<html><body><div style="color:#000; background-color:#fff; font-family:HelveticaNeue, Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, Arial, Lucida Grande, sans-serif;font-size:10pt"><div class="" style=""><span class="" style="">I recently took a code update course with the electrical inspector in Andover MA, and he said that he is only allowing micro-inverter systems in his jurisdiction at the moment. </span></div><div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-size: 13px; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; background-color: transparent; font-style: normal;" class=""><span class="" style=""><br class="" style=""></span></div><div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-size: 13px; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; background-color: transparent;" class=""><span class="" style="">SolarEdge and other auxiliary optimizers are not able to certify that they will shut down
within 10 seconds. I understand that the manufacturers are working on this, but I'm not sure about their timeframe. Most jurisdictions in MA, I believe, <span style="font-style: italic;" class="">are</span> accepting SolarEdge or Tigo systems, but they don't comply at the moment with the 10 second shut-down provision in 690.12 (2).</span></div><div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-size: 13px; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; background-color: transparent; font-style: italic;" class=""><span class="" style=""><br class="" style=""></span></div><div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-size: 13px; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; background-color: transparent;" class="">The inspector said that he is interpreting 690.12 (1) to say that the means of performing the shutdown should be within 10'/5' of the array, so that means locating the
shutdown means on the roof in most cases. The last time I brought this up on the Wrenches list, it was suggested installers could use some kind of relay setup with an accessible activation switch and a relay disconnect. However, 690.12 (5) says: "Equipment that performs the rapid shutdown shall be listed and identified". 690.12 (5) unfortunately doesn't tell us what the equipment should be <span style="font-style: italic;" class="">listed and identified <span class="" style="">f</span>or.</span> It could be listed and identified for the circuit characteristics and shutdown time, or it could be listed and identified for the requirements of 690.12 as a whole function with its own UL specifications. It's possible to find equipment for the former interpretation, but I'm not aware of anything available for the latter (is anyone writing a UL regime for this?). And I think that the latter interpretation is reasonable, given the ambiguity in the way the
text is written, and what is usually meant by "listed and identified" taken together.</div><div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-size: 13px; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; background-color: transparent; font-style: italic;" class=""><br class="" style=""></div><div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-size: 13px; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; background-color: transparent;" class="">I like micro-inverters for small systems. And I like the SolarEdge model for larger systems with weird layouts, shading issues, or a premium on production. However, central inverters are<span style="font-size: 10pt;" class="">, depending on the configuration and size of the system,</span><span style="background-color: transparent;" class=""> 0.05 $/W to 0.25 $/W less expensive than micro-inverters or DC optimizer systems, and that increase in cost is
most likely to come out of the contractor's pocket. </span><span style="background-color: transparent;">I also see this affecting sales for companies producing central inverters as the 2014 code rolls out across the country. If someone has a solution for central inverters under 690.12 when dealing with skeptical AHJs, I'd appreciate hearing more about it.</span></div><div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-size: 13px; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; background-color: transparent; font-style: normal;" class=""><span style="background-color: transparent;"><br></span></div><div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-size: 13px; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; background-color: transparent; font-style: normal;" class=""><span style="background-color: transparent;">Regards,</span></div><div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-size: 13px;
font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; background-color: transparent; font-style: normal;" class=""><span style="background-color: transparent;">Jeffrey Quackenbush</span></div><div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-size: 13px; font-family: HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, 'Lucida Grande', sans-serif; background-color: transparent; font-style: normal;" class=""><span class="" style=""><br class="" style=""><br></span></div><div class="yahoo_quoted" style="display: block;"> <div style="font-family: HelveticaNeue, Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, Arial, Lucida Grande, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt;" class=""> <div style="font-family: HelveticaNeue, Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, Arial, Lucida Grande, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;" class=""> <div dir="ltr" class="" style=""> <font size="2" face="Arial" class="" style=""> On Tuesday, May 20, 2014 2:07 PM, Phil Forest <pforest@southmountain.com>
