Placard

[SAP]

If I put solaredge inverter inside of garage,do I need to put a placard stating that PV power source and DC disconnect located inside of garage thanks

 

[ggunn]

If I put solaredge inverter inside of garage,do I need to put a placard stating that PV power source and DC disconnect located inside of garage thanks

Probably not, but your AHJ can tell you for sure (requirements vary). Usually they are only concerned with the AC disco and, if required, the PV meter.

 

[Zee]

Probably not, but your AHJ can tell you for sure (requirements vary). Usually they are only concerned with the AC disco and, if required, the PV meter.

Technically some description or map of locations of PV power sources and disconnects has been required for years to be located at the meter/main.
I believe this is what you refer to?

I say technically, since I have yet to install such a placard in over 300 jobs.....and I install..... say ......20 labels per job.

Dual power supply....
and
solar system connected....
are the two labels, plus breaker labels i apply to main panel.

(you will need an ac disco in garage)

 

[shortcircuit2]

If I put solaredge inverter inside of garage,do I need to put a placard stating that PV power source and DC disconnect located inside of garage thanks

Yes...see article 705.10

 

[ggunn]

(you will need an ac disco in garage)

If his is a load side interconnection via a backfed beaker in the MDP, the breaker will serve.

 

[Carultch]

Yes...see article 705.10

"This unit is fed by two sources: the utility and the photovoltaic system"

Put that on every piece of equipment that is the kind of equipment ordinarily fed by the utility only. Up until the point of interconnection, and including the service meter. Panelboards, disconnects, load centers, enclosed breakers, customer-owned meter sockets, and the service meter socket.

 

[Zee]

If his is a load side interconnection via a backfed beaker in the MDP, the breaker will serve.

Good point!...if that breaker and inverter are within line of sight of each other.
It is not clear if MDP is inside garage or outside.

 

[jaggedben]

If his is a load side interconnection via a backfed beaker in the MDP, the breaker will serve.

Good point!...if that breaker and inverter are within line of sight of each other.
It is not clear if MDP is inside garage or outside.

690 requires an AC disco 'grouped' with an inverter. That's open to interpretation but 'line of sight' may not be good enough. 705 requires a lockable disconnect, although it doesn't have to be the same as the 'grouped' one. Many common breakers can have a padlocking device installed on them, but not all. For either reason you might have to put an extra disco in.

 

[ggunn]

690 requires an AC disco 'grouped' with an inverter. That's open to interpretation but 'line of sight' may not be good enough. 705 requires a lockable disconnect, although it doesn't have to be the same as the 'grouped' one. Many common breakers can have a padlocking device installed on them, but not all. For either reason you might have to put an extra disco in.

My bad; I posted without thinking. Most AHJ's require a lockable AC disco between the point of interconnection and the inverter, and they want it to be "grouped" with the revenue meter, which is usually on the exterior of the building. In that case, for an inverter inside a garage connected to an MDP also in the garage, you'd have to run conductors from the inverter to the outside wall to the disco and back inside to hit the MDP. I've had to do that a few times and it's not optimal, but I don't think you'd have to have another disco in the garage; the breaker in the MDP would be sufficient.

Sorry if I misdrected anyone.

 

[jaggedben]

My bad; I posted without thinking. Most AHJ's require a lockable AC disco between the point of interconnection and the inverter, and they want it to be "grouped" with the revenue meter, which is usually on the exterior of the building. In that case, for an inverter inside a garage connected to an MDP also in the garage, you'd have to run conductors from the inverter to the outside wall to the disco and back inside to hit the MDP. I've had to do that a few times and it's not optimal, but I don't think you'd have to have another disco in the garage; the breaker in the MDP would be sufficient.

Sorry if I misdrected anyone.

Utility requirements aside, we have one AHJ who is now enforcing the lockable requirement on the breaker if there isn't a separate readily accessible AC disco somewhere for another reason. They require it on the breaker for micro-inverter systems too. We're using this device on most of our breakers, and saving around $50 on residential projects. But occasionally we have a breaker that doesn't have such a thing made for it and we have to install a disco. The lockable requirement in the code has been something I've been aware of for a long time even though I've been thankful most AHJs weren't enforcing it.

That same AHJ also interprets 'grouped' as being within 6ft, so even if inverter and breaker are within line of sight you may still need another disco.

 

[ggunn]

Utility requirements aside, we have one AHJ who is now enforcing the lockable requirement on the breaker if there isn't a separate readily accessible AC disco somewhere for another reason. They require it on the breaker for micro-inverter systems too. We're using this device on most of our breakers, and saving around $50 on residential projects. But occasionally we have a breaker that doesn't have such a thing made for it and we have to install a disco. The lockable requirement in the code has been something I've been aware of for a long time even though I've been thankful most AHJs weren't enforcing it.

That same AHJ also interprets 'grouped' as being within 6ft, so even if inverter and breaker are within line of sight you may still need another disco.

The AHJ's I routinely work with require the lockable AC disco to have a "visible break", meaning a bladed disco where one can see the conductors separated, not a breaker.

 

[jaggedben]

The AHJ's I routinely work with require the lockable AC disco to have a "visible break", meaning a bladed disco where one can see the conductors separated, not a breaker.

I wager you are talking about AHJs which are their own utility, or the jurisdictions overlap so that it amounts to the same, and thus it is, actually, a utility requirement. I work with one such jurisdiction, and IIRC they have a visible break requirement. (They definitely require a separate disco, and I've not tried to use something besides a safety switch.) All the other AHJs I work with are served by PG&E, and that utility no longer requires a visible break disconnect. And thus, since there is no NEC requirement for visible break, there's no such requirement from those AHJs either. Most of them are also ignoring one or both of the lockable and grouped requirements mentioned above, but I'm prepared with solutions if they start enforcing them.

 

[Zee]

Utility requirements aside, we have one AHJ who is now enforcing the lockable requirement on the breaker if there isn't a separate readily accessible AC disco somewhere for another reason. They require it on the breaker for micro-inverter systems too. We're using this device on most of our breakers, and saving around $50 on residential projects. But occasionally we have a breaker that doesn't have such a thing made for it and we have to install a disco. The lockable requirement in the code has been something I've been aware of for a long time even though I've been thankful most AHJs weren't enforcing it.

That same AHJ also interprets 'grouped' as being within 6ft, so even if inverter and breaker are within line of sight you may still need another disco.

thankfully I too have gotten away with breakers. Was unaware of lockable requirement in NEC! Thanks!