[RE-wrenches] DC & AC Disconnects near inverter

[Darryl Thayer]

690-13 PV equipment shall be capable of disconnect from all sources of power, therefore need AC and DC disconnect

690.14.c.5 Disconnects shall be grouped, In Minnesota most inspectors read this as within 6 feet of the inverter.  So if yo are next to the service panel you can use the breaker in the service panel to disconnect, if further than 6 feet you must provide a AC disconnect.  

--- On Thu, 2/25/10, dave at independentpowerllc.com <dave at independentpowerllc.com> wrote:

> From: dave at independentpowerllc.com <dave at independentpowerllc.com>
> Subject: Re: [RE-wrenches] DC & AC Disconnects near inverter
> To: re-wrenches at lists.re-wrenches.org
> Date: Thursday, February 25, 2010, 12:59 PM
> Wrenches,
> 
> My memory is telling me that grid connected inverters
> should have both the
> DC disconnect and AC disconnects close (within site). This
> may be from a
> "best practice" standpoint and not a code issue. The case
> in point now is
> an older Fronius IG (not IG plus). It has DC and AC
> breakers in the
> inverter but I don't believe that they meet the need for a
> maintenance
> disconnect for servicing, or removing, the inverter.
> 
> Article 690 Part III Disconnecting Means
> 690.14 Additional Provisions. (D)Utility-Interactive
> Inverters located in
> Not-Readily-Accessible Locations. 690.14(D)(1)&(2)
> States the
> disconnecting means should be located within site of the
> inverter.
> Does this just pertain to Not-Readily-Accessible invertes?
> 
> My question is. Is there any other code provision that
> mandates
> disconnects within sight of the inveter? I'm thinking back
> to an
> installation we did a few years ago, before SMA had the DC
> disconnect
> switch in the detachable enclosure for their Sunny Boys. I
> had a roof
> mounted PV array on the garage roof with a 600VDC
> disconnect in the garage
> and then another 40 feet of conduit (metal lined flex)
> traveling into the
> homes basement where the SB3800 inverter lived. I installed
> another 600VDC
> disconnect next to the inverter. Is this second DC
> disconnect mandated by
> code? Or is it just a good practice?
> 
> David Palumbo