[RE-wrenches] Insulation Resistance Testing with Klein ET600

[david quattro]

Tech support said if it’s landed in conjunction with the Load Out ground it
causes an ‘echo’ on the grounds. Can result in erroneous Arc fault or other
error codes.
 I think if using a separate wire trough, that trough needs to be
physically far from the inverter and close to an electrode.



On Sun, Apr 6, 2025 at 8:09 AM Jason Szumlanski <
jason at floridasolardesigngroup.com> wrote:

> That's a good point. I didn't install this system, but I know for certain
> the PV EGC is not landed in either of the dual Sol-Ark inverters. It must
> be landed on a grounding terminal in a wiring trough or load center. I'll
> have to track that down. I'm not sure how the GE system is installed,
> either.
>
>
> Jason Szumlanski
> Principal Solar Designer | Florida Solar Design Group
> NABCEP Certified Solar Professional (PVIP)
> Florida State Certified Solar Contractor CVC56956
> Florida Certified Electrical Contractor EC13013208
>
>
> On Sun, Apr 6, 2025 at 11:03 AM david quattro <david at quattrosolar.com>
> wrote:
>
>> Hi Jason,
>>    SolArk tech support has told us to land the PV equipment ground
>> directly to an electrode. ie do not land the PV ground in the inverter’s
>> built in ground-bar. This detail wasn’t in their manuals years ago. I hope
>> this is helpful 🤙🏼
>> David
>>
>>
>>
>> On Sun, Apr 6, 2025 at 7:19 AM Jason Szumlanski via RE-wrenches <
>> re-wrenches at lists.re-wrenches.org> wrote:
>>
>>> If anyone is using this tester to do insulation resistance testing, I
>>> would appreciate any pointers you have.
>>>
>>> I have used it successfully to test home run DC strings from
>>> rooftop junction boxes to inverters to check for nicks in wires and hard
>>> faults to ground or short circuits. However, I am currently facing a
>>> Sol-Ark 15K with three strings of PV that all seem to cause an intermittent
>>> DC insulation fault (F24). I have isolated each string by disconnecting the
>>> other strings at the rooftop junction box. With only one string connected
>>> to the inverter, regardless of which string it is, I will eventually get
>>> the F24 error.
>>>
>>> Since I have ruled out the home run wiring, It appears the issue must be
>>> within the array somewhere. I would like to use the ET600 to help track it
>>> down, but I am reading conflicting information on how to properly undertake
>>> the test on each string. I know that I can disconnect the conductors
>>> between each PV string and the junction box and test each jumper wire
>>> individually while disconnected. But what about the PV module leads
>>> within the string of connected modules? I'm suspecting a pinched PV module
>>> lead somewhere, but I don't know where to start looking.
>>>
>>> Jason Szumlanski
>>> Florida Solar Design Group
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
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