Disconnect question

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TnAndy
TnAndy Solar Expert Posts: 249 ✭✭
in Solar Beginners Corner #1
I have a question about disconnects.....whether I have enough in my home designed system I'm in the process of assembling/installing. I'm a fairly experienced residential electrician, but this is my first solar rodeo.....so I'd sure appreciate some feedback.

System description:

12-- 24v (nominal) 175watt panels, mounted 6 each on 2 pole based racks

Midnite combiner box on each pole, 6 10amp DC breakers in each box, one per panel.

Wire from combiner box into building ( built just to hold this electrical gear ) where rest of electrical gear is mounted, I ran into a 'throw lever' manual type 2 pole fused disconnect, running one postive wire from each combiner box thru one of the two fuses (60a) on to a pair of MX60 charge controllers, the negative wires simply pass thru this box and on into the charge controllers. Controllers located within few inches of this disconnect.

Wire direct from controllers to battery bank, located in a sealed, but vented box directly below controller ( 3' ).

Positive wire from battery box directly to a double 175amp DC breaker box, ( Xantrex brand ), negatives pass thru the box ( wired on a shunt for a Trimetric battery monitor ) and then into a pair of Outback GTFX2524 2500watt inverters ( master/slave arrangement using a Hub4 ).

From the inverter pair, into an Outback Flexware AC panel, where there is one 50amp double pole breaker to feed the grid tie line, and one 50amp DP breaker to feed the household panel.

Line to the grid "buyback" meter is about 70', runs into the meter base, then into another 50amp DP breaker located on the main meter base panel ( main meter base panel has a bus bar for up to 10 slots ) where it will backfeed the grid.

Line to household ( for grid down bypass ) runs about 150' to a DPDT manual transfer switch before entering the subpanel which contains the circuits desired for a grid down situation.

I 'think' I've got disconnecting means all over the place, but just wanted to make sure I'm covered. The local electrical inspector was almost no help "solar ? Heck if I know.... ? " ......gee, thanks man........ :D

SO, recap: Disconnecting means at the arrays.....DC disconnect as it enters the electrical room.....DC disconnect between batteries/inverters.......AC disconnect ( breaker or transfer switch ) on each end of the AC lines.....

Anybody see something I missed ?

Thanks.....looking forward to firing this up !
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