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Stand Alone Solar Arc-fault protection devices.

Hi guys.

any updates here? Anyone with working Fonrich AFCI solution?

I also found Sensata (already mentioned on this forum) and other two alternatives Siemens and Santon. But looks like no one produce this devices anymore.
 
Luxpower/EG4 use the Fonrich sensor in their unit.
Yeah but no optimizers under panels right? Are there any instructions about usage together with optimizers? As far as we know here (thanks to @Austint) Fonrich detect optimizer activities (Tigo optimizers, don't know for others).
 
The Fonrich is for arc detection only, it also has an AP Smart transmitter for Tigo etc fire safety cut off only using PLC signaling.
If you want to use the Tigo monitoring on their optimizers etc then you have to use an external CCA.
 

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The Fonrich is for arc detection only, it also has an AP Smart transmitter for Tigo etc fire safety cut off only using PLC signaling.
If you want to use the Tigo monitoring on their optimizers etc then you have to use an external CCA.

"it also has an AP Smart transmitter for Tigo"

Is this something new? Or this is just some signal forwarder?

I know Fonrich afci functionality. But as I talk here with @Austint he was not able to get it in working order together with Tigo optimizers under panels (sensivity must be set at 127 what actually means Off, no detection) otherwise he get arc trigers every few seconds. But when he disconnect optimizers then he was able to get it work with some normal sensing setup value. From this point of view it was obvious that false tigers was generated by Tigo optimizers. This is why I'm asking as I have Tigo optimizers, but want to add external afci for safety reasons. Solution itself looks promising, but if non Fonrich optimizers disturb sensing and device generate false trigers its unusable.
 
Hmm, I want to use Sunny Boy internal and Sensata external AFCI with Tigo RSD. Those of course have a keep-alive transmitter.
I don't know what the signal is, could be a simple tone, or could be higher frequency modulated data like used for monitoring.

I would want AFCI to perform RSD, not sure if internal keep-alive transmitter does that, but could implement that for external.

I'm not sure most optimizers communicate for that function. They would have MPPT switching harmonics, but so do inverter/SCC.
Is their monitoring communication limited to a narrow band that could be notch filtered? Or unlike over the air, they don't think they need to coexist with other devices?
 
@Hedges I think there is not a problem keep a live signal between Tigo cca and optimizers. Looks like it's problem when tigo optimizer do "the magic" every few seconds, this corespond as disturbed signal on fonrich sensor and triger as arc. Coils and logic on Fonrich probably do some spectral analysis and when optimizer act there must be some disturbing on string.
 
I'm experiencing nuisance arc faults on a new Sol-Ark 15K with TIGO optimizers. I'm currently not exporting as I don't have PTO. I'm not getting faults in the early morning. It starts once PV production is strong. I get 2 or 3 faults per day. I'm hoping it's due to load switching rather than the TIGOs. With PTO I'll be able to export and the Sol-Ark won't have to curtail PV production to match loads.
 
Meanwhile I'm waiting for a few answers from manufacturers of external afci modules I'm thinking about RCD device usage.

For example MD0630STA (just Google it) it's a current leakage sensing device who can detect DC current leakage starting at 6mA. I know this is not afci device, but when arc is present on solar string (serial, parallel or to ground) there must be some change on current of string, like not stable, spikes, leakeage, .... So what do you thing, could be possible to detect also arcing with such a device? Another question is what actually is going on with mA-mps during production with optimizers and if such a device can have false trigers.
 
This is a long and complex thread, I've tried to follow but may not grasp all the nuances so please forgive if this has already been suggested or ruled out...

But back to the concept of the OP's repurposing of a remote trip breaker of some kind triggered by a standalone arc fault detector, originally proposed to be part # PVAF-T. I can't find that item on ebay anymore but I did find this, which seems possibly quite similar.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/225675327697

Couldn't find good documentation for the specific part online so I can't be positive it's a DC arc fault detector, but based on the manual displayed with a screenshot, it seems like it might be a rebranded version of essentially the same item designed for a retrofit of an "ABB Group" inverter. Do you think it is? Could it work in a generic application, with all the caveats about its limitations already described on this thread?
 
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