Main reason why inverters limit pv voltage input...

[Supervstech]

So...
NEC requires any residential pv maximum voltage at 600V.

 

[timselectric]

And I don't see that changing, any time soon.

 

[schmism]

we have had a 600V limit for decades. its nothing new

 

[rhino]

Are there other countries allowing over 600V PV in residential setting?

 

[Prince Of Darkness]

... one might wonder about each battery-to-battery interconnect, in a 48 V system, needing to be in conduit ... or, perhaps the battery box needs to be all metal, with the lid always closed, above 30 V..

At times, it seems that these Codes are getting a bit too tight, IMO.

 

[Tomthumb62]

Who would try to put 600v into an inverter?! Usually 12/24/48v will suffice…

Ok I know that’s not what you meant here, but it confuses the F out of me when I first joined this forum. Charge controllers accept PV input, not inverters. But many people seem to use the word inverter for any AIO. It’s confusing to beginners, and there seems to be a lot of beginners looking at AIO’s. They might buy an inverter and fry something when they try connecting their 250v PV input to their 48v inverter, “oh I need a charge controller?! What’s that?”

 

[schmism]

like anything DIY, its on the user to read an understand the directions that come with their device.

Your not going to fix stupid.

 

[Sigunas]

Are there other countries allowing over 600V PV in residential setting?

All continental Europe with 3 phase grid?

 

[timselectric]

All continental Europe with 3 phase grid?

What's the PV voltage limit for residential, there?

 

[Hedges]

So...
NEC requires any residential pv maximum voltage at 600V.

"one- and two-family dwellings"



So...
Just make it a triplex and you're allowed residential pv maximum voltage 1000V

For 230/400Y common in some European residential, higher voltage PV might be desired.
But the architecture in my inverters allows voltage boost as well as buck.
Sunny TriPower 277/480Y is rated for 500V to 800V nominal, max 1000V, but works at least for lower wattage with my 380 Vmp strings.

Here's the SMA TriPower Smart Energy for European residential installations, 1000V max.

https://files.sma.de/downloads/STPxx-3SE-40-DS-en-20.pdf

 

[Prince Of Darkness]

I do apologize for my previous post, in this Thread.

I slipped a cog, and somehow forgot that this was concerning PV circuits.

Had a roof Rodent (I assume), trying to break into this cabin all last night, that is a dandy excuse, I know.

Thanks for being gentle. Sleepless Luke

 

[Shimmy]

NEC requires any residential pv maximum voltage at 600V.

NEC really blocks any residential power over 600V class... but that isn't the *main* reason charge controllers often max out roughly there. There is (or at least was) a significant price delta between 600V, 1kV, and 1.5kV power electronics.

20-30A at 600VDC is a lot of power at a residential scale though, especially when you look at the regulated side approaching 400A.

And I don't see that changing, any time soon.

The only thing I can see happening in a year or two is that the RSD, GFI, and Arc Fault data encourage a slight relaxing the PV voltage limits if installed in metallic conduit to the point where Vmp with temperature corrections is pushed up to 600V. I really can't imagine any residential electricians wanting to touch it though. Most are not sufficiently trained from a safety perspective to work with anything over 240VAC. (I don't view that as a fault... just as a job condition.)

 

[timselectric]

A solar system is out of the realm of knowledge for most residential electricians, most commercial electricians, and 50% of industrial electricians.
Most electricians get into one segment of the field. And only know what they do repeatedly, every day.
Not to say that they can't pick up the knowledge. But most are happy to stay in their own little box.

 

[SilverbackMP]

Who would try to put 600v into an inverter?! Usually 12/24/48v will suffice…

Ok I know that’s not what you meant here, but it confuses the F out of me when I first joined this forum. Charge controllers accept PV input, not inverters. But many people seem to use the word inverter for any AIO. It’s confusing to beginners, and there seems to be a lot of beginners looking at AIO’s. They might buy an inverter and fry something when they try connecting their 250v PV input to their 48v inverter, “oh I need a charge controller?! What’s that?”

Sunny Boys.

 

[Hedges]

1000V, Fronius

Finally, the start of my 25kw Ground Mount grid-tie system

with up to 99 Slave-Inverters They are a popular commercial site inverter.

diysolarforum.com

I found the 1000V disconnects for him

Finally, the start of my 25kw Ground Mount grid-tie system

Is that enough space between the inverters for the cooling fans?

diysolarforum.com

His loophole was the 1000V system wasn't on a dwelling.