Photo voltaic system question

[hardworkingstiff]

You all can have a good laugh over the Boston accent.

Nothing to laugh at. Good annunciation, spoke clearly, smooth voice. I think you could have a shot as an announcer.

 

[Pierre C Belarge]

In response to Rockland County and Westchester County.

NYS is referencing the 2002 NEC for photovoltaic installations as per the NYS Residential Building Code - Chapters 33 -42. The 2002 requires a disconnect outside of the building before entering with the array conductors. (the metal raceway installed within the building without the need for a disconnect was introduced in the 2005 NEC 690.14(C)(1) - 690.31(E))


Most PV installers today are installing to the 2008 NEC, as the manufacturers are producing products to the current codes and Standards.

I would check with the local inspector with regards to the disconnecting means location.

 

[newenergy]

Hey newenergy, that's true unless you have mutiple inverters with only 2 strings on each inverter, right?
(The multiple DC strings are isolated from each other through the inverters)

When you say "fused", are you saying the DC circuit breakers in a combiner box are not acceptable? or do you mean they just need overcurrent protection (either fuses or breakers)?

Yeah, that's all correct. Overcurrent for more than two strings which are combined is to prevent the possibility of a failure in one string and having the other two send too much current backwards through the failed string.

 

[tom baker]

No, the NEC does not require any disconnecting means be located at the array as long as your running metal raceway inside.

And ask as many questions as you want, that is what the forum is here for. :smile:

The NEC may not, but the POCO may have rules on PV systems, if they are grid tied.

 

[iwire]

The NEC may not, but the POCO may have rules on PV systems, if they are grid tied.

They do, but of the number of different power company rules I have looked at they are not concerned with the DC disconnecting means.

They want a visible break AC disconnect located outside near the service point.

 

[newenergy]

They do, but of the number of different power company rules I have looked at they are not concerned with the DC disconnecting means.

They want a visible break AC disconnect located outside near the service point.

Same here. POCO wants an AC disconnect. If anyone wants a special DC disconnect it's the city/FD.

What are you doing with my solar modules in Massachusetts? We need them here in California where there is actually sunshine.

 

[iwire]

We need them here in California where there is actually sunshine.

Funny but also very true.

 

[Pierre C Belarge]

We need some solar heat here. Except for a few days, this has been a cold and rainy spring.

 

[davedottcom]

26 KW pic

26 KW pic

Hey guys... I'm just practicing posting pics! I finally got a photobucket account.

This is a 26 KW PV system I did in Jacksonville, FL.

Cool video Bob!

 

[newenergy]

Dave - very nice.

What tilt-up equipment did you use? Unirac? I haven't seen it with that diagonal brace on the long leg.

 

[davedottcom]

Newenergy,

Thanks, but I did not do the actual module installation so I'm not sure what they used. I could probably find out for you though. I was hired as the Electrician so I only got to install the boring stuff like this:

 

[LarryFine]

Is that a standard 3ph panel? What does the orange conductor carry?

 

[davedottcom]

Is that a standard 3ph panel? What does the orange conductor carry?

There's a story there!

Originally the orange was going to be a 208 Volt High-Leg...the Solar Company that hired me bought all of the modules & inverters long before I got there...turns out the inverters weren't compatible with the 208 high leg...
I was glad I never fired up the inverters, I would have fried 3 of them!:roll:
I contacted the inverter manufacturer to confirm they were compatible and instead they confirmed they were Not compatible! They opted to have JEA change all 3 transformers.
Personally, I think the inverter dealer should have made an effort to make sure their customers were buying the proper equipment for their service. Inverters aint cheap & neither are transformers!

I ended up taking the orange tape off the B phase, although per NEC I didn't have to!:wink:

 

[LarryFine]

Oh, so it's an AC panel. I thought it was a DC combining panel.

 

[newenergy]

Dave - no worries. The inverters look great and aren't boring at all imho. My dealer would never have caught that problem. I probably wouldn't have either, but now I will if it ever comes up. Thanks.

 

[davedottcom]

The inverter "measures" voltage from Each phase to neutral, not phase to phase.

Again, I think this manual should have a clear BOLD Warning...this wording is pretty confusiing. At first when you read it, it sounds like it's fine, but then it mentions 120/240 & 208 3-phase.
No mention of how it is not compatible with 3-phase Delta.

Anyway, I caught it in time.

Didn't mean to hi-jack this thread