[RE-wrenches] Sol-Ark Gen Input

Tue Oct 15 12:49:37 PDT 2024

Rick:

Two questions:

1.   If you don’t have PV on this system, what are those glassy, flat
things on the roof wired to the DC inputs of your Sunny Boy?

2.   Think to yourself: What component(s) on this project could possibly
produce high voltage DC?

I think the answer to both questions is… PV panels.  I highly suspect you
have a PV ground fault.  Proceed with caution.

On the Sunny Boy I would check the DC voltage between L1 and ground,
between L2 and ground and between neutral and ground.  Do this in the
operational configuration that is producing the DC voltage on the Gen
inputs.

While you are at it, check DC voltages between the Sunny Boy DC inputs to
ground and between the Sunny Boy Chassis and ground.

Check your GEC, GEC bonding conductor and all of the system EGCs.

I would also check the GFDI fuse on the Sunny Boy.

William Miller

Miller Solar

17395 Oak Road, Atascadero, CA 93422

805-438-5600

www.millersolar.com

CA Lic. 773985

*From:* rick at solshineenergy.com [mailto:rick at solshineenergy.com]
*Sent:* Tuesday, October 15, 2024 12:03 PM
*To:* william at millersolar.com; RE-wrenches
*Subject:* Re: [RE-wrenches] Sol-Ark Gen Input

William,

There’s no PV on this system. It’s AC coupled to an SMA SB5.0.

As a test, we turned off the Grid input, Load output, and turned off the
battery breaker. As expected, the high voltage DC eventually bled to 0V.
Turning things on in this order: Battery, Grid, then Load resulted in the
high voltage appearing once the Grid relay kicked on. Actually, the high
voltage ramped up slowly once the Grid relay turned on.

We’ve been installing these for years and have never seen this. Then again,
we’ve never measured that point.

On Oct 15, 2024, at 2:32 PM, William Miller via RE-wrenches <
re-wrenches at lists.re-wrenches.org> wrote:

Rick:

If I had to guess I’d say you have a PV wiring fault.  The PV positive may
be shorted to ground.
This would make the inverter chassis negative in relation to ground.

The logic I use is to ask what is the likely source of DC at 195 volts?  It
is most likely the PV circuits, wouldn’t you say?

If the DC Fault is not eternal then it must be internal to the inverter.
This could be a dangerous situation.  I would proceed with caution.

Try completely isolating the PV from the inverter as a start.

Good luck.

William Miller

Miller Solar

17395 Oak Road, Atascadero, CA 93422

805-438-5600

www.millersolar.com

CA Lic. 773985

*From:* RE-wrenches [mailto:re-wrenches-bounces at lists.re-wrenches.org] *On
Behalf Of *rick--- via RE-wrenches
*Sent:* Tuesday, October 15, 2024 11:09 AM
*To:* RE-wrenches
*Cc:* rick at solshineenergy.com
*Subject:* [RE-wrenches] Sol-Ark Gen Input

Back on the Sol-Ark topic again. We have a customer whose 12kW is measuring
-195VDC to ground from L1 and L2 with the Gen breaker open. L1 to L2 = 0V.
I know the Gen input can be configured as an output, but reading a high DC
voltage to ground is concerning. The generator has never been run. System
is operating normally.

Anyone have a Sol-Ark accessible that could verify what they’re reading?

Thanks in advance.

Rick Brown

Solshine Energy

Solar Electric Contracting Services

www.solshineenergy.com

Roanoke, VA

Office: 540.235.3095

Mobile: 540.808.9502

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rick brown
SolShine Energy Alternatives, LLC
Electrical & Solar Contracting Services
www.SolShineEnergy.com
Roanoke, VA

Office: 540.235.3095
Mobile: 540.808.9502

VA Class A Contractor Lic# 2705147660
VA Master Electrician Lic# 2710062762
VA Alternative Energy Systems Installer
NABCEP Certified PV Installation Professional 110112-21

CONFIDENTIALITY NOTICE -- This email is intended only for the person(s)
named in
the message header. Unless otherwise indicated, it contains information
that is
confidential, privileged and/or exempt from disclosure under applicable
law. If you have
received this message in error, please notify the sender of the error and
delete the
message. Thank you.”
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