macmikeman
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Got called to help a customer who was experiencing power outages. First I checked the outdoor 200 amp meter/main disconnect and found a melted mess. This one does not have a main breaker, rather it has 2 double pole 100 amp service disconnect breakers, each serving a sub panel on the interior. The house is about 8 yrs old. Recently the owner had pv installed and they put 40 240watt panels up on the roof, with a rated output of 8500 avg watts total. They put the proper disconnects and a properly sized circuit breaker between the roof panels and the meter /main where they connected the grid tie in on the load side of one of the two pole 100 amp service disconnects using insul eater connector taps. I told the homeowner the pv installing company should have changed out the meter/main to a unit featuring a 200 amp main breaker and then separately provide overcorrect disconnecting means for each panel and the pv system separate from each other.
My feeling is the output load of 40 240 watt panels tied onto the load side of a single 100 amp service disconnect exceeds the twenty per cent allowable for a pv grid tie in system. The 100 amp service disconnect breaker that the pv company coupled to was the one that burned up and melted the busbars it was connected to . The pv installing company is of course denying any involvement and stated that it was due to simply a bad 100 amp breaker. I am not up enough on my pv knowledge as regards the nec to be absolutely sure of my stand. Looking for input. Did the pv company violate any code with the way they tied all those panels to a 100 amp breaker?
My feeling is the output load of 40 240 watt panels tied onto the load side of a single 100 amp service disconnect exceeds the twenty per cent allowable for a pv grid tie in system. The 100 amp service disconnect breaker that the pv company coupled to was the one that burned up and melted the busbars it was connected to . The pv installing company is of course denying any involvement and stated that it was due to simply a bad 100 amp breaker. I am not up enough on my pv knowledge as regards the nec to be absolutely sure of my stand. Looking for input. Did the pv company violate any code with the way they tied all those panels to a 100 amp breaker?