Industry Standards

The UL 1699B standard is the primary guideline for DC arc fault protection in PV systems (UL Standards). It applies to systems with DC voltages between 80 V and 1000 V and includes the following requirements:

• Detection Time: Systems must detect and interrupt arcs within 2 seconds.
• Annunciation: A visual or audible indicator (e.g., LED or siren) must signal an arc event.
• Self-Test Circuit: Systems must include a self-test feature to verify functionality, which can be triggered manually or remotely.
• Manual Reset: Systems must require manual resetting after an arc fault to ensure safety.
• ADC Requirements: High-resolution ADCs (e.g., 16-bit at 250 Ksamples) are recommended for accurate detection in the 40–100 kHz frequency band.

This standard, aligned with the 2011 National Electrical Code (NEC) Section 690.11, ensures robust protection against arc faults in PV systems (SMA America).

Standards: UL 1699B sets requirements for PV systems with DC voltages of 80–1000 V, mandating detection within 2 seconds and manual reset.

For more details, see: UL 1699B Standard and EDN: Implementing Arc Detection

References

• UL Standards: UL 1699B
• SMA America: PV Arc Fault Circuit Interrupter
• EDN: Implementing Arc Detection