[RE-wrenches] Looking for insulated #6 bare standoff

Ray ray at solarray.com
Fri Apr 20 15:00:33 EDT 2018


I've dealt with tough inspectors in many jurisdictions.  I seem to spend 
50% of my time doing education.  I do not just take the AHJs word as 
gospel and blindly follow.  I meet with them, sit down with the code and 
we work it out.  I am not afraid to question or protest a decision.  
After a few years, the inspectors know I'm not trying to get away with 
sub standard work, and that we all want the installation to be done right.

-Ray


On 4/20/18 12:38 PM, cwarfel wrote:
> It's just not Idaho. I was just asked about NEC PV interpretation for 
> a large city on the East coast. Same problem. Narrowly (and 
> incorrectly) interpreting the grounding requirements.
>
> It's probably nervous inspectors who feel their neck is on the line, 
> and are interpreting defensively thinking that is the safest thing for 
> them to do. We have taught a lot of Code officials and they really 
> feel exposed when it comes to PV.
>
> The key to me is just taking time, if the Building Official has it, to 
> go over the NEC sections and their relevance. It has to be made 
> understandable and easy. These people are suppose to approve 
> everything from house wiring to appliances to pools, to anything that 
> requires a permit. It is just too much for almost everyone to 
> understand completely. Look at all the questions we have with 690 and 
> 705 alone
> Chris.
>
>
> On 4/20/2018 1:28 PM, Dana wrote:
>>
>> Reasonable inspector, here? You have no idea.
>>
>> The plans examiner is the first link in the process here in Idaho, he 
>> is; by the book, crossing t’s & dotting I’s and has a very strict & 
>> narrow interpretation of the code. That said he is very helpful and a 
>> nice guy. It’s an Idaho thing.
>>
>> ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
>>
>> Dana Orzel                              Great Solar Works, Inc.
>>
>> *C - 208.721.7003 dana at solarwork.com*
>>
>> Idaho Contractor - # 028765         Idaho PV # 028374
>>
>> NABCEP # 051112-136 www.solarwork.biz <http://www.solarwork.biz>
>>
>> _"Responsible Technologies for Responsible People since 1988" ___
>>
>> *P*Please consider the environment before printing this email.
>>
>> *From:*RE-wrenches <re-wrenches-bounces at lists.re-wrenches.org> *On 
>> Behalf Of *cwarfel
>> *Sent:* Friday, April 20, 2018 9:23 AM
>> *To:* re-wrenches at lists.re-wrenches.org
>> *Subject:* Re: [RE-wrenches] Looking for insulated #6 bare standoff
>>
>> I just got back from being out of the office for a week+ and just 
>> read a few of these. I hope this is not redundant.
>>
>> 6AWG is the size that meets several tests for exposed installations. 
>> By that I mean that it is not protected. If you are running the array 
>> EGC exposed, you would use at least 6AWG depending upon the size of 
>> the overcurrent protection device towards the charge controller/array 
>> disconnect. 250.120(C) and T250.122.
>>
>> We have run into the conductor covering rating problem too. #4 can be 
>> color coded so you can use black conductor. A reasonable inspector 
>> should allow this for 6 since a lot of the non black coverings are 
>> not holding up as well to sunlight as black.  I think NEC2017 takes 
>> this into consideration and allows you to color code because of the 
>> superior performance of black coverings.
>>
>> Chris
>>
>> On 4/20/2018 9:00 AM, Dana wrote:
>>
>>     That makes two of us that would like to understand, why #6? I think it dates to early grounding with grid tie systems.
>>
>>     I remember back to 20+ years ago when the code required that the EGC was the size of the largest conductor which with 24 volt inverters was OOOO.
>>
>>     ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
>>
>>     Dana Orzel                              Great Solar Works, Inc.
>>
>>     C - 208.721.7003dana at solarwork.com <mailto:dana at solarwork.com>
>>
>>     Idaho Contractor - # 028765         Idaho PV # 028374
>>
>>     NABCEP # 051112-136www.solarwork.biz <http://www.solarwork.biz>
>>
>>     "Responsible Technologies for Responsible People since 1988"
>>
>>     P  Please consider the environment before printing this email.
>>
>>     -----Original Message-----
>>
>>     From: RE-wrenches<re-wrenches-bounces at lists.re-wrenches.org>
>>     <mailto:re-wrenches-bounces at lists.re-wrenches.org>  On Behalf Of Dave Angelini Offgrid Solar
>>
>>     Sent: Thursday, April 19, 2018 3:57 PM
>>
>>     To: RE-wrenches<re-wrenches at lists.re-wrenches.org>
>>     <mailto:re-wrenches at lists.re-wrenches.org>
>>
>>     Subject: Re: [RE-wrenches] Looking for insulated #6 bare standoff
>>
>>       Dana, I understand the need to use #6 in exposed places on the earth. I have had inspectors require the same wire size that is used to the battery. I have had them require the same size as the array wiring. I have never seen them do what they are doing to you so thanks for the info....  Be well!  --Dave
>>
>>         The bare #8 is an EGC for #10 USE PV wire on the tracker to the array
>>
>>         mounted combiner box.
>>
>>         ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
>>
>>         Dana Orzel                              Great Solar Works, Inc.
>>
>>         C - 208.721.7003dana at solarwork.com <mailto:dana at solarwork.com>
>>
>>         Idaho Contractor - # 028765         Idaho PV # 028374
>>
>>         NABCEP # 051112-136www.solarwork.biz <http://www.solarwork.biz>
>>
>>         "Responsible Technologies for Responsible People since 1988"
>>
>>          Please consider the environment before printing this email.
>>
>>         -----Original Message-----
>>
>>         From: RE-wrenches<re-wrenches-bounces at lists.re-wrenches.org>
>>         <mailto:re-wrenches-bounces at lists.re-wrenches.org>  On
>>
>>         Behalf Of Hilton Dier
>>
>>         Sent: Thursday, April 19, 2018 3:39 PM
>>
>>         To:re-wrenches at lists.re-wrenches.org
>>         <mailto:re-wrenches at lists.re-wrenches.org>
>>
>>         Subject: [RE-wrenches] Looking for insulated #6 bare standoff
>>
>>         Would #8 meet code? I thought that exposed ground wire had to be #6
>>
>>         minimum.
>>
>>         Hilton Dier III
>>
>>         Renewable Energy Design
>>
>>         Missisquoi River Hydro LLC
>>
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>>     Dave Angelini Offgrid Solar
>>
>>     "we go where powerlines don't"
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>> -- 
>>
>> Christopher Warfel, PE
>>        ENTECH Engineering, Inc.
>> PO Box 871, Block Island, RI 02807
>>                (401)466-8978
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>
> -- 
>
>          Christopher Warfel, PE
>        ENTECH Engineering, Inc.
> PO Box 871, Block Island, RI 02807
>                (401)466-8978
>
> EEI logo <http://entech-engineering.com>
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