Arc-Fault Circuit Interrupter (AFCI)
The inverter is equipped with an integrated photovoltaic (PV) arc-fault circuit interrupter as required for PV systems by National Electrical Code® ANSI/NFPA 70 (NEC). The inverters' arc-fault circuit interrupter (AFCI) functionality is certified to Standard UL 1699B Edition 1 (August 2018), Photovoltaic (PV) DC Arc-Fault Circuit Protection, which defines requirements for PV arc-fault protection devices intended for use in solar photovoltaic electrical energy systems as described in NEC 690.11.
The arc-fault circuit interrupter (AFCI) is activated as standard and is set so that the current flow is interrupted after each electric arc and restarts automatically. If 5 electric arcs are detected within 24 hours, the inverter interrupts feed-in operation permanently and a manual restart must be carried out. If the installation conditions permit this, you can change the default setting.
The arc-fault circuit interrupter (AFCI) can detect electric arcs in the PV modules and the module wiring of connected strings. The arc-fault circuit interrupter ensures that the inverter ceases operations and interrupts any electric arcs as soon as they are detected. This involves halting the flow of current.
The arc-fault circuit interrupter (AFCI) has proved extremely reliable, meaning that the inverter dependably detects and interrupts electric arcs that actually occur in the PV electric circuit and is generally not susceptible to false tripping. AFCI incidents output by the inverter should be regarded as reliable indicators of actual errors in the PV electric circuit displayed and should be investigated immediately and thoroughly by qualified persons to localize and rectify errors in the PV electric circuit.
Arc-fault circuit interrupter without permanent operation interruption
If the arc-fault circuit interrupter (AFCI) is configured with automatic restart, the system should be monitored closely and recurring faults in the AFCI should be investigated immediately by qualified persons. If it is not possible to identify the cause of the error, the inverter should be taken out of operation until the investigation and corrective action can be completed. Recurring errors may cause damage to neighboring conductors and system components, which could result in more extensive system failures and damage and even to uncontrolled electric arcs and fires.
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