UL standard 1741 OR lockable visible disconnect [RE-wrenches]

[Richard Perez, Home Power magazine]

<x-flowed>Hello Bill and the RE Wrench List

How about it Wrenches, can we help Bill out?

Have any of you done a UTI system and had the IBEW and/or the utility 
waive the visible/lockable disconnect?

In my considered opinion, the "visible/lockable disconnect" is about 
as useful as tits on a boar. Any UTI inverter meeting current IEEE 
specs will be off line minutes to hours before anyone operates the 
visible/lockable disconnect. And it will stay off until the gird 
returns and is stable.

I don't anyone who has done a "legal" UTI system without the 
visible/lockable disconnect, but I think that the Wrenches may. I 
know of many guerrilla system who obviously operate with the 
visible/lockable disconnect. No problems so far.

Richard

At 08:44 -0400 04/13/2000, Bill Powell wrote:
>Richard:
>
>greetings from Vermont!
>
>We met at the Portland Solar meeting June 99. At that time Vermont had
>just put its net metering rules into place.
>
>We are now in the process of firming up the requirements (via a
>rulemaking procedure by the Vermont Public Service Board). There is a
>proposed provision now for this requirement to be waived by the
>particular utility, which is the route we are advocating.
>
>With several of the local R/E guys we @ Washington Electric Co-op (HP
>subscriber) have maintained, in a net metering installation with static
>generation source with inverters meeting the anti-islanding specs in UL
>1741, that there is no need for a visible lockable disconnect.
>
>Another of the parties involved are the IBEW locals who work for the
>Co-op and other distribution utilities in VT. There are some strong
>feelings there about their perceived need for visible/lockable
>disconnects.
>
>Do you have some references where for intertied generation the matter of
>visible/lockable disconnect has been an issue, or where the IBEW has
>worked with R/E installers to overcome utility resistance on this
>particular matter?
>
>Any other suggestions for how to allay union concerns for worker safety
>in this area?
>
>Bill Powell
>Director, Products and Services
>Washington Electric Co-op
>East Montpelier, VT
>802.223.5245

------------------------------------
Richard Perez
Home Power
PO Box 520, Ashland, OR 97520  USA
Tele: 530-475-3179
FAX: 530-475-0836
Subscriptions: 800-707-6585
mailto:richard.perez at homepower.com
Web: http://www.homepower.com
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