<html><head></head><body style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space; color: rgb(0, 0, 255); font-size: 14px; font-family: Capitals, sans-serif; "><div><div><div><font class="Apple-style-span" color="#0000ff" face="Capitals,sans-serif">Nick,</font></div><div><font class="Apple-style-span" color="#0000ff" face="Capitals,sans-serif">It was several years ago (2006-08) but I've installed these, and had to deal with a ground fault issue as well. </font></div><div><font class="Apple-style-span" color="#0000ff" face="Capitals,sans-serif">In my case the fault was discovered while t</font><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 255); font-family: Capitals, sans-serif; ">esting string voltages</span><font class="Apple-style-span" color="#0000ff" face="Capitals,sans-serif"> prior to turning the system on. </font></div><div><font class="Apple-style-span" color="#0000ff" face="Capitals,sans-serif"><br></font></div><div><font class="Apple-style-span" color="#0000ff" face="Capitals,sans-serif">The roofer had already completed installing all the concrete tiles, so there was no access to the wiring. I was able to roughly determine which end of the string the fault was closer to, which is helpful in a 37 mod string. </font>The string was spread out over about 6 dormers, so I started at the closest end of the string and had to remove the necessary tiles to access the modules, then started removing modules, checking all the wiring along the way. </div><div>I found the fault on the second dormer, about 8 modules into the string. (whew)</div><div><br></div><div>Despite repeatedly being made aware of the of the clearly marked and visible conductors (visible at the time of roofing), the roofer had put a tile nail (holding a tile in place) right thru one of the conductors which also came in contact with the module bonding conductor, thus creating the ground fault.</div><div>I used a watertight butt-splice to repair the wire, re-installed the removed modules, re-tested string voltages and all was good, so I replaced the removed tiles and completed the system start-up.</div><div><font class="Apple-style-span" color="#0000ff" face="Capitals,sans-serif"><br></font></div><div><font class="Apple-style-span" color="#0000ff" face="Capitals,sans-serif">I guess my advice would be to isolate the string that has the fault, then hopefully you have a wiring diagram of the module placement in each string so that you know where to start. Begin removing modules one at a time carefully inspecting all conductors along the way. Watch out for roofing nails!!!</font></div><div><font class="Apple-style-span" color="#0000ff" face="Capitals,sans-serif">Hope this helps.</font></div><div><font class="Apple-style-span" color="#0000ff" face="Capitals,sans-serif"><br></font></div><div><font class="Apple-style-span" color="#0000ff" face="Capitals,sans-serif">Benn</font></div><div><font class="Apple-style-span" color="#0000ff" face="Capitals,sans-serif"><br></font></div><div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 255); font-family: Capitals, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; "><div><div>DayStar Renewable Energy Inc. </div><div>www.daystarsolar.ca * Ph: 780-906-7807 </div><div>Construction Electrician Solar Photovoltaic Systems Certified</div><div>Certificate # 0007S</div><div>HAVE A SUNNY DAY</div></div></div></div></div><div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 255); font-family: Capitals, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; "><br></div><span id="OLK_SRC_BODY_SECTION" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 255); font-size: 14px; font-family: Capitals, sans-serif; "><div><div>On 27/09/12 10:58 AM, "Nick Vida" <<a href="mailto:nickvida@ymail.com">nickvida@ymail.com</a>> wrote:</div></div><div><br></div><div><div><div><br></div><div>Hello wrenches,</div><div><br></div><div>I am hoping some of you might have some experience with the GE flat tile bipv modules from around 2006. We are dealing with a ground fault issue and would like to figure out what to expect. Thanks in advance for your comments.</div><div><br></div><div>Nick Vida</div><div>_______________________________________________</div><div>List sponsored by Home Power magazine</div><div><br></div><div>List Address: <a href="mailto:RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org">RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org</a></div><div><br></div><div>Options & settings:</div><div><a href="http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org">http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org</a></div><div><br></div><div>List-Archive: <a href="http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org">http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org</a></div><div><br></div><div>List rules & etiquette:</div><div>www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm</div><div><br></div><div>Check out participant bios:</div><div>www.members.re-wrenches.org</div><div><br></div><div><br></div></div></div></span></body></html>