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Solar panel supply

aligarjon
Hi Guys.  Is the circuit breaker rating relevant for a solar panel supply.  I have seen ratings as low as 6 amps and up tp 16 or 20.   I did a board change last year and fitted a 16amp rcbo to the solar supply. The existing was a 16amp circuit breaker.   The customer has recently contacted me and says that the rcbo trips when the solar is producing 3.4kw i think he said.  I have said i can change it for a 20amp.  I don't actually know how many panels he has.  Is the problem likely to be a fault on the panels or just overload.  somehow.


Cheers


Gary
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    A normal domestic-size install is capped at a maximum of 16A unless the DNO agrees a higher figure.  3.4kW comes in slightly under that, which is why it was a popular size install.  Unless it's over about 4kW, it shouldn't be tripping a 16A breaker.


    Some inverters have a habit of tripping RCDs.  My original one tended to trip the RCD the morning after a storm.  When I looked in the manufacturer's instructions, it recommended a 300mA RCD.  Of course, mine was connected to an ordinary consumer unit with a 30mA RCD.  That inverter failed a little while back; the new one hasn't tripped the RCD yet.
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    A normal domestic-size install is capped at a maximum of 16A unless the DNO agrees a higher figure.  3.4kW comes in slightly under that, which is why it was a popular size install.  Unless it's over about 4kW, it shouldn't be tripping a 16A breaker.


    Some inverters have a habit of tripping RCDs.  My original one tended to trip the RCD the morning after a storm.  When I looked in the manufacturer's instructions, it recommended a 300mA RCD.  Of course, mine was connected to an ordinary consumer unit with a 30mA RCD.  That inverter failed a little while back; the new one hasn't tripped the RCD yet.
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