Solar Disconnect

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Ravenvalor

Ravenvalor

Senior Member
Location
Triad region of NC
Occupation
Electrician
Hello,
Is North Carolina still requiring a solar disconnect for a residential microinverter system where the meterbase, service panel with solar breaker, and the combiner panel are all grouped together on the outside of the home?
Thanks for the great help.
 
Ravenvalor said:
Hello,
Is North Carolina still requiring a solar disconnect for a residential microinverter system where the meterbase, service panel with solar breaker, and the combiner panel are all grouped together on the outside of the home?
Thanks for the great help.
Click to expand...
I believe the Disconnect Switch will be required for Fire Departments. So they can turn off/on the system.
 
Ravenvalor said:
Hello,
Is North Carolina still requiring a solar disconnect for a residential microinverter system where the meterbase, service panel with solar breaker, and the combiner panel are all grouped together on the outside of the home?
Thanks for the great help.
Click to expand...
Yes, they still require the AC disconnect (non-fused) even if it is a breaker tie in. It is the "PV System Utility Disconnect Switch" and gets the label to prove it.
 
BradPV said:
Yes, they still require the AC disconnect (non-fused) even if it is a breaker tie in. It is the "PV System Utility Disconnect Switch" and gets the label to prove it.
Click to expand...
Is this actually a North Carolina state requirement? Or just something that all the utilities in NC happen to require?
 
jaggedben said:
Is this actually a North Carolina state requirement? Or just something that all the utilities in NC happen to require?
Click to expand...
It is not actually a state requirement, I should have been clearer on that. This is a requirement with most of the utilities, there are possibly some municipality and co-ops that don't require it but they are few enough to default a disco.
 
BradPV said:
It is not actually a state requirement, I should have been clearer on that. This is a requirement with most of the utilities, there are possibly some municipality and co-ops that don't require it but they are few enough to default a disco.
Click to expand...
Do you know if Duke Energy requires a knife switch on the exterior of the disconnect? That could be tricky with more than 1 - circuit. For instance if someone is running 2 - 20-amp circuits from the roof array can he use a main lug panel with 2 - 20-amp breakers? My guess would be yes as long as the number of handle throws for the entire system including the service panel has 6 or fewer.

Thanks for the help. :)
 
We asked our small Utility to change their policy on the AC disconnect a few years ago.

They agreed that in certain cases like the OP they were not necessary.
 
Ravenvalor said:
Do you know if Duke Energy requires a knife switch on the exterior of the disconnect? That could be tricky with more than 1 - circuit. For instance if someone is running 2 - 20-amp circuits from the roof array can he use a main lug panel with 2 - 20-amp breakers? My guess would be yes as long as the number of handle throws for the entire system including the service panel has 6 or fewer.

Thanks for the help. :)
Click to expand...
I believe they still do, when we install Enphase we use a combiner panel as well as a knife blade disco. As far as I am aware Duke requires the disco in all scenarios.
 
BradPV said:
I believe they still do, when we install Enphase we use a combiner panel as well as a knife blade disco. As far as I am aware Duke requires the disco in all scenarios.
Click to expand...
Thanks for the info. I know you have better ways to spend your time.
If I am understanding this correctly
Meterbase Service panel with 30amp solar breaker Enphase combiner all grouped together A knife blade switch is still required
That knife blade switch needs to be between the service panel and the combiner.
Thanks for the help👍
 
Ravenvalor said:
Thanks for the info. I know you have better ways to spend your time.
If I am understanding this correctly
Meterbase Service panel with 30amp solar breaker Enphase combiner all grouped together A knife blade switch is still required
That knife blade switch needs to be between the service panel and the combiner.
Thanks for the help👍
Click to expand...
In most or all of the jurisdictions I work in, yes.
 
Ravenvalor said:
Thanks for the info. I know you have better ways to spend your time.
If I am understanding this correctly
Meterbase Service panel with 30amp solar breaker Enphase combiner all grouped together A knife blade switch is still required
That knife blade switch needs to be between the service panel and the combiner.
Thanks for the help👍
Click to expand...
You've got it. Service panel (tie in) - knife blade disco (size depends on load) - Enphase combiner. And of course they like to see the AC disco adjacent to the meter for obvious reasons.
 
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