[RE-wrenches] SMA Arc-Fault

[Jerry Shafer]

Dave.
We have many TL-22 in the field and they will detect faults even when they
are normal contactor faults, have you made sure the SW is the latest, last
I checked it is 2.65.3R and it may have a patch in there, you can turn off
the feature for testing only and see if you melt something down but if you
do please be on site as a arc may happen. Do you have a well, AC system
with contacts, welders, compressors, anything that has a dry contacts that
brakes under load, this is another place I would look. Every time we have
had a code out it was real weather from something normal or a wire issue.
Not to brag but we have hundreds in the field from the 3's to the 24's and
as much as I dread getting a call with this issue I can usually find the
problem and it can be either AC or DC.
Jerry

On Thu, Nov 10, 2016 at 8:14 AM, Dave Tedeyan <dtedeyan at taitem.com> wrote:

> Hi All,
>
> Maybe someone will have some ideas for why a couple inverters keep arc
> faulting:
>
> -There are two SB7000TL-22 inverters, Sunpower branded.
> -3 Strings of 7 SPR-327's to each inverter. Kept separate until the
> inverter.
> -Ground mount about 50' from the shed where the inverters are located
> (indoors)
> -Simple grid connected system, no batteries.
> -There is a whole house generator co-located in the shed.
> -We interconnect by using piercing taps on the line side of the generator
> transfer switch
> -There has been only one power outage there since the system was installed
> in April, but the generator fires up weekly.
>
> -The arc faults have been happening on both inverters. Sometimes only one
> at a time, sometimes both will go within a day of each other.
> -The events have been approximately one a month, but sometimes more,
> sometimes less.
>
> -We have already checked every single connection in the system twice, by
> two different people.
> -We have replaced the underground wires (and they looked just fine)
> -We have replaced all home runs.
> -We have replaced both inverters.
> -Arc faults are still happening.
> -Arc faults are not always on the same day/time of the week.
>
> I am wondering if this can be caused by the generator?
> Has anyone run into a situation like this or something similar?
>
> Thanks for your help,
> Dave
>
> *--*
>
>
> *Dave Tedeyan*
> *Project Engineer*
>
> *Taitem Engineering, PC*
> 109 S. Albany Street, Ithaca, NY 14850
> Voice: (607) 277-1118 x121
> www.taitem.com
>
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