* You do need Xanbus and all of the following
One of the reasons I always post here to not use a roof for offgrid is
rapid disco. There are a few others also. It is the last thing you want
offgrid and if for some reason you can't find a reasonable way to please
an inspector, install a system that can easily be retrofitted after the
inspection. The Schneider RS is actually valuable as it has a decent
dual 600vdc disco that can be used after the retrofit.
Good Luck!
* 'MPPT Disconnect RS - 865-1036
* RS Initiator Switch - 865-1039
* Required to pair with Tigo(R) TS4-A-F [4] or TS4-A-2F [5] for PV
rapid shutdown compliance (purchase separately)
Dave Angelini Offgrid Solar
"we go where powerlines don't"
http://members.sti.net/offgridsolar/
e-mail [email protected]
text 209 813 0060
On 2023-06-15 10:31 am, Maxfield Solar via RE-wrenches wrote:
Hello all,
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...
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 Sandia
report [1] 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.
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.
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?
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...
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...
Thanks so much!
Kienan Maxfield
Technical sales, Technical Support
Green-Go Solar Distribution
[email protected] [2]
[email protected]
(801) 631-5584 (Cell)
www.distribution.solar [3]
_______________________________________________
List sponsored by Redwood Alliance
Pay optional member dues here: http://re-wrenches.org
List Address: [email protected]
Change listserver email address & settings:
http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org
There are two list archives for searching. When one doesn't work, try
the other:
https://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/
http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org
List rules & etiquette:
http://www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm
Check out or update participant bios:
http://www.members.re-wrenches.org
Links:
------
[1]
https://energy.sandia.gov/wp-content/gallery/uploads/SAND2013-5916-SeriesAndParallelArc-FaultCircuitInterrupterTests1.pdf
[2] https://[email protected]
[3] https://www.distribution.solar
[4] https://www.tigoenergy.com/product/ts4-a-f
[5] https://www.tigoenergy.com/product/ts4-a-2f
_______________________________________________
List sponsored by Redwood Alliance
Pay optional member dues here: http://re-wrenches.org
List Address: [email protected]
Change listserver email address & settings:
http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org
There are two list archives for searching. When one doesn't work, try the other:
https://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/
http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org
List rules & etiquette:
http://www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm
Check out or update participant bios:
http://www.members.re-wrenches.org
