You may have heard that Shoals™ Big Lead Assembly, or BLA® for short, can drastically cut down on the time required for utility-scale solar installation, as compared to a traditional combiner-based solution. But don’t just take our word for it. Take a look at this side by side comparison video.
We put BLA to the test in our solar demonstration yard outside our main plant in Portland, TN. On the left side of the screen is the BLA-based installation. On the right side of the screen is a traditional combiner-based installation. Each side had a two-man crew laying out the cables necessary to wire up the associated strings for the tracker-based array.
The BLA side was completed in 53 minutes, while the combiner side took over two hours to complete the job! Faster installation saves real money, and enables EPC contractors to take on additional jobs.
In addition to saving installation time, Shoals’ BLA makes these solar installations safer, because the connections are made in the factory using highly-calibrated equipment, away from the dirt and grime of the solar field, so the connections are much less likely to arc out after a few years. This also makes the system more reliable as it is less prone to failure. And because the installation can be accomplished by general laborers rather than licensed electricians, that is another significant source of cost savings.
We’d love to share more insights with you about how BLA can make your solar installation faster, safer, more reliable, and more cost-effective. You can reach us via the comment box below or contact your Shoals representative.
