[RE-wrenches] SMA Arc-Fault

Sun Nov 13 17:36:32 PST 2016

Howie,
Yes, we have actually already replaced both inverters on site and the
issues are still happening. At this point I doubt that we could have
gotten 4 units with faulty arc fault sensors...

Drake,
I am beginning to think that it may be some noise from the utility.
Would you know of a way to test for this? eGague unit maybe?

Cheers,
Dave

*--*

*Dave Tedeyan*
*Project Engineer*

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

On Fri, Nov 11, 2016 at 10:15 AM, Drake <
drake.chamberlin at redwoodalliance.org> wrote:

> 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
>
> On Thu, Nov 10, 2016 at 9:51 PM, Jerry Shafer <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 <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
>
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