SOLAR CHAMPION
Member
- Location
- Oakland, ca
I got a notice from PG&E claiming the Schneider/Square D 30A disco has potential hazard issues. Any more real info on this?
Thanks - JOHN
Thanks - JOHN
Squared D 30A disconnect recall
- Thread starter SOLAR CHAMPION
- Start date
- Status
texie
Senior Member
- Location
- Fort Collins, Colorado
- Occupation
- Electrician, Contractor, Inspector
Details here: https://www.cpsc.gov/Recalls/2018/s...afety-switches-due-to-electrical-shock-hazard
I seem to recall that they have had this issue before and even some others as well. It just seems that in the race for low cost we have a lot of products out there today that are really a disgrace in terms of durability and quality.
jumper
Senior Member
- Location
- 3 Hr 2 Min from Winged Horses
Amazing. How can they screw up making a simple disco...sad...
jaggedben
Senior Member
- Location
- Northern California
- Occupation
- Solar and Energy Storage Installer
Better info here (PDF)
https://www.schneider-electric.us/en/product-range/7272
Can anyone confirm if the date codes 1401-1803 mean January 2014 to March 2018? I already have a customer bothering me about this. Her install was done in 2010.
This seems overblown. You're supposed to inspect it, and call for a replacement if it doesn't work. How many actually don't work?
https://www.schneider-electric.us/en/product-range/7272
Can anyone confirm if the date codes 1401-1803 mean January 2014 to March 2018? I already have a customer bothering me about this. Her install was done in 2010.
This seems overblown. You're supposed to inspect it, and call for a replacement if it doesn't work. How many actually don't work?
- Location
- Placerville, CA, USA
- Occupation
- Retired PV System Designer
I got the notice from PG&E for a solar system installed in 2009. Apparently the info on the bar code label on left outside face of the disconnect will indicate whether it is in the group needing inspection.
PS: the PV system has a production meter fed from the disconnect enclosure, so both have tamper seals.
Sent from my XT1585 using Tapatalk
PS: the PV system has a production meter fed from the disconnect enclosure, so both have tamper seals.
Sent from my XT1585 using Tapatalk
kwired
Electron manager
- Location
- NE Nebraska
Your "better info" link is just general product information.
The link in post 2 has recall information in it. In the document linked to it says recalled units were manufactured Jan 2014 to Jan 2018, if installed in 2010 it was before the recalled units were ever manufactured.
jaggedben
Senior Member
- Location
- Northern California
- Occupation
- Solar and Energy Storage Installer
That's weird I screwed up the link to the Schneider info, this one should be correct.
http://www.schneider-electric.com/us/en/download/document/3130HO1801
http://www.schneider-electric.com/us/en/download/document/3130HO1801
jaggedben
Senior Member
- Location
- Northern California
- Occupation
- Solar and Energy Storage Installer
Thanks for pointing out those dates, looks like I was correct about the date codes, more or less.
jaggedben
Senior Member
- Location
- Northern California
- Occupation
- Solar and Energy Storage Installer
After thinking this over, I've decided there is no good reason for my company to go around inspecting discos we installed. Pretty much without exception, the switch would have passed the 'inspection' required by the recall notice when it was installed. It would have been wired up open, then closed to commission the system, then opened to wait for AHJ inspection and to show the inspector the wiring, then closed to turn the system on after AHJ inspection. Open, closed, opened, closed again, so we knew it worked. Extremely unlikely that the described defect wouldn't have been noticed during installation.
- Location
- Placerville, CA, USA
- Occupation
- Retired PV System Designer
That is certainly a decision you can make, but the homeowners will be getting notices and may expect more from you.
The POCO letter provides links on working with Schneider to deal with the situation, and if a disconnect falls within their production number range they may compensate you for doing the inspection according to their requirements.
I have not seen a detailed description of the problem which indicates that a subject disconnect will be obviously faulty when first installed. You have?
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kwired
Electron manager
- Location
- NE Nebraska
Only Square D recalls I have ever acted upon were notices sent to me by Square D, and was always involving items that were purchased through their program where the manufacturer quotes an entire job - they have a record of you purchasing products that possibly fall in the date code of whatever may have been recalled. One time was some I line breakers that had a recall, they had record of purchase which is why they sent me a notice but I had to verify date codes to see if I had any breakers affected by the recall. Some were within date code some were not.
jaggedben
Senior Member
- Location
- Northern California
- Occupation
- Solar and Energy Storage Installer
It's not exactly detailed, but the instructions simply state to observe whether the disco opens or not. There's no indication that a disco that works initially is likely to stop working later at some point.
StarCat
Industrial Engineering Tech
- Location
- Moab, UT USA
- Occupation
- Imdustrial Engineering Technician - HVACR Electrical and Mechanical Systems
Back In The 1980s
Back In The 1980s
Its used to be VERY common back in the 1980s and prior I would guess to deal with 3 PH Disconnects in the range of 60-200 AMPS that would not correctly open when the lever was thrown. I do not recall the specific brands, but I do remember that they were very difficult to throw and the feel was off. Since those days me and most guys from that era always check to be sure the knives are open and also for other matters such as power being wired on the load side, terminals being bypassed with split lugs leaving one phase live all the time etc.
Back In The 1980s
Its used to be VERY common back in the 1980s and prior I would guess to deal with 3 PH Disconnects in the range of 60-200 AMPS that would not correctly open when the lever was thrown. I do not recall the specific brands, but I do remember that they were very difficult to throw and the feel was off. Since those days me and most guys from that era always check to be sure the knives are open and also for other matters such as power being wired on the load side, terminals being bypassed with split lugs leaving one phase live all the time etc.
- Status