DC / AC Disconnect distances

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Grouch

Grouch

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New York, NY
Hi all,
I took a class on PV systems many years ago. I went through some of my notes, and i came across this:
1. The DC PV disconnect has to be located within 10 feet of the inverter.
2. The AC disconnect, such as the breaker on the panel, has to also be located within 10 feet of the inverter. If further away, an unfused AC disconnect would need to be added so it's 10 feet from the inverter (between the breaker and the inverter).

Looking through the 2008 NEC code, i cannot find any of this in article 690. Are these code requirements?

Thanks.
 
Grouch1980 said:
Hi all,
I took a class on PV systems many years ago. I went through some of my notes, and i came across this:
1. The DC PV disconnect has to be located within 10 feet of the inverter.
2. The AC disconnect, such as the breaker on the panel, has to also be located within 10 feet of the inverter. If further away, an unfused AC disconnect would need to be added so it's 10 feet from the inverter (between the breaker and the inverter).

Looking through the 2008 NEC code, i cannot find any of this in article 690. Are these code requirements?

Thanks.
Click to expand...
I dont see those requirement in 2017 or 2020 nec. These are more specific to local AHJ and Power company
 
It seems like 10ft was someone's personal opinion as to what qualified as 'grouped'. It has always been a requirement that an inverter be 'grouped' with disconnects for all sources that can energize it. (The code section numbering has moved around I think.)

'Grouped' is subjective. I had one AHJ that decided that grouped meant 6ft or less. Obviously you also can't have a wall or something in the way. Your mileage may vary when it comes to AHJ opinions.
 
I don't see that either... under 'grouping', it just mentions that the disconnects shall be grouped together... it doesn't mention anything about the switches being grouped with the inverter.
 
Look at 690.15. I'm looking at the 2011 NEC but it doesn't appear to have been revised. I suppose it doesn't say grouped 'with the equipment' but I've never met an AHJ who didn't read it that way.
 
got it. Actually!... since you brought up 690.15, I have a question on that section too. is 690.15 talking about the AC disconnect? The way i read it is, 690.13 and 690.14 are talking about the DC disconnect, and 690.15 is talking about the AC disconnect. is this correct?
 
690.15 is talking about all of the above. It's saying that when you've got an inverter that has multiple live sources coming in to it -- solar panels, grid, batteries in some cases -- then you have to have disconnects for all sources grouped with the inverter.
 
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