[RE-wrenches] Rapid shutdown questions

[boB at midnitesolar.com]

 >>>3) What about portable generators, and folks back feeding the grid 
or house with little to no protection at all.

Luckily, if the house is still connected to the grid when they try this, 
the little generator will not be able to
power the neighborhood.  Maybe not even the pole pig transformer's 
magnetizing inductance current in
some cases ?   It would more than likely trip the generator breaker or 
slow down its engine or just
stop the generator completely or toast it.

boB



On 8/28/2014 2:28 PM, Ray Walters wrote:
> So this would make sense that this Rapid Shut down provision would 
> cover all generator backup systems too, not just solar.
> Considering auto start backup generators have been around for many 
> decades, I have a few questions:
> 1) Does NEC 2014 require Rapid shutdown for all generator systems, or 
> is solar once again being singled out for additional requirements not 
> applied to everyone else?
> 2) What is the history of fire fighting and backup generators?  It 
> seems that there would be much more long term experience, than a hand 
> full of incidents in the solar industry.
> 3) What about portable generators, and folks back feeding the grid or 
> house with little to no protection at all.  Are there safety 
> precautions that fire fighters take to make sure a neighbor isn't 
> powering up lines down the street?  I've seen too many male to male 
> extension cords, so I know this is real issue, that can't be prevented 
> by the NEC code alone.  Basically any idiot can go to Home depot and 
> create a very dangerous situation quickly.
>
> R.Ray Walters
> CTO, Solarray, Inc
> Nabcep Certified PV Installer,
> Licensed Master Electrician
> Solar Design Engineer
> 303 505-8760
>
> On 8/28/2014 1:16 PM, boB at midnitesolar.com wrote:
>>
>>  It would also make sense to shut off an auto start generator with 
>> the Rapid Shutdown button. Some generators are designed to start up 
>> upon loss of grid. Once the first responders have the meter pulled, 
>> that could start up a generator and cause risk of shock.
>> Robin Gudgels
>>
>>
>