2014 NEC disconnect

[d4tom1941]

I am about to string the run to the PVA.
Will need disconnect, so looked at MS site.
There is mention of 2014 NEC now wanting both PVA and Battery bank disco.

What products do you recommend ?

tech spec:
  2 strings of panels, combined with MS combiner --> 550VDC @ 16ADC x 1.25 x 1.25 ...
  brought back to power shed via 2 x #4 aluminum

  will eventually have 2 runs (ie. 4 strings of PVA)
  so there will be two pairs of #4 coming back

  each to its own XW MPPT


  there is battery bank -- 1500 AH 48vdc
  currently directly connected via 4/0 to the main DC bus in the XW panel


So, back to disco's

what products &tc. recommended to provide NEC compliant disconnect of PVA and Battery ?


thanks !
tom

[Robin]

Use a Square D high voltage disconnect for your PV array. The battery disconnect can be one of our MNDC175's or 250's. 4/0 cable typically uses the 250 amp version.
Sorry for the late response.
2014 is going to require a disconnect within 6 feet of the PV array. It might be 5 feet or 10 feet, I can't remember. It will also require a ground accessible rapid shut down switch. Our Birdhouse and high voltage disconnects meet this requirement. The 2014 Rapid shutdown requirement says the "solar system". That would also mean a battery based inverter indoors. We have a battery disconnect module now going through production. It also connects up to the Birdhouse and can deal with battery based inverters, generators, charge controllers and such. The PV combiners are still supported through the Birdhouse at the3 same time.
These devices are available now, but aren't cheap, so unless you just want to be code compliant in advance, I would do as described in the first part of this post. It will save about $2000.00

[Westbranch]

Robin, can you expand on the rationale of/for this new requirement? 

thanks.

[boB]

Westbranch, I think this has to do with switching of the power when there is a fire so that
the fire fighters can turn off the PV...

Of course, just as PV is starting to get reasonably priced, that's just gotta be too good to
be true and we can't have that now can we ! (?)     (I'm being facetious of course)

boB

[Westbranch]

Thanks boB, that requirement really bothers me, in my situation, as I am my own fire department, as I suspect are most OG types.  If a fire at our place is an issue it will probably be a raging wild fire and nothing is going to save us

I don't disagree where there is a PV install in a serviced area. It makes sense there.

For me though , as I plan multiple arrays due to shade issues I would have to have multiple disconnects at each array.

[Rockinriley]

What about a conduit that is painted red and labeled "IN CASEOF FIRE, PUT AXE HERE!"  Sorry my attempt at sarcasm.

[Westbranch]

OR a 100# guillotine over the conduit, with one of those fire door melting (temp sensitive) closers ? 

[zoneblue]

Something similar is coming here (NZ). They say it will require a single disconnect that shuts both array and battery off.  Yippee.

[dgd]

Something similar is coming here (NZ). They say it will require a single disconnect that shuts both array and battery off.  Yippee.

I don't think we have seen the half of it yet. The recent quakes in Wellington and the already extremely nervous home insurance providers will likely lead to some very detailed As53xx standards. Placing alternate energy hardware in/on residences or attached buildings will be very expensive.
I have already moved PVs to a rack frame 20m from my home and will eventually build a outhouse/shed for the batteries, inverters, controllers etc and only have an AC line into the house. This, I hope, will get around many of the existing and future As5300 requirements relating to house mounted PVs and storage batteries inside residential buildings.

dgd

[phonetic]

In AU/NZ standard AS5033..mandates  PV array greater than 50voc & 250watts..cabling must be in heavy duty conduit and PV array Isolator fitted.
grid or standalone PV installs  AS5033 rule applies.

Battery Isolation is still not mandated..but my guess it will soon as its classed as a primary power source, like grid power is ?