[RE-wrenches] AC & DC in Raceway

[Allan Sindelar]

On this one we can give John Wiles some credit. He was the only one years
ago to interpret that section (690.4) as preventing, say, running landscape
lighting in the same conduit as PV array wiring. He didn't make any
distinction between PV source and output circuits, or between DC and AC
current in the same conduit or raceway. But after getting his opinion I
stopped worrying about separating PV source circuits and it has never been
an AHJ issue here.

Allan Sindelar
Allan at positiveenergysolar.com
NABCEP Certified Photovoltaic Installer
EE98J Journeyman Electrician
Positive Energy, Inc.
3201 Calle Marie
Santa Fe, New Mexico 87507
505 424-1112
www.PositiveEnergySolar.com


-----Original Message-----
From: re-wrenches-bounces at lists.re-wrenches.org
[mailto:re-wrenches-bounces at lists.re-wrenches.org] On Behalf Of Louis
Woofenden
Sent: Thursday, September 24, 2009 6:02 PM
To: RE-wrenches
Subject: Re: [RE-wrenches] AC & DC in Raceway


Hi Darryl,

For what it's worth, the '08 Handbook explains regarding 690.4(B):

"For example, 690.4(B) does not permit the conductors supplying an 
exterior luminaire located in close proximity to a roof-mounted PV array 
to be installed in the same raceway or conductors of of PV sources 
circuits or PV output circuits.

Conductors directly related to a specific PV system, such as those is dc 
and ac output power circuits, may be contained in the same raceway as PV 
source and output conductors, providing that they meet the requeriments 
of 300.3(C)."

Also, definition of "Solar Photovoltaic System" is "The total components 
and subsystems that, in combination, convert convert solar energy into 
electric energy suitable for connection to a utilization load."

That being said, I can agree that can make sense to keep the AC and DC 
separate, as long as it can be done cleanly. We don't often mix here in 
Tucson, but haven't ever had issues with an AHJ if we have needed to.

Best,
Louis Woofenden

Net Zero Solar
Tucson, AZ

Darryl Thayer wrote:
> Sorry I differ with the comments, 690.4.B says'PV source and Output
circuits shall not be combined with circuits of other systems.'  The PV is
different from any AC system.  because they both feed the inverter it does
not matter, same as a separately derived system.
> Daryl
>
> --- On Thu, 9/24/09, Drake Chamberlin
<drake.chamberlin at redwoodalliance.org> wrote
>   
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