Table of Contents
Advertisement
Quick Links
G
A
R
D
(GARD)
ROUND AND
RC
APID
ISCONNECT
A unique device for detecting ground and arc faults in PV arrays and
rapidly disconnecting the impacted PV strings.
I
, O
M
M
NSTALLATION
PERATION AND
AINTENANCE
ANUAL
GARD V2.2
FOR USE WITH THE
PM006 Revision 7
Alencon Systems LLC
330 Warminster Rd., Suite 380 | Hatboro, PA 19040 | USA
© 2009-2019 by Alencon Systems LLC
Advertisement
Table of Contents
Related Manuals for ALENCON GARD-1000-V2.2
Summary of Contents for ALENCON GARD-1000-V2.2
- Page 1 PV strings. NSTALLATION PERATION AND AINTENANCE ANUAL GARD V2.2 FOR USE WITH THE PM006 Revision 7 Alencon Systems LLC 330 Warminster Rd., Suite 380 | Hatboro, PA 19040 | USA © 2009-2019 by Alencon Systems LLC...
- Page 2 GARD – Installation, Operation and Maintenance Manual This document is the confidential and proprietary information of Alencon Systems LLC. No part of this document may be photocopied, reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means whether electronic, mechanical, or otherwise without prior written permission.
-
Page 3: Table Of Contents
Detect and Isolate Ground and Arc Faults in Your PV Array ..........12 The Ground & Arc Rapid Disconnect Unit (GARD) ............12 Unique Features & Benefits of the Alencon GARD ............12 GARD Specifications ....................13 GARD Functionality and Operation ................14 Functionality ...................... - Page 4 GARD – Installation, Operation and Maintenance Manual Table of Figures 1: T GARD U ......................7 IGURE 2: T GARD ....8 IGURE HE GRAPHIC ABOVE INDICATES THAT THE IS A GROUNDING CONDUCTOR 3: T GARD ..8 IGURE HE GRAPHIC ABOVE INDICATES THAT THE ACTS AS A DIRECT CURRENT SUPPLY...
-
Page 5: General Information
Bi-directional Optimizer for Storage Systems SPOT String Power Optimizer and Transmitter Alencon Communication Environment – a communication system containing hardware and software elements provided by Alencon to control power conversion equipment PODD Site / HUB Alencon Communication, Monitoring and Control Software... -
Page 6: Product Warranty
GARD – Installation, Operation and Maintenance Manual 1.3 Product Warranty Alencon Systems warrants to you, the original purchaser, that each of its products will be free from defects in materials and workmanship for three years from the date of purchase. Extended warranty of up to 10 years are also available for purchase. -
Page 7: Technical Support And Assistance
GARD – Installation, Operation and Maintenance Manual 1.4 Technical Support and Assistance 1. Visit the Alencon Systems web site at www.alenconsystems.com where you can find the latest information about the product. 2. Contact your distributor, sales representative, or Alencon Systems' customer service center for technical support if you need additional assistance. -
Page 8: Packing List
GARD – Installation, Operation and Maintenance Manual 1.6 Packing List Before installation, please ensure the following items have been shipped: Correct # of GARD Units specified for your plant with appropriate mounting hardware Figure 1: The GARD Unit 1.7 Ordering Information Model Number Description Model Number Description... -
Page 9: Important Safety Instructions
2. The GARD contains no user-serviceable parts. For service and maintenance, the GARD should be returned to Alencon Systems LLC or a certified Alencon Systems service center. 3. During operation, hazardous voltages and currents may be present. Only authorized and qualified personnel should perform servicing/installation. - Page 10 WARNING! GARD is NOT a field serviceable product. Please contact Alencon Systems for any issues with the product. A l e n c o n S y s t e m s L L C - P a g e...
