electrofelon
Senior Member
- Location
- Cherry Valley NY, Seattle, WA
I was just going over in my head the various options and pros and cons for getting juice to/from a remote array structure and thought I would run it by the group for input and to catch anything I might be missing. Say we have a single family dwelling and a ground mount array. Here is the way I see the options:
1. Inverter at house, Run strings or a combined string back to the house.
2. Inverter at array, run a feeder to a panelboard at the array structure, connect the inverter output circuit to this panelboard.
3. Inverter at array, run inverter output circuit back to house.
4. Inverter at array, Use 230.40 Exception #3 to run a set of SEC to a service panelboard at the array structure.
My thoughts:
----->#1 gets you the most bang for the buck for voltage drop, although The PV wire will likely be copper where as the other options could likely use AL, not sure what wins out cost wise without running some numbers.
----> #1 doesnt allow use of 1000V strings.
----> Regarding #2 vs #3, I dont see an advantage of #2 over #3 unless you have multiple inverters you want to combine or want power at the array for other uses.
----> I like #4 a lot and have done that several times.
----> IIRC, prior to 2017 #1 and #3 would not require a GES at the array right? (still havent gotten my 2017 code book)
----> #1 would invoke rapid shutdown issues if you go more than 5 feet inside the structure with strings. I am not up on the 2017 changes to RS.
anything else?
1. Inverter at house, Run strings or a combined string back to the house.
2. Inverter at array, run a feeder to a panelboard at the array structure, connect the inverter output circuit to this panelboard.
3. Inverter at array, run inverter output circuit back to house.
4. Inverter at array, Use 230.40 Exception #3 to run a set of SEC to a service panelboard at the array structure.
My thoughts:
----->#1 gets you the most bang for the buck for voltage drop, although The PV wire will likely be copper where as the other options could likely use AL, not sure what wins out cost wise without running some numbers.
----> #1 doesnt allow use of 1000V strings.
----> Regarding #2 vs #3, I dont see an advantage of #2 over #3 unless you have multiple inverters you want to combine or want power at the array for other uses.
----> I like #4 a lot and have done that several times.
----> IIRC, prior to 2017 #1 and #3 would not require a GES at the array right? (still havent gotten my 2017 code book)
----> #1 would invoke rapid shutdown issues if you go more than 5 feet inside the structure with strings. I am not up on the 2017 changes to RS.
anything else?
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