In this blog article, we’ll take up the important and sometimes confounding topic of transformer selection for PV and PV-plus-storage projects. We’ll establish straightforward naming conventions for transformers and consider the case of the step-down transformer for a grid-tied PV system. For this discussion, we’ll focus on low-voltage distribution transformers. Windings: What’s in a name?  ... Read more The post Transformer Selection for Grid-Tied PV Systems appeared first on Mayfield Renewables ..read more

The Oregon Department of Energy (ODOE) has offered grant funding for community resiliency projects in the state for the last few years. Mayfield Renewables’ engineering team has supported some of these projects with expert analysis, feasibility modeling, and engineering for the planning stage to inform properly constructed systems. This grant supports important projects providing reliable ... Read more The post Oregon Resiliency Grants Due in May appeared first on Mayfield Renewables ..read more

In 2018, the California Solar Energy Industries Association (CALSEIA) rebranded to become the California Solar and Storage Association (CALSSA). Their justification was simple, it was a move that “recognizes solar’s central role in the future of the U.S. electricity generation mix while acknowledging its next evolution is inextricably intertwined with the increased use of energy ... Read more The post UL 9540 and 9540A Explained appeared first on Mayfield Renewables ..read more

In 2023, for the first time,  the National Fire Protection Agency (NFPA) explicitly included photovoltaic (PV) systems in their Standard for Electrical Maintenance Handbook. In our most recent episode of Code Corner, Ryan Mayfield opens up 2023 NFPA 70B to analyze one of the crucial tests prescribed in Chapter 30, the insulation resistance test. Even ... Read more The post Code Corner: Insulation Resistance Testing, 2023 NFPA 70B appeared first on Mayfield Renewables ..read more

When determining a safe and compliant location for overcurrent protection devices (OCPDs) in supply-side connections, the National Electrical Code has made some important clarifications from the 2020 to 2023 edition. Ryan Mayfield covers this code evolution in our latest episode of Code Corner.  NEC 2020 705.11(C) explicitly capped the length of a conductor from the ... Read more The post Code Corner: 2023 NEC 705.11 (D) and (F) Source Connections Conductor Length appeared first on Mayfield Renewables ..read more

When an engineering standard changes, its impacts spread far and wide. Future code cycles will integrate the new standard; AHJs will adopt those codes for permitting and inspection; and manufacturers will adjust their products to meet the new code requirements. One example of this phenomenon was the introduction of rapid shutdown requirements in NEC 2014, ... Read more The post How ASCE 7-22 Updates Will Change PV Racking Systems appeared first on Mayfield Renewables ..read more

In this episode of Code Corner, our founder Ryan Mayfield spells out 2023 NEC wiring methods and dc equipment location rules for systems over 1000 Vdc.  Let’s take the relevant sections of Article 690 one at a time. What does NEC 690.7 say? 690.7 Maximum Voltage. The maximum voltage of PV system dc circuits shall ... Read more The post Code Corner 2023 NEC 690.7 and 690.31(G) appeared first on Mayfield Renewables ..read more

At industry events like RE+ and Intersolar, you have to manage time carefully. It’s easy to go searching for useful information that can boost your job performance, grow your company, and help strengthen the industry, only to find yourself stuck listening to a warmed-over sales pitch. We believe the market needs a caretaker who can ... Read more The post Join Ask Mayfield Anything to Discover Solar and Storage Education for Everyone appeared first on Mayfield Renewables ..read more

Electrical connection points are essential building blocks for any circuit that often get overlooked. Electrical installations use contactors, quick-connects, and other termination methods to form current-carrying bridges between two or more circuit components. But, just like the overpass by your local highway, these electrical bridges are susceptible to damage, which can have outsized consequences. This ... Read more The post Mitigating DC Connector Risks in PV Systems appeared first on Mayfield Renewables ..read more

Here’s a scenario that will ring a note of familiarity for many solar and energy storage contractors. You have been dutifully following the provisions in the 2020 National Electrical Code (NEC) Section 705.11 that specify conductor lengths between the system disconnect and the point of interconnection. One of the jurisdictions where you work has adopted ... Read more The post At Code Corner, Know What’s in the Code and Why It’s There appeared first on Mayfield Renewables ..read more