito, Pika Energy’s CEO. “Rather than connecting power electronics on every individual module, each PV Link does the work of as many as nine module-level power electronics. The flexibility of the device lets array designers isolate shaded areas or multi-aspect rooflines, maintaining optimal performance while minimizing installation and hardware costs.”

PV Link is compliant with NEC article 690.12 (“Rapid Shutdown”) and works with virtually any solar PV module. Each PV Link device provides 2500W of rated power using maximum power point tracking. The device is housed in a rugged, heatsinked aluminum enclosure and uses standard MC PV leads. PV Link uses ceramic capacitors to ensure its long operational life, backed by a 25-year limited warranty.

Pika Energy’s products are deployed in both residential and commercial PV markets.

— Solar Builder magazine

[source: http://solarbuildermag.com/news/pika-energys-pv-link-optimizer-now-meets-ul-1741/]