Main Panel Disconnect Used As Solar Utility Disconnect

In a grid tied pv system the national electrical code nec 690 15 requires disconnects to be used on both the direct current dc and alternating current ac side of the inverter.

Main panel disconnect used as solar utility disconnect.

The ac disconnect may be a breaker on a service panel or it may be a stand alone switch. Brands cutler hammer ge siemens square d westinghouse. Solar disconnects have an essential safety role for pv systems providing a way to isolate equipment for essential maintenance or in the case of catastrophic events. No main disconnect switch in electrical panels with six or more breakers.

That is if six or fewer breakers are in the main panel that panel can be counted as a service disconnect nec ref 2. This removes most restrictions imposed by the breaker box as long as the main breaker is big enough to receive the power from the inverter. Voltage 240 480 600 volt. It enables us to run our home on either a generator or solar power alternating between the two forms of power as necessary.

The breaker must be of the backfed type since current must be able flow backwards into the utility grid. Line side tap with production meter. I thought that without the battery connected the solar panel would fry the controller. Amps 30 to 800 amp fused nonfused.

If the six breaker rule is allowed locally the six switches must be together in the same panel enclosure. Connecting a transfer switch to our breaker panel was one more thing we had to do before we could disconnect from the grid. The instructions for my solar panel say. Each pole will handle one of the two hot 120 volt conductors coming from the inverter.

The main breaker box is completely bypassed and a fused ac disconnect is used to connect the inverter to the grid between the utility meter and the main breaker box. Types nema1 indoor nema 3r raintight nema 4x stainless steel. When you run your wiring from the ac disconnect to the main panel you ll need to install a new two pole aka dp circuit breaker into the panel as part of that connection.