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Hi Kienan<br>
<br>
<i>"There's an interesting </i><i><a
href="https://energy.sandia.gov/wp-content/gallery/uploads/SAND2013-5916-SeriesAndParallelArc-FaultCircuitInterrupterTests1.pdf"
target="_blank">Sandia report</a></i><i> where there were
testing an AFCI combiner that MidNite made, </i><i><br>
</i><i>but it doesn't seem to be available anywhere... "</i><br>
<br>
What you saw that we were testing down at Sandia years ago was a
Disconnecting Combiner with PV input <br>
monitoring and PV arc fault on every channel. It cost too much was
the problem. It worked well though.<br>
<br>
<i>"Is anyone addressing this? Someone at a conference this year
told me that MidNite solar was working on producing <br>
something that would work, but I don't know if that's a true rumor
or false... I can't seem to find anything online. <br>
Does anyone know of anything I've missed?"</i><br>
<br>
MidNite has been working on a stand alone AFCI that drives
remote-trip HV breakers and works up to 600 V input.<br>
Look for this generic arc fault solution in about 4 months. I think
it also has ground fault too ? They are used in our<br>
newer HV MPPTs.<br>
<br>
One of the issues for some of the others was that they used the
Sensata arc fault sensor components and for some reason they stopped
making those.<br>
<br>
🌜boB🌛<br>
<br>
<br>
<div class="moz-cite-prefix">On 6/15/2023 10:31 AM, Maxfield Solar
via RE-wrenches wrote:<br>
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<div dir="auto">Hello all, <br>
<br>
I'm trying to find information on how to comply with AFCI with
DC-coupled off-grid systems in 2023... Obviously, there are a
couple of charge controllers that have AFCI built in such as
the MidNite charge controllers and I know about Outback's
unreliable AFCI in the FM100 ... but I'm trying to figure out
if there is a way to do this now with other brands or retrofit
systems...<br>
<br>
There used to be a lot of equipment available that you could
use... but Bentek discontinued their AFCI combiner box,
Ouback's ICS is discontinued, Sensata's PVAF-T is
discontinued, SolarBOS seems to have discontinued their AFCI
combiner box... There's an interesting <a
href="https://energy.sandia.gov/wp-content/gallery/uploads/SAND2013-5916-SeriesAndParallelArc-FaultCircuitInterrupterTests1.pdf"
target="_blank" moz-do-not-send="true">Sandia report</a> where
there were testing an AFCI combiner that MidNite made, but it
doesn't seem to be available anywhere... The only
non-integrated AFCI option I seem to have found that might not
be discontinued is ZJ Beny brand... Their website seems
okay... very Chinese... and I can't find it for sale anywhere
except maybe Alibaba.<br>
<br>
And now that Multi MPPT charge controllers are becoming more
common (like Victron's 450V 200A charge controller with 4 MPPT
inputs), it would be nice to have some kind of AFCI that was
totally stand alone, so you could have one on each MPPT... one
or two strings into each AFCI. <br>
<br>
Is anyone addressing this? Someone at a conference this year
told me that MidNite solar was working on producing something
that would work, but I don't know if that's a true rumor or
false... I can't seem to find anything online. Does anyone
know of anything I've missed?<br>
<br>
Last question... is it possible to use schneider's MPPT
disconnect RS with other brand charge controllers? It has
AFCI. I've read the manual and it's not clear if it can
function without the Xanbus connection. Of course, I don't
think Schneider wants you to use it with other products... but
I'm thinking the AFCI might functionally work... I figured one
of you guys might know... <br>
<br>
<br>
I've spent the last number of years with my head in the sand
as far as compliant equipment availability because I've been
working in locations that aren't inspected, and I mount my
arrays on tall poles, so there's no risk of starting a fire.
Now that I'm in Off-Grid Focused wholesale distribution and
installer consulting, I need to figure out what options are
available to satisfy the AHJs...<br>
<br>
Thanks so much!</div>
</div>
<div name="messageSignatureSection"><br>
<div dir="auto"><span style="font-family:Calibri;font-size:
large">Kienan Maxfield</span><span style="font-size: large"><br>
</span><span style="font-family:Calibri;font-size: large">Technical
sales, Technical Support</span><span style="font-size:
large"><br>
</span><span style="font-size: large"><br>
</span><strong style="font-family:Calibri;font-size: large">Green-Go
Solar Distribution</strong><span style="font-size: large"><br>
</span><a style="font-family:Comic Sans MS;font-size: large"
href="https://kienan@dist.solar" target="_blank"
moz-do-not-send="true"><strong>kienan@dist.solar</strong></a><span
style="font-size: large"><br>
</span><strong style="font-family:Comic Sans MS;font-size:
large"><a class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated" href="mailto:maxfieldsolar@hotmail.com">maxfieldsolar@hotmail.com</a></strong><span
style="font-size: large"><br>
</span><strong style="font-family:Comic Sans MS;font-size:
large">(801) 631-5584 (Cell)</strong><span style="font-size:
large"><br>
</span><a style="font-family:Comic Sans MS;font-size: large"
href="https://www.distribution.solar" target="_blank"
moz-do-not-send="true"><strong>www.distribution.solar</strong></a></div>
</div>
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