Good day. I’m learning that Victron’s MPPTs don’t have AFCI protection. Other brands like Solark, Midnite, Outback and other offer this. Given electrical code in North America is getting stricter on this requirement, are there any plans to add this to charge controllers at some point to offer DC arc protection?
Or are there standalone solutions to add to the existing controllers to offer this protection?
There are products on the market.
You can do a lot to go a long way in a physical set up anyway. One it to separate neg and positive lines.
The MPPT RS already has insulation and ground fault tests built in.
I’m not sure those options are viable. The Schneider AFCI looks to only be compatible with their Conext MPPT from what I can see. Otherwise looks like a good option.
That breaker on Amazon is 230v/50hz. Unfortunately I’m not sure if it’s DC compatible or if they make a 60hz option.
The MPPT RS from Victron looks interesting. However it doesn’t state exactly whether it has AFCI protection. Can anyone confirm this?
Thanks.
What MPPT voltage are you running?
48v system. Panels are wired series/parallel to max around 145vdc and 30a
250/100 SCC
AFCI is an important protection mechanism. Too bad the detetection method is so fraught with “false positives”.
The source of arc faults that AFCI is intended to protect is frequently poor PV wiring - sub-standard cabling, mixing MC4 connector models, improper cable layout. Doing a wiring job designed to last 25 years will avoid most disasters.
I live in an area where off grid solar is prevalent. Also, “ghetto” system installations. There’s a house fire about once a month attributable to solar system fires. AFCI may have avoided some, but in most cases, the poor quality of the overall installation and use presents myriad ignition opportunities. The local volunteer fire department will contain such a house fire to keep it from spreading, but will not attack the fire directly.
In virtually all cases, the folks who would go out of their way to install AFCI will have already done what’s necessary to make AFCI not trigger in the first place.
NEC codes, and insurance, require AFCI in the U.S. For those looking to be compliant, inverters that enable AFCI, coupled with MLPE rapid-shutdown systems, seem to generate fewer user issues than AFCI built into solar charge controllers.