SMA will shut down w/ the removal of the meter. Installing the inverter w/in the 10' area will meet this requirement. On May 21, 2014, at 9:48 PM, Jeffrey Quackenbush wrote:
> 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. > > 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, are accepting SolarEdge or Tigo systems, but they don't > comply at the moment with the 10 second shut-down provision in 690.12 (2). > > 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 listed and identified for. 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. > > 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, depending on the configuration > and size of the system, 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. 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. > > Regards, > Jeffrey Quackenbush > > > On Tuesday, May 20, 2014 2:07 PM, Phil Forest <[email protected]> > wrote: > > > All in all, not longer, glad to say. > 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. > We mounted optimizers to modules on one job when using UniRac Sunframe. > SunFrame is a pain in my neck, optimizers or not. > Phil Forest > South Mountain Company > > On May 20, 2014, at 1:33 PM, Will White <[email protected]> wrote: > >> > > Phil, > > Do you find that the DC optimizer adds to the amount of time on an install? > > Thanks, > Will > > From: RE-wrenches [mailto:[email protected]] On > Behalf Of Phil Forest > Sent: Tuesday, May 20, 2014 1:26 PM > To: RE-wrenches > Subject: Re: [RE-wrenches] 2014 NEC > > Will, > 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. > So far so good. They seem well made and engineered. Tip: you have to enable > the arc fault protection when commissioning, ships disabled. > Phil Forest > South Mountain Company > > On May 20, 2014, at 10:59 AM, Will White <[email protected]> wrote: > Wrenches, > > 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. > > 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. > > It’s getting very difficult to install in Mass. > > Thanks, > Will > > Will White > Operations Manager - New England > RGS Energy > 64 Main St. |Montpelier, VT 05602 > tel 802.223.7804 | mobile 802.234.3167 | fax 802.223.8980 > RGSEnergy.com | [email protected] > > > > > > _______________________________________________ > List sponsored by Home Power magazine > > List Address: [email protected] > > Change email address & settings: > http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org > > List-Archive: > http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org > > List rules & etiquette: > www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm > > Check out participant bios: > www.members.re-wrenches.org >> _______________________________________________ >> List sponsored by Home Power magazine >> >> List Address: [email protected] >> >> Change email address & settings: >> http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org >> >> List-Archive: >> http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org >> >> List rules & etiquette: >> www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm >> >> Check out participant bios: >> www.members.re-wrenches.org >> > > _______________________________________________ > List sponsored by Home Power magazine > > List Address: [email protected] > > Change email address & settings: > http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org > > List-Archive: > http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org > > List rules & etiquette: > www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm > > Check out participant bios: > www.members.re-wrenches.org > > > > _______________________________________________ > List sponsored by Home Power magazine > > List Address: [email protected] > > Change email address & settings: > http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org > > List-Archive: > http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org > > List rules & etiquette: > www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm > > Check out participant bios: > www.members.re-wrenches.org > > [email protected] www.SWNL.net > Solarwinds Northernlights > Serving Mid Coast Maine & Northern California > 207-832-7574 Cl. 610-517-8401 > > Blair "TUMP" May > ******** MAINE'S CHARTER ******** > NABCEP "Certified PV Installer" > > ******** MAINE'S CHARTER ******** > Trace Xantrex "Certified" Dealer / Installer" >
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