Sandia Expertise Guides New Photovoltaic Requirements

Sandia’s Photovoltaic (PV) Arc-Fault Detec­tion and Mitigation team has gained worldwide renown as a leader in the science of PV arc faults. As a driver of groundbreaking experimental and numerical simulations in this area, codes and standards bodies have called on Sandia to improve requirements for arc-fault cir­cuit interrupters. Sandia

• has advised the National Electrical Code making panel on changes to the 2014 require­ments,
• is working closely with Underwriters Laboratories to refine the U.S. PV arc-fault circuit testing requirements, and
• is collaborating with the International Electrotechnical Commission to establish an inter­national arc-fault circuit interrupter standard.
  
  

  These photographs show the nature of the damage an arc fault can cause.