[RE-wrenches] Sol-Ark Gen Input

Wed Oct 16 20:09:54 PDT 2024

Rick:

You’re OK leaving this random high voltage DC on the AC output?

William Miller
Miller Solar.com
805-438-5600
www.millersolar.com

On Wed, Oct 16, 2024 at 6:09 PM rick at solshineenergy.com <
rick at solshineenergy.com> wrote:

> Confirmed! Reading the same points on a different inverter yielded the
> same results. At a different site, I measured -188.8VDC to ground on both
> L1 and L2.
>
> My suspicion is that there’s leakage current via the H-bridge output. Just
> a thought.
>
> Case closed, thanks.
>
> 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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> On Oct 16, 2024, at 3:49 PM, rick at solshineenergy.com wrote:
>
> Sorry I wasn’t clear. There’s no PV tied directly to the Sol-Ark however
> the Sunny Boy has 5.52 kW of PV. Again the SB is AC coupled to the Sol-Ark
> via its Load input/output.
>
> I can assure you that the DC is not coming from an external source. There
> are no faults at either inverter (measured or indicated by the
> inverter(s)). Both systems are operating normally.
>
> I’ll be looking at another site to verify whether these readings are
> consistent or an anomaly.
>
> Thanks,
> Rick
>
> On Oct 15, 2024, at 3:49 PM, William Miller via RE-wrenches <
> re-wrenches at lists.re-wrenches.org> wrote:
>
> 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 <http://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
>
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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)
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> the message header. Unless otherwise indicated, it contains information
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> confidential, privileged and/or exempt from disclosure under applicable
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> received this message in error, please notify the sender of the error and
> delete the
> message. Thank you.”
>
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