[RE-wrenches] Is this city inspector just full of it? His comments and my response. City is on NEC 2023
Ray Walters
ray at solarray.com
Sat Mar 7 16:49:22 PST 2026
I wouldn't blame the inspector, I would blame the NEC. All the changes,
moving stuff back and forth, stuff being a requirement and then not a
requirement, and then another code iteration, its a requirement again?
(array grounding?!?) Everyone is confused, installers and inspectors
alike. AND, that seem to be the goal for certain members of the NEC.
Mission accomplished: total confusion.
Specifically: while I agree that splitting 690 into other sections like
705 was a good idea, the execution was poor. The language is poor.
Diagrams and additional info in the handbook that should clear up some
of the confusion? Also poor. Considering the stakes and the size of the
industry, this is just ridiculous.
Mean while to make it even tougher, local jurisdictions are stepping in
with their own additional requirements, to the point that it takes
longer and more work to get a permit approved, than it takes to do the
actual installation. Goal: make solar less affordable? Mission
accomplished.
End result: more and more homeowners are just buying "kits" on the
internet and getting their beer drinking buddy to help install.
Is solar safer now? NO
Are home electrical systems safer now? NO
Is the solar industry and electrical industry as a whole worse off? YES
I know we have some good folks on the NEC that are honest and working
hard, but they are being foiled at every turn by folks with ulterior
motives and ulterior funding sources. Meanwhile, if the current
administration wants to improve electrical safety and save American
jobs, how about stopping the flood of non UL listed garbage hitting Amazon?
Ray Walters
Remote Solar
On 3/7/2026 9:16 AM, Zeke Yewdall via RE-wrenches wrote:
> I think he's having trouble with the definitions of different circuits.
>
> Figure 705.1 shows a diagram showing where the inverter output circuit
> is, which is what he's talking about, not a PV output circuit or a PV
> source circuit, which is what most of 690 addresses, and are shown in
> the figures in 690... however it is confusing when they throw in
> current rating for an inverter output circuit in 690.8.
>
> I can't quickly find any references to requirements for inverter
> output circuits, other than all of the stuff in 705 about
> interconnecting them.
>
> The language about the over 150 volts to ground is from 690.7(D) back
> in 2011... not sure when they removed it, but it's not in the 2020,
> 2023, or 2026 books I have handy....
>
> Zeke
>
> On Fri, Mar 6, 2026 at 9:07 PM
> <re-wrenches-request at lists.re-wrenches.org> wrote:
>
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> Today's Topics:
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> 1. Is this city inspector just full of it? His comments and my
> response. City is on NEC 2023 (scot.arey at solarcentex.com)
>
>
> ----------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> Message: 1
> Date: Sat, 7 Mar 2026 03:29:56 +0000
> From: "scot.arey at solarcentex.com" <scot.arey at solarcentex.com>
> To: RE-wrenches <re-wrenches at lists.re-wrenches.org>
> Subject: [RE-wrenches] Is this city inspector just full of it? His
> comments and my response. City is on NEC 2023
> Message-ID:
>
> <BYAPR02MB4086C40A4CCA00A78023A4C0F27BA at BYAPR02MB4086.namprd02.prod.outlook.com>
>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="utf-8"
>
> Read and reply only if you want to stick it to an inspector ?
>
> System is 19 modules with Enphase IQ8: NM through attic and he
> insists it must be guarded or in conduit. His comment back to me
> on why he failed the inspection and I tried to tell him that the
> IQ8 output is not a PV source circuit.
>
>
> Good afternoon, I have just read your email and would like to
> inform you that your code reference is spot on. 690.6 A PV Source
> Circuit refers to a NRTL Listed assembly and is exclusive to the
> wiring from the Panel to the Microinverter, it as a listed
> assembly is not subject to the DC rules of 690.. 690.6 b refers
> to the Inverter Output Circuit and is not exempt from the rules of
> 690.7 Circuit Requirements, Specifically D which states, ?Circuits
> over 150 volts to ground. In one and two family dwellings, live
> parts in PV source circuits and PV output circuits over 150 volts
> to ground Shall Not be accessible to other than qualified persons
> while energized. The commentary for this code states, Conduit,
> closed cabinets, or enclosures that require tools to open them are
> means of limiting access to qualified persons only. These
> circuits are production and not utilization circuits and therefore
> must be protected from physical damage and errant tampering. As
> was noted at Plan Review
>
> Dd
>
> My proposed response:
>
> I have read your reply and believe you have mis-cited code
> references. You wrote:
>
> "690.6 b refers to the Inverter Output Circuit and is not exempt
> from the rules of 690.7 Circuit Requirements, Specifically D which
> states, ?Circuits over 150 volts to ground. In one and two family
> dwellings, live parts in PV source circuits and PV output circuits
> over 150 volts to ground Shall Not be accessible to other than
> qualified persons while energized."
>
> 690.6b is here.
> [cid:1554f576-5063-4098-a38c-3a8291b6699d]
> 690.7 (D) does not reference "circuits over 150-volts..." but is
> pasted here. This is a reference to marking of direct current (DC)
> PV circuits. This does not apply because the inverter output
> circuit is not a "DC PV Circuit."
>
> [cid:5e6c0708-cbd2-4be2-82c4-44f97a1db3d2]
> ________________________________
>
>
> The section that almost refers to "PV output circuits over 150
> volts to ground Shall Not be accessible" is not in NEC 2023 which
> is what Temple uses. I have pasted the 2020 language, which is not
> the language you cite to me, and even that is referring to "PV
> source and output" circuits and the NEC 2020 definition of "PV
> source and output" deals with DC. I have pasted and highlighted
> that definition below.
>
> [cid:407b334f-2b4d-4975-8f4a-22d82c45293c]
>
>
>
> [cid:2f2cd9f6-90e8-4b1e-a1d6-62dbf28e2fd0]
> [cid:fb85f1f2-2846-4c4a-807c-b3085e9bbe29]
>
>
> So we are left with the fact that an inverter output circuit is
> alternating current, as defined under NEC 2023. Definition in
> Section 100:
>
> [cid:4bd3f0a1-dd27-4c5b-a5c7-335f132f38cd]
>
>
> We are left with Chapter 3 wiring to address this AC circuit.
> There is no NEC 2023 reference to "These circuits are production
> and not utilization circuits and therefore must be protected from
> physical damage and errant tampering." Simply not in code.
>
> If you insist I put the AC wire in conduit, please tell me the
> requirement. If it's "I just want it in conduit" then just ell me
> that. But there is little to justify it in NEC 2023.
>
>
>
>
>
> Howard "Scot" Arey
> Owner, Solar CenTex
>
> NABCEP PV Installation Professional
> TECL 29755
> 254-300-1228
> [cid:f2ce8538-438b-48d0-92e0-1e00d98cc434]
>
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>
> --
> Zeke Yewdall
> PV Engineer
> NABCEP #031508-89
> zeke at darkforestsolar.com
> 303-523-3592
>
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