Solar install turning out really bad - looking for some help/advice please.

[SunEagle]

Just talked to the inspector, we're the first stop and she should be here within an hour. Come on baby, maybe 3rd time's a charm?

Looking good HX_Guy. I have got my fingers crossed for a Pass Inspection result.

[Jason]

Good Luck HX Guy, its been a long road, hopefully today will be a a win for you, cheers.

[HX_Guy]

Just talked to the inspector, we're the first stop and she should be here within an hour. Come on baby, maybe 3rd time's a charm?

[J.P.M.]

If the wire is getting hot.. you have the wrong sized wire....

Common Sense 101

That's one cause. Other parts of the NEC code probably speak to that issue. There are other reasons or temp. increases.

If I stuff twice as much properly sized wire in a conduit, all other things being equal, the additional wire will generate something like twice as much heat inside the conduit, but the wire won't be twice as hot from resistance heating. The conduit will however, need something like twice as much outside surface area to dissipate twice as much heat from twice as much wire through a combination of conduction, convection and radiation heat transfer mechanisms.

In the case of twice as much wire = twice as much heat generation, the temp. increase inside the conduit is due to inadequate heat transfer to the surroundings and therefore heat retention and temp. buildup inside the conduit, including all the contents. Like I wrote, its a heat transfer situation.

Common sense is great, sometimes it's not straight forward. In this case, it probably ain't enough without a little critical thinking to go with it.

[Alisobob]

If the wire is getting hot.. you have the wrong sized wire....

Common Sense 101

[J.P.M.]

That's not true. It has to do will fill calculations and heat. NEC code addresses this and says that conduit can't be filled more than 40% if I remember correctly because the cables can overheat if they don't have "room to breathe".

It's a situation dealing with heat transfer. Stuff too much heat generating wire into a conduit and a larger area is required (a bigger conduit diameter) to dissipate the heat and thus avoid overheating due to inadequate heat transfer surface area. NEC rules are probably conservative for most conditions if followed.

[HX_Guy]

WTF does the conduit size have to do with anything.... as long as the correct sized conductors can fit inside??

That's not true. It has to do will fill calculations and heat. NEC code addresses this and says that conduit can't be filled more than 40% if I remember correctly because the cables can overheat if they don't have "room to breathe".

[Alisobob]

WTF does the conduit size have to do with anything.... as long as the correct sized conductors can fit inside??

3/4" vs. 1"


...plhueeeze.

[bcroe]

Welcome to conduit bending, happens a lot here. Looks great, hope the inspector
thinks so. Bruce Roe

[HX_Guy]

Fixed everything. Was up on the roof almost 5 hours again today. It's done. I'm done. It better freaking pass.



Started out by pulling out all the wires out of the 3/4" conduit. Had to cut off the connectors since I couldn't pull the wire out of the crimps.


I guess I can add conduit bending to my skill list. It's kind of tricky getting it just right, but not too bad.


Fed the wires through, put on new connectors and secured the new 1" conduit to the rails. Didn't paint it yet, figured it would be easier for the inspector to visually see it was changed out from ground level.


This was the other section the inspector said needed conduit, freaking wires going everywhere. (Don't mind the patched up tile, it'll do until I can get a replacement).



Rerouted the ground cable and ran everything through new conduit. Looks 10x better.


Then I went a little conduit crazy since I had some left over. There were a couple other spots that the inspector didn't notice, but I figured what the hell let me get those too.

Before:


After:


And two final spots.


Finally finished up by redoing the ground bushing connection inside the DC disconnect box, it was another item the inspector marked for correction today.

Before it had a #10 copper jumper and the inspector said the green ground needed to pass through there. I think that's really nitpicking, I don't see the different from a performance standpoint but whatever.

Before:


After:




That's it. Inspection is set for tomorrow. I'm praying the same lady comes back and can just look at the two items she noted and pass this damn thing.

[Living Large]

Got it. Corrections Incorrect - I didn't read it that way.

[SunEagle]

That's makes sense. It is more of a "punch list" of items that still need to be fixed.

Although some of the original items were technically "fixed" after the permit was modified. Like item #4 where she wanted the wires sizes to be changed to #2 & #4 AWG to meet the original permit drawings but now can stay as the #6 which was originally installed.

[HX_Guy]

Seems pretty inefficient. Why would the inspectors keep coming out to check only a portion of the project each time. Sounds like they are getting paid per trip or inspection.

Hmm, I think you may have misunderstood...or I wasn't very clear.

The corrections noted today were because of incorrect corrections to the corrections noted last time. That "Corrections inc." means "Corrections incorrect."

So the first time it failed, the inspector noted:

Wiring between arrays need to be in conduit.
Bond bushing required inside disconnect box.

Both of those were fixed, but incorrectly. The other 6 items were fixed and are ok and aside from these two remaining issues, the rest are good to go.

[SunEagle]

Well they can always bring up more corrections if needed, but going by this inspection, they only check for items that they noted as needed corrected the previous time.

Seems pretty inefficient. Why would the inspectors keep coming out to check only a portion of the project each time. Sounds like they are getting paid per trip or inspection.

[HX_Guy]

Well they can always bring up more corrections if needed, but going by this inspection, they only check for items that they noted as needed corrected the previous time.