A question that keeps nagging me is why do these breakers trip and not the breaker in the main panel? Presuming there is a 40 amp in the main
I would have thought that given all the times the breakers have tripped at some point that one would have tripped and I can’t understand why not? Jay > On Jun 3, 2020, at 8:27 AM, Jerry Shafer <jerrysgarag...@gmail.com> wrote: > > > Wrenches > Looking g at the bigger breaker tripping at the same time is very likely do > to response time of the breaker nothing more. As l suggested in a previous > message. Use a non bridged breaker to see if it is one or both legs that > trip. Also an eguage will help to see what if anything leads up to the > failure and when. > Jerry > Jerry > >> On Wed, Jun 3, 2020, 7:58 AM Jason Szumlanski >> <ja...@floridasolardesigngroup.com> wrote: >> I wonder about that. Of course, it could be the "inverter output circuit" >> having a fault in the wiring still (an intermittent issue somewhere within >> the IQ cable or home run wiring). But internal to the microinverter, is it >> possible that a fault could still occur at night? I had a suggestion from >> another wrench that there are film capacitors on the AC output side, but are >> these isolated when there is no DC input? It seems unlikely that this would >> be an issue, but I have seen microinverters reporting a couple of watts at >> night (in Enlighten). I'm not sure how real that is. >> >> The overriding question I have is what kind of fault would cause BOTH a >> branch circuit and the main solar breaker to trip simultaneously? That seems >> odd to me. If any normal load branch circuit has a fault, you don't often >> see premises main breakers tripping, or even feeder circuit breakers. >> >> I got to thinking that maybe there is some kind of issue between the BR220 >> and CH240 breakers not playing nicely together. But I would think this would >> be a well-known issue because I'm sure there are tons of CH feeder breakers >> in the wild with BR branch circuits downstream. >> >> >> >>> On Tue, Jun 2, 2020 at 9:25 AM <drake.chamber...@redwoodalliance.org> wrote: >>> If it trips at night, we know it is not the output from the inverters >>> causing the tripping. The current must be coming from the grid. >>> >>> --- >>> >>> >>> >>>> On 2020-06-01 12:05, Jason Szumlanski wrote: >>>> >>>> >>>> It's not weather. It's at all times of the day and night, and I confirmed >>>> that there is no correlation to rain or high winds. That was my first >>>> suspicion. >>>> >>>> >>>> On Mon, Jun 1, 2020 at 10:27 AM Ray <r...@solarray.com> wrote: >>>> Is it at all weather related? Rain, or high humidity? High temperatures? >>>> Do you have any indication what time of day it trips off at? >>>> >>>> Ray Walters >>>> Remote Solar >>>> 303 505-8760 >>>>> On 6/1/20 10:23 AM, Jason Szumlanski wrote: >>>>> Well, that didn't resolve it. The main breaker and a branch circuit >>>>> breaker tripped again a few days ago. It was the same branch this time. >>>>> >>>>> As my next diagnostic step I swapped two circuits (on which breaker they >>>>> are landed). If history is a guide, it will work for about two weeks and >>>>> then trip again. >>>>> >>>>> I'm dumbfounded. I really don't want to have to tear this whole system >>>>> apart. At this point, if I have to remove all the modules, I feel that I >>>>> need to replace all of the trunk cable which is an expensive proposition. >>>>> I really don't know what else to do at this point. >>>>> >>>>> Jason >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> On Mon, May 25, 2020, 10:43 AM Jason Szumlanski >>>>> <ja...@floridasolardesigngroup.com> wrote: >>>>> I strongly suspect the CH240 combined breaker was compromised (we will >>>>> see). Since it happened that two different strings tripped, I doubt I >>>>> have two microinverters with internal faults. It has to be the combined >>>>> breaker. I was just surprised that branch circuit breakers were tripping >>>>> simultaneously with the combined output breaker. >>>>> >>>>> Of all the supply side connected systems I have installed, I have never >>>>> seen a combined output fusible disconnect fuse blow, but I have seen many >>>>> combined output breakers tripped. I was worried early on that I would be >>>>> replacing fuses constantly, but that has not been an issue whatsoever. >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> On Thu, May 21, 2020 at 11:15 AM <scot.a...@solarcentex.com> wrote: >>>>> Actually, we had a IQ7 string loaded up to its max panel size and max >>>>> string length and in the spring on cool, clear day, it tripped the >>>>> string's associated breaker in the Enphase combiner. >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> We reset but of course that breaker was impaired and it tripped again. We >>>>> replaced and never had an issue going forward. We suspect the breaker was >>>>> less than perfect from the start as we've add equally nice days since. >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> This almost reminds me of loading up Outback FM80. It says 4,000 watts >>>>> but in reality, 3,600 is the max when amps spike. I will be extra careful >>>>> going forward on IQ7 string length when going to the max published... >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> My story. >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> Scot >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> From: RE-wrenches <re-wrenches-boun...