This article attempts to lay the foundation for properly planning for inspection of a large-scale PV project, developing an inspection team, and communicating with all of the players.
Large-scale PV plants have become commonplace in the desert southwest with plants routinely exceeding 100 MW in size. How does that impact the local AHJ and why is Article 691 for large-scale PV electric supply stations even in the NEC?
Photovoltaic power systems are proliferating and are going to be a major player in our nation’s energy mix. The inspector community must be able and willing to inspect these systems as the last line of defense in ensuring the safety of the public.
To have Cu-Clad BCBW in service within these two different climates for five decades can provide real-world insight into its performance.
Those of us in the inspection community and those associated with the inspection community, including inspectors at all levels, chief inspectors, building officials, and administrators responsible for funding, need to work diligently to increase the competency and quality of our inspection process and our inspection force.
In the world of electrical power, copper clad aluminum is the third of only three industrial metals referenced by the NEC as acceptable for use as the core-metal conductor in residential branch circuit conductor applications.
Today we have daily PV inspections, and some are supply-side connected. Article 705.12(A) Point of Connection (Supply-Side) points the reader to 230.82(6) for the allowance to connect to the supply side of the service disconnecting means.
Hydrokinetic turbine generation process uses flowing water in the form of ocean tidal energy, river in-stream energy, or ocean current energy to generate electricity.
This article will continue our review of the significant changes in the 2017 NEC that relate to photovoltaic (PV) power systems.
This article will focus on the inspection of DC combiners, tracker controllers and other unique and challenging situations utilizing the NEC, UL Standards, and the Building Code.