Want to make your inspectors happy? Mark Baldassari Director, Codes and Standards
Agenda Inspectors How to make your inspector happy Common Misconceptions Installing Microinverters Disconnect Means Grounding Particularly UL 2703 Rapid Shutdown 2
How to make your inspector happy? Find out what they want Get all the data they need Site plans Single line drawings Data sheets Check your calculations Conductor sizing, insulation type, temperature rating OCPD sizing, branch and main Busbar Ampacity Make your submittal package consistent Make every package look like the last If changes are made on site then update the permit 3
Disconnecting Means
Disconnecting Means Readily and Non-Readily Accessible Locations Section 690.15 - Inverters have disconnects from all sources of power Required for maintenance Shall be grouped at or within sight of the inverter Section 690.6 - Alternating-Current Modules (ACM) are exempt from dc circuit requirements, including; disconnects GFI, etc But, section 690.6(C) does require an ac disconnect Microinverters and ACMs located not readily accessible locations Section 690.15(A) requires inverters mounted in not readily accessible locations to have ac and dc disconnects at the inverter Section 690.13(A) requires an additional ac disconnect located in a readily accessible area, normally at ground level This disconnect could be a utility-required ac disconnect or backfeed breaker in a load center 5
Disconnecting Means - Connectors Section 690.17(E) Exception permits connectors to be used as ac and/or dc disconnecting means Must be listed and identified for use and meet the requirements of 690.33 Section 690.33(B) Guarding Touch safe Section 690.33(E)(1) Requires a tool to disconnect load-break rated connectors All Enphase Microinverters connectors have been certified by an NRTL for load-break operation, they are guarded, and are located within sight of the inverter 6
Grounding and Bonding
System Grounding Neutral Bar is bonded to Ground Bar through Main Bonding Jumper Ground Bar is bonded to Grounding Electrode through Grounding Electrode Conductor (GEC) Equipment Grounding Conductor (EGC) bonded to Ground Bar GEC is required because a current-carrying conductor (neutral) is intentionally bonded to ground 8
Lay-In Lug Bonding Bond to ground PV Modules, Racking, Microinverters Lay-in lugs on each module, bonded together through Array EGC Microinverter EGC bonded to Array EGC then homerun to Main Panel 9
UL 2703 Certified System Modules bonded to racking through UL 2703 device Microinverters bonded to racking through UL 2703 device Enphase Microinverters and Engage Cable system is UL certifies under a Component Recognition as a bonding component for UL 2703 racking systems Microinverter EGC provides grounding for the array 10
690.12 Rapid Shutdown
690.12 Rapid Shutdown of PV Systems on Buildings Required for buildings Residential and Commercial Not required for ground mount, carports, or detached garages Requirement for controlled conductors 1.5 m (5 ft) inside a building 3 m (10 ft) from a PV array Controlled conductors limited to not more than 30 V and 240 volt-amperes within 10 seconds 12
Rapid Shutdown Initiator Enphase Microinverters meet these requirements. They always have and always will RSS is initiated by ac circuit breaker Utility-interactive microinverters will shut down within 2 seconds as verified under UL 1741 certification All conductors in controlled zone are forced to 0 V at 0 amps in less than 2 seconds 13
Summary
Key Points Inspectors Find out what they want Make your submissions consistent Common Misconceptions Installing Microinverters Disconnect Devices Enphase Microinverter connectors meet the requirements Grounding Particularly UL 2703 Save money, save time, improved grounding Rapid Shutdown System Enphase Microinverters meet NEC requirements. They always have and always will 15
Resources Permitting Solar American Board of Codes and Standards Expedited Permit Process http://solarabcs.org/about/publications/reports/expedited-permit/index.html CA Governor s Office of Planning and Research Solar Permitting Guidebook http://www.opr.ca.gov/s_renewableenergy.php Disconnecting Means Enphase Energy Support, search for disconnect https://enphase.com/en-us/support/technical-brief-connectors-ac-disconnects-pvapplications-interpreting-nec-requirements-60 Grounding and Bonding Enphase/ Unirac UL 2703 Bonding video https://www.youtube.com/watch?t=23&v=9gm_vvebatk Rapid shutdown Enphase Energy Support, search for disconnect https://enphase.com/en-us/support/enphase-topic-brief-rapid-shutdown 16
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