Grid-Tied Solar Inverter operates in harsh environments.

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Eaton's New Solar Inverter Reliably Converts Sunlight into Clean Energy; Introduced at Solar Power International 2010

PITTSBURGH ... Diversified industrial manufacturer Eaton Corporation today introduced the S-Max(TM) Series grid-tied solar inverter at Solar Power International 2010. Designed to maximize customers' energy harvest, operate reliably in harsh environments and adhere to high safety standards, it converts sunlight into clean alternating current (AC). The S-Max Series is Underwriters Laboratories (UL) 1741 listed for 600 volt direct current (DC) and three-phase utility interactive operation. The S-Max Series grid-tied solar inverter will be on display, along with a spectrum of solar solutions tailored to the needs of residential, commercial, institutional and utility sites, at Solar Power International 2010 at the Los Angeles Convention Center in Los Angeles, Calif. These solutions will be featured from October 12 to 14 at Booth #1412. "Part of Eaton's broad offering of balance of system solutions, the Eaton S-Max Series grid-tied solar inverters are engineered to operate consistently and reliably," said David Devir, product manager, Eaton. "Backed by a century of performance and experience with electrical power systems, every critical component inside the S-Max inverter is designed to be reliable, based on the known lifecycles of high-volume industrial and electrical control equipment." The S-Max Series grid-tied solar inverter is based on Eaton's PowerChain® Management solutions, which incorporate Eaton's programmable logic controllers (PLCs), advanced variable frequency drives and protective relays. At the heart of the S-Max 250 kilowatt (kW) grid-tied solar inverter is the Eaton active front end (AFE) technology, which reliably operates in harsh environments with 24/7 operation cycles over decades. Emphasizing maximum energy harvest, Eaton S-Max Series has a 96.5 percent efficiency rating from the California Energy Commission and a greater than 99% accurate Maximum Power Point Tracker (MPPT) efficiency. S-Max maximizes early morning and late evening kW hours. It also minimizes offline events through the use of utility grade electric relays, which provide superior fault tolerance. Eaton's solar inverter is engineered for fast, simple installation and reliable operation. Eaton PVgardTM health monitor captures more than 60 photovoltaic (PV) system parameters each day, providing predictive-based maintenance. Delta or Wye transformer interconnection is field selectable, and mounting flanges remove pre-drilling requirements and provide zero interference for hammer drill usage. To promote safe operation, Eaton engineered the S-Max Series to reduce physical contact with equipment through embedded intelligence, which automates commissioning, operation and shutdown. The S-Max Series incorporates National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA) based visible blade disconnects for AC and DC circuits, to enable reliable PV system interconnection. Eaton provides national support and service infrastructure for improved maintenance and uptime. Additionally, extended warranties and service contracts are available for long-term maintenance requirements. For more information, visit www.eaton.com/solar. Eaton's electrical business is a global leader in power distribution, power quality, control and industrial automation products and services. Eaton's global electrical product lines, including Cutler-Hammer®, Moeller®, Powerware®, Holec®, MEM®, Santak®, and MGE Office Protection Systems(TM), provide customer-driven PowerChain Management® solutions to serve the power system needs of the data center, industrial, institutional, government, utility, commercial, residential and OEM markets worldwide. Eaton Corporation is a diversified power management company with 2009 sales of $11.9 billion. Eaton is a global technology leader in electrical components and systems for power quality, distribution and control; hydraulics components, systems and services for industrial and mobile equipment; aerospace fuel, hydraulics and pneumatic systems for commercial and military use; and truck and automotive drivetrain and powertrain systems for performance, fuel economy and safety. Eaton has approximately 70,000 employees and sells products to customers in more than 150 countries. For more information, visit www.eaton.com.