?
Tuesday, April 19, 2016
Question:
Re: CQD answer published Tuesday, March 22, 2016 -PV System Connections
Charlie, In respect to Monday’s question about connecting a PV system ahead of the Main breaker of an existing service, your answer was more clear than any so far. I am with the State of Connecticut Office of State Building Inspectors, Electrical Inspector. This topic has hit my desk a few times over the past 2 years. As an electrician, I am more apt to understand an answer if the work is shown as to how you got there. I understand your answer completely; that the PV system is not a service because it is not a utility by definition…got it. The PV system cannot generate the same fault current that the utility side can…got it. My big concern, which seems to be lacking in the code, is that we are connecting to utility service wires ahead of the MAIN and creating another MAIN for the PV system to connect to. Should we be following the same rules as if we were setting up a new service? (i.e.: service rated disconnect, green bonding screw, grounding electrode, ground and neutral bonded at first means of disconnect)
Mike Ose
A
Answer:
Hey Mike thanks for your follow up question, all of the related rules are not necessarily as complementary as they could be. Yes it is allowed to connect a PV system to the line side of a service disconnecting means as stated in 230.82(6) but that does not make it a service. A service disconnecting means is required to allow power to a building or structure that is supplied from a utility, to be disconnected. If there are other sources of power, such as a PV system, they also require disconnecting means as stated in 690.13 and 690.15. The rules in 250.24 don't apply because they are for services.