[RE-wrenches] TL Inverters & Rapid Shutdown

Dave Click daveclick at fsec.ucf.edu
Thu Oct 9 12:29:40 PDT 2014


There is some pressure on NM specifically to postpone adoption of 690.12 
until more products are available, so that may help you out. To my 
knowledge, micro-inverters don't need to comply with 705.12(D)(6) since 
there are no suitable products available [90.4]. Equipment does need to 
be listed, and it does need to provide rapid shutdown functionality, but 
it does not need to be "listed for rapid shutdown" to be code-compliant 
since that isn't a thing.

String inverters generally speaking would have to have some method of 
"control" within 10' of a rooftop array, like contactor combiners. I'm 
interested in seeing what SMA's solution is, since contactor combiners 
(as discussed earlier in this thread) aren't well suited for these 
multi-MPPT inverters. I guess you can always add a second contactor but 
I don't know what listed equipment is available right now (so... 90.4?).

DKC

On 2014/10/9 12:41, Randy wrote:
>
> Hi Wrenches,
>
> We are being forced to adopt 690.12 Rapid Shutdown requirement based 
> on several explanations given to our industry:
>
> 1.otherwise we would be ignoring the life safety and put our fire 
> fighters lives in peril
>
> 2.This product can be constructed from readily available, 
> over-the-counter code compliant components.  This (is) to be the 
> intent of CMP4when compiling the NFPA70.
>
> We do not want to act like an industry that appears to be fighting 
> against safety. And we know there are a few products that are code 
> compliant, micro-inverters (don’t comply with 705.12 (D) (6) because 
> there are no products), Solaredge, and Tigo (is it approved?) yet this 
> is not how we choose products.
>
> And the SMA SPS inverter is not going to work in a 690.12 environment 
> without complications as far as I can see.
>
> Appreciate comments that might support the right decision.
>
> Thanks,
>
> Randy
>
> Randy Sadewic
>
> Cell: 505 570-0137
>
> Randy at PositiveEnergySolar.com <mailto:Randy at PositiveEnergySolar.com>
>
> http://positiveenergysolar.com/admin/content/uploads/PES-logo-3.jpg
>
> *From:*RE-wrenches [mailto:re-wrenches-bounces at lists.re-wrenches.org] 
> *On Behalf Of *Steve Jefferson
> *Sent:* Tuesday, October 07, 2014 8:33 AM
> *To:* RE-wrenches
> *Subject:* Re: [RE-wrenches] TL Inverters
>
> The first gen of TL’s did have a somewhat tight window for the DC window.
>
> However, the new SBxxxxTL-US-22 (3kW – 7700kW, with secure power 
> supply) Start Voltage is 125, MPPT is 175-480 (max of 600Vdc)
>
> Also, for larger needs, the STP (12kW – 24kW)  start voltage is 150, 
> MPPT is 300-800V (max of 1000Vdc).
>
> SMA America, LLC
>
> Steve Jefferson
>
> Service Line Supervisor
>
> 3925 Atherton Ave
>
> Rocklin, CA 95765 - 3714
>
> U.S.A.
>
> Tel:  +1 916 625 3185 (direct)
>
> Fax: +1 916 625 0871
>
> Mobile: +1 916 622 4253
>
> Email: Steve.jefferson at SMA-America.com 
> <mailto:Steve.jefferson at SMA-America.com>
>
> www.SMA-America.com <http://www.sma-america.com/>
>
> cid:image001.png at 01CF1CFA.FE18BEB0 
> <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yQWzPuyqhzo&feature=youtu.be>
>
> This email and any attachments thereto may contain SMA America, LLC 
> confidential, privileged and private material for the sole use of the 
> intended recipient. Any review, copying, or distribution of this email 
> (or any attachments thereto) by others is strictly prohibited. If you 
> are not the intended recipient, please contact the sender immediately 
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>
> *From:* RE-wrenches [mailto:re-wrenches-bounces at lists.re-wrenches.org] 
> *On Behalf Of *Mark Byington
> *Sent:* Tuesday, October 07, 2014 6:59 AM
> *To:* RE-wrenches at lists.re-wrenches.org 
> <mailto:RE-wrenches at lists.re-wrenches.org>
> *Subject:* Re: [RE-wrenches] TL Inverters
>
> Just a word of caution to those not having experience with SMA TL 
> inverters - the larger units (7-11 kW) have an extremely narrow input 
> DC voltage window.  Depending on your module voltage and string 
> design, all you need is a module or two to be shaded to fall out of 
> the MPPT input voltage range.  The smaller units (3-5 kW) with the 
> Secure Power Supply don't have this problem.  We no longer use these 
> larger SMA TL inverters unless we can do maximum string length (e.g. 
> strings of 8 for SunPower 96-cell) and there is zero shade at the site.
>
> I believe SMA is in the process of adding larger units to the line 
> that has the Secure Power Supply.  They added the 6 kW unit earlier 
> this year, and just announced the 7 kW unit with Secure Power Supply.
>
> Mark Byington
>
> Cobalt Power Systems, Inc.
>
>
>
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