Solar Panel Arc Fault

If you have a problem with an afci arc fault circuit interrupter shutting off in you main electrical panel you re not alone.

Solar panel arc fault.

Sma sunny boy us inverters are now available with integrated arc fault circuit interrupter afci functionality. It is practically impossible for a solar installer to check all of the seals are waterproof preventing water ingress and to also check that all of the cable joints are not corroded and subject to high impedance. Dc arc faults are quite simply electrical energy flowing through an air gap which in turn creates an electrical arc. Arc fault events are a pain point in the solar industry for the threat they pose to pv systems and maybe more so for the detection headaches they cause.

Integrating afci functionality within the pv system inverter eliminates the cost and effort of installing additional arc fault circuit protection components to meet 2011 nec section 690 11 requirements. Everyone reading this is nodding along thinking of the times a system they installed was falsely tripped or even worse when an arc fault was completely missed by the detection system. Solve an afci tripping problem. Reset an arc fault breaker like you would a standard circuit breaker.

Older inverters did not have arc fault detection but new generation inverters do. Combine the dc arc with a combustable material and fire is the result. It s worth understanding the 3 main types of. Replacing old inverters in an array with older solar panels may result in new arc fault errors.

Afci in main panel. This arcing translates to heat which can break down the insulation surrounding individual conducting. The term arc fault refers to a situation in which loose or corroded wiring connections create an intermittent contact that causes electrical current to spark or arc between metal contact points when you hear a light switch or outlet buzzing or hissing you are hearing arcing as it happens. When the sun rises the solar panels start producing power the bare conductors become live causing a dc arc fault and building fire.