Appendix D: Inverter Arc Detection and Interruption
Appendix D: Inverter Arc Detection and
Interruption
An electric arc is an ongoing high-energy discharge, resulting from a current through a normally nonconductive material such as air.
When connecters or cables in a PV system are improperly connected or are damaged, the electric current may pass through the air, causing an electric arc. Arcs generate heat which can cause fires and they also pose an electrocution risk to those working near them.
SolarEdge inverters can detect arcs and interrupt production. A qualified person must re-enable the inverter after properly checking the installation.
Two modes of inverter reconnection are available after an arc detection event:
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Manual Reconnect - The system must be manually restarted on site following inverter shut down.
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Auto Reconnect - Reconnects the system automatically a certain period of time after an arc detection event. If the arc detection persists, the time to reconnection increases progressively.
The arc detection option is disabled by default.
To enable/disable arc detection:
1. Enter Setup mode and scroll to the Maintenance menu.
2. Select AFCI è Enable or Disable.
To enable manual reconnect / auto connect:
1. Enter Setup mode and scroll to the Maintenance menu.
2. Select AFCI è AFCI Mode and choose the required mode: Manual Reconnect or Auto Reconnect.
M a n u a l R e c o n n e c t
A u t o R e c o n n e c t
To manually test the arc detection functionality:
1. Make sure the inverter ON/OFF switch is turned ON.
2. Use the LCD light button to select Maintenance è Manual AFCI Test.
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If the test is successful, the following message is displayed:
M a n u a l T e s t P A S S
The inverter production is then interrupted (as if a real arc detection has occurred), and the following error message is displayed (numbered either 150 or 151):
E r r o r C o d e 1 8 x C
A r c F a u l t D e t e c t e d
Perform manual restart to resume system operation: Turn the inverter ON/OFF switch to
OFF and then to ON. The inverter performs an arc detection self-test and starts normal operation.
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If the test fails, contact SolarEdge support.
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Appendix D: Inverter Arc Detection and Interruption
To troubleshoot arc-fault failures:
The inverter continuously performs arc detection while producing power. If an electric arc occurred in the PV system, the inverter detects it and stops producing power. The following error message is displayed (numbered either 150 or 151):
E r r o r C o d e 1 8 x C
A r c F a u l t D e t e c t e d
If this message is displayed:
1. Turn the inverter ON/OFF switch to OFF.
2. Check all PV strings for the correct open-circuit voltage:
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Inspect all connections and cables between the power optimizers in the strings: Verify they are connected properly by firmly pushing the plugs and verifying the connectors are locked.
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Inspect all connections and cables between the PV modules and the power optimizers: Verify they are connected properly by firmly pushing the plugs and verifying the connectors are locked.
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Verify that the strings are firmly attached to the Safety Switch terminal blocks.
3. Perform manual restart to resume system operation: Turn the inverter ON/OFF switch to OFF and then ON. The inverter performs an arc detection self-test and starts normal operation.
To troubleshoot self-test failures:
If the self-test fails, the inverter displays an error message indicating that the arc detector hardware failed during wake-up tests:
E r r o r C o d e 1 8 x 8 D
A F C I s e l f - t e s t f a i l e d
The inverter transmits an error message to the monitoring portal, and continuously repeats the arc detection self-test until it is successful.
If the problem persists, contact SolarEdge support.
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