@lists.re-wrenches.org> On Behalf >>>>> Of Jason Szumlanski >>>>> Sent: Thursday, May 21, 2020 8:57 AM >>>>> To: RE-wrenches <re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org> >>>>> Subject: [RE-wrenches] Enphase intermittent breaker trippjng >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> I'm trying to resolve an intermittent frustrating problem with and >>>>> Enphase IQ system. There are three AC Branch circuits of 9 microinverters >>>>> each coming into an Enphase AC combiner. >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> What has been happening is one of the BR220 branch circuit breakers and >>>>> the combine CH240 breaker in the main backfed load center have been >>>>> tripping simultaneously. It has happened about four times in the last 6 >>>>> months. It was always the same branch circuit breaker, so we kept >>>>> investigating that string, checking the junction box, trunk cable, and >>>>> cap, etc. Finally we swapped out the BR220 breaker. >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> Fast forward 4 weeks, and we got another call. This time a different >>>>> branch circuit breaker and the main breaker tripped simultaneously. We >>>>> checked that branch circuit and could not find any fault. It seems >>>>> unlikely that two branch circuit breakers would be faulty, so we have now >>>>> switched out the CH240 main breaker in hopes that it is the culprit. >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> I'm not totally confident in this resolution and I have my fingers >>>>> crossed. If that doesn't work, does anyone have any suggestions on >>>>> another diagnostic step? These intermittent problems are a major hassle. >>>>> One thought I had was to switch to a supply side interconnection with a >>>>> fusible disconnect. Maybe the intermittent fault would blow one of the >>>>> two line fuses so at least I could narrow it down to which line the fault >>>>> is on if there is in fact a fault. >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> I have experienced two other tripping breaker issues with Enphase systems >>>>> in the past. Neither of them were systems I installed. One turned out to >>>>> be branch circuits that were not properly paired up and landed on >>>>> different breakers. Another time we had an inverter with an internal >>>>> fault which eventually"blew up" with a loud popping noise and smoke >>>>> billowing out of it. That happened after resetting a trip breaker >>>>> multiple times. This case seems to be unrelated to those issues. I'm >>>>> perplexed. >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> Jason Szumlanski >>>>> >>>>> Florida Solar Design Group >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> _______________________________________________ >>>>> List sponsored by Redwood Alliance >>>>> >>>>> List Address: RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org >>>>> >>>>> Change listserver email address & settings: >>>>> http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org >>>>> >>>>> List-Archive: >>>>> http://www.mail-archive.com/re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org/maillist.html >>>>> >>>>> List rules & etiquette: >>>>> www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm >>>>> >>>>> Check out or update participant bios: >>>>> www.members.re-wrenches.org >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> _______________________________________________ >>>>> List sponsored by Redwood Alliance >>>>> >>>>> List Address: RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org >>>>> >>>>> Change listserver email address & settings: >>>>> http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org >>>>> >>>>> List-Archive: >>>>> http://www.mail-archive.com/re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org/maillist.html >>>>> >>>>> List rules & etiquette: >>>>> www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm >>>>> >>>>> Check out or update participant bios: >>>>> www.members.re-wrenches.org >>>>> >>>> _______________________________________________ >>>> List sponsored by Redwood Alliance >>>> >>>> List Address: RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org >>>> >>>> Change listserver email address & settings: >>>> http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org >>>> >>>> List-Archive: >>>> http://www.mail-archive.com/re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org/maillist.html >>>> >>>> List rules & etiquette: >>>> www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm >>>> >>>> Check out or update participant bios: >>>> www.members.re-wrenches.org >>>> >>>> <blocked.gif> >>>> >>>> _______________________________________________ >>>> List sponsored by Redwood Alliance >>>> >>>> List Address: RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org >>>> >>>> Change listserver email address & settings: >>>> http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org >>>> >>>> List-Archive: >>>> http://www.mail-archive.com/re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org/maillist.html >>>> >>>> List rules & etiquette: >>>> www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm >>>> >>>> Check out or update participant bios: >>>> www.members.re-wrenches.org >>>> >>> _______________________________________________ >>> List sponsored by Redwood Alliance >>> >>> List Address: RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org >>> >>> Change listserver email address & settings: >>> http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org >>> >>> List-Archive: >>> http://www.mail-archive.com/re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org/maillist.html >>> >>> List rules & etiquette: >>> www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm >>> >>> Check out or update participant bios: >>> www.members.re-wrenches.org >>> >> _______________________________________________ >> List sponsored by Redwood Alliance >> >> List Address: RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org >> >> Change listserver email address & settings: >> http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org >> >> List-Archive: >> http://www.mail-archive.com/re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org/maillist.html >> >> List rules & etiquette: >> www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm >> >> Check out or update participant bios: >> www.members.re-wrenches.org >> > _______________________________________________ > List sponsored by Redwood Alliance > > List Address: RE-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org > > Change listserver email address & settings: > http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org > > List-Archive: > http://www.mail-archive.com/re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org/maillist.html > > List rules & etiquette: > www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm > > Check out or update participant bios: > www.members.re-wrenches.org >
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