I'm definitely interested in being involved too. I really respect how
difficult the language crafting can be, and the frustration to have
certain intent be misconstrued by an AHJ some where else later.
R.Ray Walters
CTO, Solarray, Inc
Nabcep Certified PV Installer,
Licensed Master Electrician
Solar Design Engineer
303 505-8760
On 1/23/2014 4:17 PM, Dan Fink wrote:
Thanks for the correction on that sedona fire Bill; I had only seen
the incorrect fire dept report.
I wish there was a clearinghouse for information on RE incidents and
close calls as they are all teachable moments for both RE
professionals and firefighters.
I ditto the need for more NEC guidance on battery banks. In my
firefighting career, I've been at about a dozen structure fires
involving RE equipment. Only 4 were actually caused by the RE
equipment. *All* of those originated in or near the battery bank. 1
internal battery short circuit, 1 mouse chew inside battery box, and 2
bad connection when charging with a generator.
I'd like to get involved, Bill....I have lots to say about wooden
battery boxes, parallel fusing, signage, and more. What are the first
steps for getting involved?
Dan Fink,
Executive Director;
Otherpower
Buckville Energy Consulting
Buckville Publications LLC
NABCEP / IREC accredited Continuing Education Providers
970.672.4342
On Thu, Jan 23, 2014 at 12:23 PM, Bill Brooks <billbroo...@yahoo.com
<mailto:billbroo...@yahoo.com>> wrote:
Jeffrey and Ray,
Batteries can off-gas hydrogen-sulfide gas when under heavy charge
or overcharge. It is the nasty rotten egg smelling gas. Definitely
not to be inhaled since when it hits your lungs it turns back into
sulfuric acid.
To address Ray's point, the new 690.12 regulation that has been
getting a lot of air time on this list does, in fact, address
battery circuits for PV systems. Any circuit that is part of a PV
system inside a building within 5' must be controlled to 30V,
240VA within 10 seconds. This includes all the ac output
conductors from a backup PV inverter and the battery inverter
input circuit as well. This provision matches the new requirement
for battery systems in 690.71(H) that requires "A disconnecting
means and overcurrent protection shall be provided at the energy
storage device end of the circuit. Fused disconnecting means or
circuit breakers shall be permitted to be used." Ideally we try to
keep our battery conductors to 5' or less and that means that no
additional disconnecting means would be necessary according to the
new 690.71(H). If we have to go longer than 5' and the conductors
are inside the building, a rapid shutdown capability would need to
be on that circuit and it would need to have a disconnecting means
and overcurrent protection. The best way to meet this requirement
would probably be to have a shunt-trip breaker, similar to what
Midnite Solar provides with their birdhouse setup.
There are definitely much more discussion going on in the NEC
about energy storage now than ever before. This next code cycle
will be very busy on the subject. It is likely that article 480
will soon be turned into "Energy Storage" or a new article in
Chapter 6 or 7 will cover "Energy Storage Systems." It was
proposed last cycle and failed, but this time there is much more
interest in the subject. The solar industry needs to be involved,
so it sounds like this is your year for both of you to get involved.
Bill.
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