[RE-wrenches] AFCI trip on metal roof

[Gary Bassett]

We’ve seen random AFCI trips with SB-TL-22 inverters. After going through the last system checking all connections including the possibility of a loose MC4 connection the fault was still present. SMA then told us they had a new firmware release, when it was installed the problem went away.

Gary

[cid:55B44DB1-8648-4A44-97C2-50FBD3E2B4BD]

Gary Bassett
Engineering Manager
Hudson Solar
13 Hook Road
Rhinebeck, NY
T: (866) 452-7652 x113
NABCEP Certified PV Installation Professional
HudsonSolar.com

From: RE-wrenches [mailto:re-wrenches-bounces at lists.re-wrenches.org] On Behalf Of Dave Tedeyan
Sent: Thursday, March 24, 2016 8:38 AM
To: RE-wrenches
Subject: Re: [RE-wrenches] AFCI trip on metal roof

Recently we have had the AFCI trip in a couple SB-TL-22 inverters. Restarted the inverter, the fault was not still present. It has not tripped in the month since at either site. Maybe an issue with the inverter? Only time will tell.

Cheers,
Dave


--

Dave Tedeyan
Project Engineer

Taitem Engineering, PC
109 S. Albany Street, Ithaca, NY 14850
Voice: (607) 277-1118 x121
www.taitem.com<http://www.taitem.com/>

On Wed, Mar 23, 2016 at 6:24 PM, AE Solar <autonomousenergies at gmail.com<mailto:autonomousenergies at gmail.com>> wrote:
We had that issue once. It was after a night of heavy rainfall and the error only read for the first few early hours of the day. SMA told us it was a poor connection in an MC4 connector that most likely got some dampness in it...

Adam Katzman
Autonomous Energies
PO Box 1245
Kingston, NY 12402
www.autonomousenergies.com<http://www.autonomousenergies.com>
(518) 567-1468<tel:%28518%29%20567-1468>

On Wed, Mar 23, 2016 at 5:16 PM, August Goers <august at luminalt.com<mailto:august at luminalt.com>> wrote:
Hi Drake,

What model SMA inverter(s) and modules do you have? We had one case where a MC4 connector under the array was not making good contact. It was not seated properly when the installer made up the connector and the arc fault sensor in the inverter did its job. We had another site where some electrical noise on the AC side, presumably a sump pump, caused the issue and we could not solve it so had to switch to another inverter manufacturer. There were other cases where the impedance or other electrical characteristics of the solar modules where the likely culprit.

Is your roof and array totally equipment grounded?

Best,

August

From: RE-wrenches [mailto:re-wrenches-bounces at lists.re-wrenches.org<mailto:re-wrenches-bounces at lists.re-wrenches.org>] On Behalf Of Drake
Sent: Wednesday, March 23, 2016 2:08 PM
To: RE-wrenches at lists.re-wrenches.org<mailto:RE-wrenches at lists.re-wrenches.org>
Subject: [RE-wrenches] AFCI trip on metal roof

Hello Wrenches,

We have a project with an array on a large metal roof. The AFCI has been tripping. Investigating the system, there is no evidence of any arcing: the wiring and connections are all very tight.

SMA tech support says it is likely that the nuisance tripping comes from electrical noise getting picked up by the large metal roof.

What has been your overall experience with nuisance tripping of arc fault protection? What were the suspected causes? What was the solution?

Thanks,

Drake

Drake Chamberlin
Athens Electric LLC
OH License 44810
CO License 3773
NABCEP Certified Solar PV
740-448-7328<tel:740-448-7328>
http://athens-electric.com/
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