[RE-wrenches] Finding ground faults

[boB at midnitesolar.com]

On 5/23/2012 4:44 PM, Darryl Thayer wrote:
> I sure do not like the way the X brand installed their charge 
> controller, Also the code says that all strings must open if one 
> string is faulted.  your breaker does this up to 4 strings.
> DT
>


I think that this is the pertinent part of the code regarding this...

In part...

31.1 Inverters or charge controllers with direct photovoltaic inputs 
from a grounded photovoltaic array or

arrays shall be provided with a ground-fault detector/interrupter 
(GFDI). The GFDI shall be capable of

detecting a ground fault, providing an indication of the fault, 
interrupting the flow of fault current, and either

isolating the faulted array section or disabling the inverter to cease 
the export of power.



This may very well change in the 2014 NEC from what I understand.

boB



> *From:* Steve Higgins <shiggins at outbackpower.com>
> *To:* RE-wrenches <re-wrenches at lists.re-wrenches.org>
> *Sent:* Wednesday, May 23, 2012 2:18 PM
> *Subject:* Re: [RE-wrenches] Finding ground faults
>
> From what I understand, future controllers from Outback Power will 
> incorporate the Ground Fault detection into the controller.
> Steve Higgins
> Sales Application Engineering Mgr
> Direct 360-618-4313
> Outback Power Technologies
> 5917 195th Street NE Arlington, Washington 98223
>
> *From:* re-wrenches-bounces at lists.re-wrenches.org 
> [mailto:re-wrenches-bounces at lists.re-wrenches.org] *On Behalf Of 
> *William Miller
> *Sent:* Wednesday, May 23, 2012 11:22 AM
> *To:* RE-wrenches
> *Subject:* Re: [RE-wrenches] Finding ground faults
>
> Steve:
>
> IMHO, a brilliant suggestion.
>
> William Miller
>
>
> At 11:19 AM 5/23/2012, you wrote:
>> Steve,
>>
>> It would be appropriate for the GFDI to have 80-amp rated contacts 
>> that do not have an over-current trip mechanism. IMHO, the fact that 
>> they can trip on over-current and unnecessarily interrupt the dc 
>> system bond is a serious design flaw.
>>
>> Kent Osterberg
>> Blue Mountain Solar, Inc.
>> www.bluemountainsolar.com  <http://www.bluemountainsolar.com>
>
> _______________________________________________
> List sponsored by Home Power magazine
>
> List Address: RE-wrenches at lists.re-wrenches.org 
> <mailto:RE-wrenches at lists.re-wrenches.org>
>
> Options & settings:
> http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org
>
> List-Archive: 
> http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org
>
> List rules & etiquette:
> www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm
>
> Check out participant bios:
> www.members.re-wrenches.org
>
>
>
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> List sponsored by Home Power magazine
>
> List Address: RE-wrenches at lists.re-wrenches.org
>
> Options&  settings:
> http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org
>
> List-Archive: http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org
>
> List rules&  etiquette:
> www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm
>
> Check out participant bios:
> www.members.re-wrenches.org
>

-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org/attachments/20120523/3e8fad5a/attachment-0003.html>