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

[bob at midnitesolar.com]

Hi Kienan

/"There's an interesting //Sandia report 
<https://energy.sandia.gov/wp-content/gallery/uploads/SAND2013-5916-SeriesAndParallelArc-FaultCircuitInterrupterTests1.pdf>// where 
there were testing an AFCI combiner that MidNite made, //
//but it doesn't seem to be available anywhere... "/

What you saw that we were testing down at Sandia years ago was a 
Disconnecting Combiner with PV input
monitoring and PV arc fault on every channel.   It cost too much was the 
problem.  It worked well though.

/"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?"/

MidNite has been working on a stand alone AFCI that drives remote-trip 
HV breakers and works up to 600 V input.
Look for this generic arc fault solution in about 4 months.  I think it 
also has ground fault too ?  They are used in our
newer HV MPPTs.

One of the issues for some of the others was that they used the Sensata 
arc fault sensor components and for some reason they stopped making those.

🌜boB🌛


On 6/15/2023 10:31 AM, Maxfield Solar via RE-wrenches wrote:
> 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 
> <https://energy.sandia.gov/wp-content/gallery/uploads/SAND2013-5916-SeriesAndParallelArc-FaultCircuitInterrupterTests1.pdf> 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* <https://kienan@dist.solar>
> *maxfieldsolar at hotmail.com*
> *(801) 631-5584 (Cell)*
> *www.distribution.solar* <https://www.distribution.solar>
>
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