PV Cable securements and support

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Varshini Guduru

Member
Location
New Jersey
Occupation
Project Engineer
I have an install question for a 4999kW AC capacity PV system. With NEC 2020 updates , the conductor securement and support as per 690.31(C)(1) illustrates that exposed cables 8AWG or small shall be supported and secured at intervals not to exceed 24" which was formerly at 4 and half feet . My question is if skip wiring/ leap frog method is employed at the PV modules , the width of the module itself is greater than 3' . Does the 24" securement and support apply for the module leads as well ?
 
S

solarken

NABCEP PVIP
Location
Hudson, OH, USA
Occupation
Solar Design and Installation Professional
I use PV wire mgmt clips such as SnapnRack Smart clip II or Heyco Sunrunner to keep module leads and PV cables tucked under the module frame for protection and for aesthetics. If this is a roof mount, you really need to support every 24 inches anyway to keep the cables off the roof. If a ground mount, it is best to keep module leads from dangling at all as well to prevent people or animals from snagging on the wiring, and pulling on the module jbox.
 
V

Varshini Guduru

Member
Location
New Jersey
Occupation
Project Engineer
@solarken : Thank you for your response . My system is a Ground Mount Single Axis Tracker System - 2 high portrait and the modules are bifacials . I'm concerned on the module lead slack and since these module width itself is greater than 3' , I really see no means to secure these leads behind at every 24" in leap frog method . EPC contractor wants to prefer skip wiring to save money on the extra conductor length from the last module on every tracker to the CB . Wanted to see if anybody has encountered this situation .
 
S

solarken

NABCEP PVIP
Location
Hudson, OH, USA
Occupation
Solar Design and Installation Professional
Are these half-cut cell modules with the jboxes in the center? If so, not sure I have any more suggestion. If you have to span across the 40 inch module width in the middle, usually nothing to attach to for 40 inches, unless the rails are closer than that. I found this article from Hellerman Tyton, but do not see mention of anything addressing skip wiring. I would tend to tell the EPC forget the skip wiring, that having a long lasting installation is more important than having longer string runs back to the combiner. If you go south on top row and come back north on bottom row, maybe that is the best you can do to minimize the round trip distance in this situation.
 
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