parallel panels via their junction boxes

Posted by James Johnson on August 21, 2009, 07:51:44 AM

parallel panels via their junction boxes
I currently (3) solar panels and have each individual Kyocera KC-40T panel on it's own wire and it's own breaker hooked into a 3 space Midnight Solar combiner box.

I want to increase my array and was wondering if I can parallel 2 panels by running wire between their junction boxes and then send the wire from this string to 1 slot of the combiner box?

I would need to increase the breaker by a factor of 2x? and make sure that the wire going from the parallel string to the combiner box can carry the amperage?

this would mean I could double my 40watt panel array size to (6) panels?

James
 

Posted by Thomas Allen Schmidt on August 23, 2009, 07:43:22 AM

Re: parallel panels via their junction boxes (Reply #1)
Its an NEC issue.
That is whats known as "double lugging."
A lot depends on the UL rating of the terminals in the PV modules J-box. Even if each screw/clamp terminal is UL listed as being able to have double wires and its UL listed amperage ratings are sufficient, a lot of inspectors still don't like to see it. What does the manufactures spec. sheet or warranty have to say about it? Anything? Diodes?
Think about how, not just the amperage from the one PV module is passing through the screw/clamp terminal but the amperage of two PV modules. Or more if several are "daisy chained" in parallel. There is also the issue of the UL listed amperage rating of the combiner box, the total amperage, not just the individual PV module circuits. 6 - KC40T's in parallel after the 156% would be close to 25 amps.
(On a side note, something that has always irked me about residential, 15 amp, 120 vac duplex wall receptacles, on a 20 amp circuit, is that little flimsy piece of metal jumper between the screw terminals. In Commercial use, the current carrying conductors must be bonded together with a single "pig tail" that hooks under the screw.)
Of course its not just at the PV modules in your case put at the combiner box which most inspectors will treat just like a power distribution or "breaker" panel. There again some, like the Square-D, QO breakers are made with the screw/clamp terminal that can hold two wires. But a lot of inspectors still don't like to see it and they don't like to see power distribution panels used as j-boxes so a "pig tail" may have to be done in a separate j-box first.
http://photovoltaics.sandia.gov/docs/John_Wiles_Code_Corner.htm
This one in particular.
http://photovoltaics.sandia.gov/docs/PDF/Code_Corner_96.pdf
I hope something here helps you.
 

Posted by James Cormican on August 23, 2009, 10:28:19 AM

Re: parallel panels via their junction boxes (Reply #2)
in addition, to what was mentioned above about double lugging, here is the math behind why its now allowed.

take the isc of one module.  multiply it by 1.56 then by the number of strings you want in parllel.  if this number is over the series fuse rating, you are not allowed to wire them in parallel in a battery based system without series ocpd on each string. 

in your case, i believe their series fuse size is 6a, so you cant put more than one module in parallel without using an ocpd rated at 6a for each, (hence the combiner box located at the site of the array).

james
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Posted by James Johnson on August 23, 2009, 12:23:21 PM

Re: parallel panels via their junction boxes (Reply #3)
O.K. I got it....need to upgrade my combiner box to add in more panels...

Thanks Thomas & James for the info!







« Last Edit: August 23, 2009, 12:25:12 PM by James Johnson »
 

Posted by Thomas Allen Schmidt on August 23, 2009, 01:23:59 PM

Re: parallel panels via their junction boxes (Reply #4)
Thank you James. I missed that very important point.
http://www.nmsu.edu/~tdi/pdf-resources/IAEI-5to6-08.pdf
Something a spec. sheet doesn't tell.
http://www.kyocerasolar.com/pdf/specsheets/KC40T.pdf
Indeed, 2 - KC40T's in parallel with the 156% added to their Isc of 2.56 at STC, would add up to 8.268 amps.
Where as I fully understand and respect that these "laws" are in place to keep the likelihood of an electrical fire from erupting to a minimum, I ponder.
If that series fuse rating of 6 amps for the KC40T, is already 1.866 amps higher than the addition of 156% to the Isc of 2.65 amps, which is 4.134 amps, then would it not still be sufficiently protected with only one other KC40T in parallel on a single over current protection device rated at no more than 6 amps? Knowing the extreme set of circumstance involved that would have to happen simultaneously. Alas, probabilities and possibilities.
http://www.judicialview.com/Law-Review/Expert-Witness/Daubert-Probabilities-and-Possibilities-and-the-Ohio-Solution/A-Sensible-Approach-to-Relevance-Under-Rule-702-in-Civil-and-Criminal-Applications/25/3890-3
Probably best that you stick with the NEC Mr. Johnson, what with liability and all being the way it is.
Better safe than sorry, right?
 
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