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

Jay Peltz, Peltz Power jay at asis.com
Wed Mar 17 07:05:36 PST 2004


I do stand corrected,

jay
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Nick Nicholas" <APS at SBCGLOBAL.NET>
To: <RE-wrenches at topica.com>
Sent: Tuesday, March 16, 2004 8:28 PM
Subject: Re: Arc Fault Circuit Breakers on SW iinverters [RE-wrenches]


> 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
>
>
>
> Add this card to your address book
>
> 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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