-
Page 11: Introduction
Luckily, there are plenty of measures in place to ensure safe PV operation. This document provides a brief on the safety issues often seen on PV systems and Alencon’s preventive approach to safe operation through the Ground & Arc Rapid Disconnect unit – the GARD. -
Page 12: Arc Faults
Lithium Ion batteries where ground leak current can result in an explosion. Alencon’s GARD is designed to detect leakage currents for grounded systems as shown in Figure 4 by measuring the current difference in positive and negative terminals. Thus, the GARD is UL listed to detect grounds faults in either positively or negatively grounded systems. -
Page 13: Detect And Isolate Ground And Arc Faults In Your Pv Array
4.1 The Ground & Arc Rapid Disconnect Unit (GARD) Alencon’s Ground and Rapid Disconnect unit, the GARD, is a unique solution for detecting harmful ground and arc faults in your PV array at the string level. When detecting these faults, the GARD automatically disconnects the faulty string. -
Page 14: Gard Specifications
200 – 1000 VDC Max Current Rating Per Input Short Circuit Current Per Input (Isc) Number of Individual Inputs Communication Modbus TCP via Alencon Communications Environment (ACE) Fault Detection and Disconnect Level Faults are detected per input, i.e. PV string level Fault Latch... -
Page 15: Gard Functionality And Operation
GARD – Installation, Operation and Maintenance Manual 4.4 GARD Functionality and Operation Functionality The SPOT or any upstream equipment is connected to the PV System via the GARD. The communication with GFDI/AFD is carried out via MODBUS. The GFDI provide ground and arc fault protection features to the existing SPOTs. The GARD generates its own control voltages. -
Page 16: Instructions When Arc Fault Is Detected
3. Faulted channels will be disconnected with the status indicators glowing RED while unfaulted channels will be re-energized with indicators glowing green. 4. Alencon HMI will update the status and indicate faulted channels to the user. 5. If servicing is to be completed, press the E-Stop button to disconnect all other channels. -
Page 17: Figure 6: Afd Pcb
PV systems. 4.4.4.4 Arc Detection The arc fault detector has been designed to work in conjunction with Alencon’s ground fault detector and interrupter. The board has been designed and developed to detect an arc and provide an interrupting signal to theground fault PCB. -
Page 18: Figure 7: System Noise Signature During An Arc Event
During the operation of a PV system, the noise floor fluctuates depending on operating conditions, transient’s etc. Alencon’s AFD is conctantly monitoring the noise floor for deviations in spectrum magnitude. During a sustained arc event, the system noise signature rises in magnitude. The differential change in magnitude is observed, recorded and displayed and a signal is sent to the microprocessor to throw an arc fault flag. -
Page 19: Gard Hardware
GARD – Installation, Operation and Maintenance Manual 4.5 GARD Hardware Internally, the GARD is implemented as a single PCB motherboard and one daughter PCB. The motherboard provides the following functions: Controls Ground Leak/Fault Detection Arc Detection Board ... -
Page 20: Firmware
GARD – Installation, Operation and Maintenance Manual 5 Firmware All of the GARD’s control tasks are executed by the firmware stored in the microcomputer memory mounted on the GARD’s main PCB. The program is constructed as a “State Machine”. 5.1 GARD State Machine The GARD’s “State Machine”... -
Page 21: Figure 9: Glid/Afd State Machine
GARD – Installation, Operation and Maintenance Manual SHUTDOWN: The GLID/AFD stays in the SHUTDOWN state and keeps all relays de- energized as long the SHUTDOWN flag is set. TESTMODE: Upon receiving the TESTMODE command, the GARD/AFD is initialized and initially set into SHUTDOWN state. -
Page 22: Communication
GARD – Installation, Operation and Maintenance Manual 6 Communication The communication with the GARD is carried out via ModbusTCP/IP through the Alencon PODD device. The Modbus Map will be provided to you upon request. 7 GARD Installation 7.1 Understanding GARD Hardware The GARD’s global status and channel statuses are indicated by LED's on the face of the GARD:... -
Page 23: Communication Ports
With the help of two weather proof RJ-45 connectors, a number of GARDs may be daisy chained and connected to SCADA controller or to the ACE (Alencon Communication Environment network). Through the same RJ45 connector all the GARDs in the network are wired to a global E-STOP that can remotely disable the GARD i.e. -
Page 24: Gard Mounting
GARD – Installation, Operation and Maintenance Manual Figure 13: Remote E-STOP The Switch is configured to operate in the NC operation (default). 7.3 GARD Mounting The suggested mounting orientation of the GARD is the vertical installation where the power connections are on both sides of the enclosure with the E-Stop switch is directly facing the operator and the communication ports facing down. -
Page 25: Cable Terminations
The GARD can either be used as a standalone product in a PV system or coupled with Alencon’s optimizer product - the SPOT. A l e n c o n S y s t e m s L L C - P a g e... -
Page 26: Gard + Spot
GARD – Installation, Operation and Maintenance Manual Figure 15: Amphenol Terminations on GARD GARD + SPOT If the PV system is already fitted with SPOT’s, you must be pay attention to the physical connectors that go from the GARD to the SPOT. To break it down, the list below explains how input/output connections should be for a GARD + SPOT system: ... -
Page 27: External Fusing And Disconnects
GARD – Installation, Operation and Maintenance Manual Prepare appropriately Sized Wires so that on both GARD Input and Output: +ve Terminal = Female Amphenol Pin -ve Terminal = Male Amphenol Pin Figure 16: GARD to SPOT connector External Fusing and Disconnects GARD acts as a disconnect between its input and output terminals, therefore it is also used to de-energize the PCS or other power conversion equipments connected to its output terminals. -
Page 28: Interfacing With The Gard
metadata File Hub_Config File Both these files would be pre-loaded onto the PODD or be provided to you by Alencon via secure file transfer. Once the PODD is setup, applying minimum voltage or external 24 V will turn ON the GARD boards, allowing two way communications with the HUB.
Need help?
Do you have a question about the GARD-1000-V2.2 and is the answer not in the manual?
Questions and answers