- Location
- Tennessee NEC:2017
- Occupation
- Semi-Retired Electrician
I got called to correct some things on a failed inspection, actually two failed inspections. The building in question is a barn on a "Pot-belley" pig sanctuary/farm. I won't get into the other red tagged items but just the one concerning a solar panel.
The owner installed a solar powered fan. It is actually an attic fan but they installed it in the side/gable of the barn. It is a packaged product that includes a solar panel, wire, and the fan. It is only a 12V DC fan. It is run straight from the solar panel, no inverter, battery or anything. It has push-in connectors for the hot (+) and gnd. (-) on each end of the wire.
The inspector turned it down and just wrote on his rejection paper- "solar array needs to be installed according to the NEC". I called him and asked what he wanted. He said the wire from the solar panel needed to be in rigid conduit down to a OCPD and disconnect.
Then from the disc. to the fan in MC.
Now I'll be first to admit that I don't know hardly anything about solar panel installs. But since this came as a packaged unit and in no way ties into the electrical for the barn, I don't understand why the inspector would even be inspecting it. It is only 12V DC, and from what I understand, if under 30V it wouldn't have to be in conduit or an OCPD. I may be wrong on that but not for sure.
I ask him what he wanted for an OCPD/disconnect since it was DC. I don't know of anything but an in-line fuse or a fuse block, but he said that would be field engineering and not approved. I don't know what he wants since there is nothing I can find locally that would satisfy him. I can't find anything in the code that says rigid, just metal raceway. Also, wouldn't the push-in connectors be a disconnect?
I told they owner the best thing they could do is just remove the fan and let the inspector just check the other items I fixed. Then it would be up to them to take care of the fan later if they still want it.
Here are a few pics of the solar panel, wire, and fan.
The owner installed a solar powered fan. It is actually an attic fan but they installed it in the side/gable of the barn. It is a packaged product that includes a solar panel, wire, and the fan. It is only a 12V DC fan. It is run straight from the solar panel, no inverter, battery or anything. It has push-in connectors for the hot (+) and gnd. (-) on each end of the wire.
The inspector turned it down and just wrote on his rejection paper- "solar array needs to be installed according to the NEC". I called him and asked what he wanted. He said the wire from the solar panel needed to be in rigid conduit down to a OCPD and disconnect.
Then from the disc. to the fan in MC.
Now I'll be first to admit that I don't know hardly anything about solar panel installs. But since this came as a packaged unit and in no way ties into the electrical for the barn, I don't understand why the inspector would even be inspecting it. It is only 12V DC, and from what I understand, if under 30V it wouldn't have to be in conduit or an OCPD. I may be wrong on that but not for sure.
I ask him what he wanted for an OCPD/disconnect since it was DC. I don't know of anything but an in-line fuse or a fuse block, but he said that would be field engineering and not approved. I don't know what he wants since there is nothing I can find locally that would satisfy him. I can't find anything in the code that says rigid, just metal raceway. Also, wouldn't the push-in connectors be a disconnect?
I told they owner the best thing they could do is just remove the fan and let the inspector just check the other items I fixed. Then it would be up to them to take care of the fan later if they still want it.
Here are a few pics of the solar panel, wire, and fan.