Run the system without the branch that tripped. Sorry if I missed that you have done this. I appreciate you reminding me why I keep all of the electronics inside. I get tempted
Dave Angelini Offgrid Solar "we go where powerlines don't" http://members.sti.net/offgridsolar/ [1] e-mail offgridso...@sti.net [2] text 209 813 0060 On Mon, 1 Jun 2020 10:23:35 -0400, Jason Szumlanski wrote: Well, that didn't resolve it. The main breaker and a branch circuit breaker tripped again a few days ago. It was the same branch this time. As my next diagnostic step I swapped two circuits (on which breaker they are landed). If history is a guide, it will work for about two weeks and then trip again. I'm dumbfounded. I really don't want to have to tear this whole system apart. At this point, if I have to remove all the modules, I feel that I need to replace all of the trunk cable which is an expensive proposition. I really don't know what else to do at this point. Jason On Mon, May 25, 2020, 10:43 AM Jason Szumlanski wrote: I strongly suspect the CH240 combined breaker was compromised (we will see). Since it happened that two different strings tripped, I doubt I have two microinverters with internal faults. It has to be the combined breaker. I was just surprised that branch circuit breakers were tripping simultaneously with the combined output breaker. Of all the supply side connected systems I have installed, I have never seen a combined output fusible disconnect fuse blow, but I have seen many combined output breakers tripped. I was worried early on that I would be replacing fuses constantly, but that has not been an issue whatsoever. On Thu, May 21, 2020 at 11:15 AM wrote: Actually, we had a IQ7 string loaded up to its max panel size and max string length and in the spring on cool, clear day, it tripped the string's associated breaker in the Enphase combiner. We reset but of course that breaker was impaired and it tripped again. We replaced and never had an issue going forward. We suspect the breaker was less than perfect from the start as we've add equally nice days since. This almost reminds me of loading up Outback FM80. It says 4,000 watts but in reality, 3,600 is the max when amps spike. I will be extra careful going forward on IQ7 string length when going to the max published... My story. Scot FROM: RE-wrenches ON BEHALF OF Jason Szumlanski SENT: Thursday, May 21, 2020 8:57 AM TO: RE-wrenches SUBJECT: [RE-wrenches] Enphase intermittent breaker trippjng I'm trying to resolve an intermittent frustrating problem with and Enphase IQ system. There are three AC Branch circuits of 9 microinverters each coming into an Enphase AC combiner. What has been happening is one of the BR220 branch circuit breakers and the combine CH240 breaker in the main backfed load center have been tripping simultaneously. It has happened about four times in the last 6 months. It was always the same branch circuit breaker, so we kept investigating that string, checking the junction box, trunk cable, and cap, etc. Finally we swapped out the BR220 breaker. Fast forward 4 weeks, and we got another call. This time a different branch circuit breaker and the main breaker tripped simultaneously. We checked that branch circuit and could not find any fault. It seems unlikely that two branch circuit breakers would be faulty, so we have now switched out the CH240 main breaker in hopes that it is the culprit. I'm not totally confident in this resolution and I have my fingers crossed. If that doesn't work, does anyone have any suggestions on another diagnostic step? These intermittent problems are a major hassle. One thought I had was to switch to a supply side interconnection with a fusible disconnect. Maybe the intermittent fault would blow one of the two line fuses so at least I could narrow it down to which line the fault is on if there is in fact a fault. I have experienced two other tripping breaker issues with Enphase systems in the past. Neither of them were systems I installed. One turned out to be branch circuits that were not properly paired up and landed on different breakers. Another time we had an inverter with an internal fault which eventually"blew up" with a loud popping noise and smoke billowing out of it. That happened after resetting a trip breaker multiple times. This case seems to be unrelated to those issues. I'm perplexed. 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