[RE-wrenches] SMA Arc-Fault

Drake drake.chamberlin at redwoodalliance.org
Fri Nov 11 07:15:11 PST 2016


Electrical noise coming in from the utility side 
can also cause an arc fault code.

At 07:32 AM 11/11/2016, you wrote:
>This array is a ground mount, so not on a roof, and no radio towers nearby.
>
>As for grounding, The array and the shed with 
>the interconnection point are in the same area.
>There are a couple ground rods there, which 
>everything on the AC side is connected to,Â
>including a #6 wire from each inverter. there is 
>just a #10 ground coming from the array to the inverters.Â
>The house is a couple hundred feet away and has 
>its own grounding electrode system.
>
>Jerry,
>The inverters are new (replaced 2 months ago), 
>but it is a good idea to check firmware.
>As for AC loads, nothing stands out as the types 
>of things you mentioned, although there
>may be a well pump. They also do have a large 
>water storage tank for heating, but they
>say that they have not needed to use it yet this 
>year. Then there is also the generator...
>
>Thanks for your recommendations.
>-Dave
>
>
>
>--
>
>Dave Tedeyan
>Project Engineer
>
>Taitem Engineering, PC
>109Â S. Albany Street, Ithaca, NY 14850
>Voice:Â (607) 277-1118 x121
><http://www.taitem.com/>www.taitem.com
>
>On Thu, Nov 10, 2016 at 9:51 PM, Jerry Shafer 
><<mailto:jerrysgarage01 at gmail.com>jerrysgarage01 at gmail.com> wrote:
>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 
><<mailto:dtedeyan at taitem.com>dtedeyan at taitem.com> wrote:
>Hi All,Â
>
>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?Â
>Has anyone run into a situation like this or something similar?
>
>Thanks for your help,
>Dave
>
>--
>
>Dave Tedeyan
>Project Engineer
>
>Taitem Engineering, PC
>109Â S. Albany Street, Ithaca, NY 14850
>Voice:Â (607) 277-1118 x121
><http://www.taitem.com/>www.taitem.com
>
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