[RE-wrenches] Off-Grid AFCI Update...

[Maxfield Solar]

Hello all,

I'm trying to find information on how to comply with AFCI with DC-coupled off-grid systems in 2023... Obviously, there are a couple of charge controllers that have AFCI built in such as the MidNite charge controllers and I know about Outback's unreliable AFCI in the FM100 ... but I'm trying to figure out if there is a way to do this now with other brands or retrofit systems...

There used to be a lot of equipment available that you could use... but Bentek discontinued their AFCI combiner box, Ouback's ICS is discontinued, Sensata's PVAF-T is discontinued, SolarBOS seems to have discontinued their AFCI combiner box... There's an interesting Sandia report where there were testing an AFCI combiner that MidNite made, but it doesn't seem to be available anywhere... The only non-integrated AFCI option I seem to have found that might not be discontinued is ZJ Beny brand... Their website seems okay... very Chinese... and I can't find it for sale anywhere except maybe Alibaba.

And now that Multi MPPT charge controllers are becoming more common (like Victron's 450V 200A charge controller with 4 MPPT inputs), it would be nice to have some kind of AFCI that was totally stand alone, so you could have one on each MPPT... one or two strings into each AFCI.

Is anyone addressing this? Someone at a conference this year told me that MidNite solar was working on producing something that would work, but I don't know if that's a true rumor or false... I can't seem to find anything online. Does anyone know of anything I've missed?

Last question... is it possible to use schneider's MPPT disconnect RS with other brand charge controllers? It has AFCI. I've read the manual and it's not clear if it can function without the Xanbus connection. Of course, I don't think Schneider wants you to use it with other products... but I'm thinking the AFCI might functionally work... I figured one of you guys might know...


I've spent the last number of years with my head in the sand as far as compliant equipment availability because I've been working in locations that aren't inspected, and I mount my arrays on tall poles, so there's no risk of starting a fire. Now that I'm in Off-Grid Focused wholesale distribution and installer consulting, I need to figure out what options are available to satisfy the AHJs...

Thanks so much!

Kienan Maxfield
Technical sales, Technical Support

Green-Go Solar Distribution
kienan at dist.solar
maxfieldsolar at hotmail.com
(801) 631-5584 (Cell)
www.distribution.solar
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