Solar

[dwellselectric]

I was thinking and I could be wrong. But I'm starting to see more and more solor panels being installed on houses and I was curious. Say there is a fire at a house and the fire department pulls the meter to the house. That is not going to kill the power to the house. There will still be power due to the panels correct? That kinda poses a problem I would think?

 

[iwire]

I was thinking and I could be wrong. But I'm starting to see more and more solor panels being installed on houses and I was curious. Say there is a fire at a house and the fire department pulls the meter to the house. That is not going to kill the power to the house. There will still be power due to the panels correct? That kinda poses a problem I would think?

As long as there is light the modules will produce DC power, if it is a grid tied PV system the DC to AC inverter will shut down it's AC output when utility power is shut down.

 

[iwire]

Just saw you location, I just finished a PV system in Chatham and I am consulting on one in Mashpee.

 

[dwellselectric]

Seems very interesting. I went to a class on pv systems but that instructor didn't seem to knowledgable. But thank you for the lesson. I am seeing more and more pop up on the cape here within the past year.

 

[SeanD]

Part of the UL listing requirement for Grid-tied Inverters is to shut down without AC power to prevent islanding. So the Fire Department will pull the meter and the system will shut down.

Sorry for the repeat, that's what happens when you get distracted midpost

 

[stevearne]

solar installation training

solar installation training

I received a request regarding training for installing solar in southern California. Does anyone have a good resource for that?

 

[iwire]

I received a request regarding training for installing solar in southern California. Does anyone have a good resource for that?

http://www.nabcep.org/resources/training

 

[cadpoint]

http://www.nabcep.org/resources/training

Is that what class your taking ?

 

[cadpoint]

Seems very interesting. ...... I am seeing more and more pop up on the cape here within the past year.

Yes, and I'll bet some are from Harbor Freight which has 3 panels for 200.00 for 48 watts...

Not included they say use a 300W inververter, no battery either...

 

[stevearne]

Thanks for the info Bob

 

[kid_stevens]

I just surveyed a house in Solar Valley a nickname, no power lines are in the Valley. We have to put a man height disconnect for the PV panels that disconnects the panels, another for the battery string and with wind turbines they have to have a disconnect.

My solution is one handle (painted red) that disconnects all of them through contactors. The PV contactor and the wind turbine contactor is battery fed by the battery contactor and the battery disconnect takes all 3 contactors out.

 

[iwire]

My solution is one handle (painted red) that disconnects all of them through contactors.

That would not fly here and I am surprised you can go that route there.


Just like an 'E-Stop' button does not make it as a motor disconnecting means.

 

[Mike01]

AC Shutoff

AC Shutoff

But if the inverter "shut-off's" durrin a power outage is that not the time you want it to function the most when you have no utility power?

 

[iwire]

But if the inverter "shut-off's" durrin a power outage is that not the time you want it to function the most when you have no utility power?

You can set it up that way if you include battery stacks but those are expensive.

So many utility interactive PV systems simply shut down during a power failure to prevent back feeding the utility grid.

 

[rcarroll]

My POCO requires an AC disconnect by the meter. Even tho the inverter shuts down, I guess they just want to be sure.

 

[kid_stevens]

There are no outages in Solar Valley. The nearest utility is privately owned over 3 miles away. PNM (Power of New Mexico) is forbidden to set poles because of private right of ways . Trenching in the Limestone and Granite based soil is $1000 per 500 feet. So this whole valley is dependent on batteries or candles and wood fires.

As long as the batteries have power my design will start up. The AHJ likes the fail safe feature that disconnects the power if the battery string fails dues to battery problems, like overheating to a melt down or cabling issues.

They asked me to include a shut down of the inverter at 20% of battery charge to just run 24V DC lights as a safety factor. That is also on a contactor in the normally open position until the coil loses it's AC signal.

Number of electrocutions in this state from people thinking the PV is off is on the rise. We are trying to change the state code to include an indicator light if the PV panels are generating power in any amount.

 

[LarryFine]

Number of electrocutions in this state from people thinking the PV is off is on the rise. We are trying to change the state code to include an indicator light if the PV panels are generating power in any amount.

That big indicator light in the sky isn't enough? :roll: