GFI and small system

tcvb

I am putting together a small solar PV array system.Currently have two 135 watts panels going to wire them into a MNPV3 feeding a 450 amp hour bank.Going to be adding another 135 watt panel in the future.The question i have is will the 65 amp Midnight Solar GFI breaker be fused to heavy for my current setup?Currently have a 30 amp solar charger on it now with a 15 amp breaker in a MidNight solar MNDC 175 disconnect.Also would it be best to put the GFI in the MNPV3 with a 30 amp breaker as the PV Disconnect.I can,t seem to see where they make a smaller amp GFI.

Thank's

Tim

BB.

Re: GFI and small system

Personally, I am not convinced a Solar PV GFI system is even worth the hassles and I would not install one on a small system like you are planning. Of course, this is your choice. And, if you have code requirements, you will have to install the GFI system.

The smaller 5 amp breaker (or whatever your system has configured) is actually the ground fault detector. When it detects >5 amps of ground current, it trips and takes the other breaker (65 amp in this case) to off too. The 65 amp breaker would be just an "on/off" switch for your system (for a 52 amp rated panel output).

The 65 Amp breaker should be sized for your branch circuit--if you can get a 30 amp breaker that is the same physical form factor (and appropriate ratings)--You probably can just pull the 65 and replace it with the 30 amp version (I have not seen a GFI setup in real life, so I don't know if they rivet these things together or not).

-Bill