Arc Fault Circuit Breakers on SW iinverters [RE-wrenches]

[Nick Nicholas]

Hello wrenches:
    We (APS) have powered off grid home which we have provided electrical
contracting services for the residential wiring and solar / equipment
wiring.  As you may know, Arc Fault Breakers are required for bedroom
receptacle circuits.  The AFCI Breakers can be tested with a device which
causes an arc, and makes the breaker to trip.
    The problem that we are having  is that the AFCI tester will not cause
the breaker to trip in time.   The SW-5548 inverter is feeding a T-240,
therefore we only have 25 Amps available at 240 VAC at the residence.  This
may not be enough current available.  The county inspectors have resisted
giving the home a final electrical inspection.
    Has anyone else seen anything like this?

            Nick Nicholas
            Chief of Engineering
            Alternative Power Systems, Inc.
            135 Colfax Ave. Grass Valley CA 959545
            530-274-0588 530-274-0589 530-913-5605
            aps at sbcglobal.net alternativepowersystems.com



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Alternative Power Systems
www.alternativepowersystems.com
aps at sbcglobal.net
135 Colfax Ave.
Grass Valley, CA 95945
(530) 274-0588 phone
(530) 274-0589 fax
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Jeffery Wolfe, Global Resource Options"
<jeff at globalresourceoptions.com>
To: <RE-wrenches at topica.com>
Sent: Tuesday, March 16, 2004 7:43 AM
Subject: RE_Wrenches - FW: power panels [RE-wrenches]


> Robin Gudgel of Outback requested that I post the following to the list,
> as it pertains to the pre-built power panel issues.
>
> Jeff
>
>
>
>
>
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
> --------
> From: Robin Gudgel [mailto:maryrobin at msn.com]
> Sent: Monday, March 15, 2004 11:39 AM
> To: info at GlobalResourceOptions.com
> Subject: power panels
>
>
> Jeff,
> I am not allowed to post on the wrenches and Christopher is on the road
> so I thought you might be able to post this for me.
>
> When we designed the DC250 years ago, we didn't for see all the
> implications of the system design. The C-40 didn't even exist yet. We
> put the C-40 breaker on the battery side of the battery breaker for the
> reasons listed. Jay is correct that there should be a battery breaker
> and a PV breaker for the charge controller. We just didn't think it
> through very well back then. The listing that comes with the power panel
> is a UL508A listing. That means they can do what ever they want! They
> are certifying that it all meets code. Nobody has ever actually
> inspected or listed the power panel as an assembly at the factory (or
> ever will). You have to rely on the company applying the UL508A label to
> have done their homework? Perhaps you should check with who insures that
> the pre-wired assemblies coming from "factories" are actually code
> compliant. You may be surprised.
> Another thing we have learned over the years is that you never use
> separate AC bypass breakers for stacked inverters. This can lead to
> overloading the neutral conductor on some homes. This can be dangerous.
> Robin Gudgel
>
> - - - -
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>
> Moderator: michael.welch at homepower.com
>


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