wrote:<br class="" style=""> </font> </div> <blockquote style="border-left: 2px solid rgb(16, 16, 255); margin-left: 5px; margin-top: 5px; padding-left: 5px;" class=""> <br class="" style=""><br class="" style=""> <div class="" style=""><div id="yiv8135635870" class="" style=""><div class="" style=""><div class="" style="">All in all, not longer, glad to say. </div><div class="" style="">Strings can have more modules, so there's fewer home runs. Optimizer wires are longer than module wires, they even reach when installing modules in landscape, so fewer jumpers. Be thoughtful when mounting optimizers to rails so it's easy to connect after module is clamped down. Bolts that attach optimizers slide into rails from the end (UniRac SM type rails). You supply your own nuts and bolts. They supply a star washer for bonding optimizer to rail for EG. <br clear="none" class="" style="">We mounted optimizers to modules on one job when using UniRac
Sunframe. SunFrame is a pain in my neck, optimizers or not. <br clear="none" class="" style=""><div class="" style="">Phil Forest</div><div class="" style="">South Mountain Company</div></div><div class="" id="yiv8135635870yqt93799" style=""><div class="" style=""><br clear="none" class="" style="">On May 20, 2014, at 1:33 PM, Will White <<a rel="nofollow" shape="rect" ymailto="mailto:William.White@rgsenergy.com" target="_blank" href="mailto:William.White@rgsenergy.com" class="" style="">William.White@rgsenergy.com</a>> wrote:<br clear="none" class="" style=""><br clear="none" class="" style=""></div><blockquote type="cite" class="" style=""><div class="" style="">
</div></blockquote></div></div><div class="" id="yiv8135635870yqt38213" style=""><style class="" style="">#yiv8135635870 #yiv8135635870 --
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<div class="" style="">Phil,</div>
<div class="" style=""> </div>
<div class="" style="">Do you find that the DC optimizer adds to the amount of time on an install?</div>
<div class="" style=""> </div>
<div class="" style="">Thanks,</div>
<div class="" style="">Will</div>
<div class="" style=""> </div>
<div class="" style="">
<div style="border:none;border-top:solid #E1E1E1 1.0pt;padding:3.0pt 0in 0in 0in;" class="">
<div class="" style=""><b class="" style="">From:</b> RE-wrenches [<a rel="nofollow" shape="rect" ymailto="mailto:re-wrenches-bounces@lists.re-wrenches.org" target="_blank" href="mailto:re-wrenches-bounces@lists.re-wrenches.org" class="" style="">mailto:re-wrenches-bounces@lists.re-wrenches.org</a>]
<b class="" style="">On Behalf Of </b>Phil Forest<br clear="none" class="" style="">
<b class="" style="">Sent:</b> Tuesday, May 20, 2014 1:26 PM<br clear="none" class="" style="">
<b class="" style="">To:</b> RE-wrenches<br clear="none" class="" style="">
<b class="" style="">Subject:</b> Re: [RE-wrenches] 2014 NEC</div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="" style=""> </div>
<div class="" style="">
<div class="" style="">Will,<span style="font-size:12.0pt;" class=""></span></div>
</div>
<div class="" style="">
<div class="" style="">No problems with inspectors for us in MA, regarding rapid shutdown, since we recently switched to using SolarEdge central inverters with optimizer under each module, for roof mounted installs. </div>
</div>
<div class="" style="">
<div class="" style="margin-bottom:12.0pt;">So far so good. They seem well made and engineered. Tip: you have to enable the arc fault protection when commissioning, ships disabled. </div>
<div class="" style="">
<div class="" style="">Phil Forest</div>
</div>
<div class="" style="">
<div class="" style="">South Mountain Company</div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="" style="">
<div class="" style="margin-bottom:12.0pt;"><br clear="none" class="" style="">
On May 20, 2014, at 10:59 AM, Will White <<a rel="nofollow" shape="rect" ymailto="mailto:William.White@rgsenergy.com" target="_blank" href="mailto:William.White@rgsenergy.com" class="" style="">William.White@rgsenergy.com</a>> wrote:</div>
</div>
<blockquote style="margin-top:5.0pt;margin-bottom:5.0pt;" class="">
<div class="" style="">
<div class="" style="">Wrenches,</div>
<div class="" style=""> </div>
<div class="" style="">Is anyone else having problems with inspectors and the 2014 NEC? In Mass we’re having all kinds of issues with inspectors requiring/allowing an array of different things for 690.12 rapid shut down ranging from roof top disconnects, disconnects
on the side of a house 20’ up, disconnects in attics, or only disconnects that can be activated on the ground. It varies between inspectors.</div>
<div class="" style=""> </div>
<div class="" style="">We’re also having problems with one inspector requiring arc fault breakers on Enphase even though there are no UL listed arc fault breakers that can be back fed or he wants us to run the trunk cable in a raceway.
</div>
<div class="" style=""> </div>
<div class="" style="">It’s getting very difficult to install in Mass.</div>
<div class="" style=""> </div>
<div class="" style="">Thanks,</div>
<div class="" style="">Will</div>
<div class="" style=""> </div>
<table class="" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" style="margin-left:4.5pt;"><tbody class="" style=""><tr class="" style=""><td colspan="1" rowspan="1" valign="top" width="1309" style="width:981.75pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;" class="">
<div class="" style=""><b class="" style=""><span style="font-size:10.0pt;" class="">Will White</span></b><span style="font-size:12.0pt;" class=""><br clear="none" class="" style="">
</span><span style="font-size:9.0pt;" class="">Operations Manager - New England
</span></div>
<div class="" style=""><span style="font-size:9.0pt;" class="">RGS Energy</span></div>
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<div class="" style=""><span style="font-size:9.0pt;" class="">64 Main St.
</span><span style="font-size:7.5pt;" class="">|</span><span style="font-size:9.0pt;" class="">Montpelier, VT 05602<br clear="none" class="" style="">
tel 802.223.7804 </span><span style="font-size:7.5pt;" class="">|</span><span style="font-size:9.0pt;" class=""> mobile 802.234.3167
</span><span style="font-size:7.5pt;" class="">|</span><span style="font-size:9.0pt;" class=""> fax 802.223.8980</span></div>
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</blockquote>
<blockquote style="margin-top:5.0pt;margin-bottom:5.0pt;" class="">
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