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

[Nick Nicholas]

Hi Jay:
    One thing funny about the system was that we could not get the AFCI
tester to work with the 8500 watt Kohler generator running.  However, only
one leg of the generator is available at that breaker panel (8500 watts / 2
legs / 120 VAC = 35.5 A AC.)  Still not enough, however, to trip the AFCI
tester, apparently.


            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: "Jay Peltz, Peltz Power" <jay at asis.com>
To: <RE-wrenches at topica.com>
Sent: Tuesday, March 16, 2004 6:16 PM
Subject: Re: Arc Fault Circuit Breakers on SW iinverters [RE-wrenches]


> Hi Doug,
>
>
> That may be and I've seen systems outthere with no breakers at all ( as
the
> old TRace will shut off before the breaker will do anything)
>
> However most people have a device that will trip the breakers, and thats a
> genny.  So even if the inverter will not ( and many of the new inverters
> will trip breakers) the genny will.
>
> jay
>
> Peltz Power
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "Doug Pratt" <dmpratt at sbcglobal.net>
> To: <RE-wrenches at topica.com>
> Sent: Tuesday, March 16, 2004 5:48 PM
> Subject: RE: Arc Fault Circuit Breakers on SW iinverters [RE-wrenches]
>
>
> > Hi Nick,
> >   I went through this with a Sonoma Co. inspector a couple months ago.
> > Many of our residential inverters can't deliver the amperage that the
> > testing device requires. I emailed the inspector and attached the spec
> > sheet for DR inverters, as that's what the homeowner had. Once the
> > inspector looked at the specs for the tester (I think it required
> > something like a 70A surge), and looked at the specs for the inverter,
> > he immediately sent a very nice, "...oops! We sure missed that one! No
> > problem..." letter and passed the residence with his boss's blessing
> > thrown in.
> >
> > Doug Pratt
> > Real Goods Technical Editor
> >
> > PS: email me at work doug at realgoods.com, and I can probably dig up all
> > the particulars for you.
> >
> >
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: Nick Nicholas [mailto:APS at SBCGLOBAL.NET]
> > Sent: Tuesday, March 16, 2004 12:43 PM
> > To: RE-wrenches at topica.com
> > Subject: Re: Arc Fault Circuit Breakers on SW iinverters [RE-wrenches]
> >
> > 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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> >
>
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