Enphase Arc Fault Risk Demonstration

"www.enphase.com"- Enphase microinverters are safer than traditional inverters because they produce AC at the module-level and for their distributed nature.
This is a presentation of PV fire safety.
It's a demonstration of the risk of arc faults, which are inherent with inverter technologies.
In this demonstration, there is simulation of a wiring fault. The first case simulates a DC string inverter. As we establish an arc by simulating a wiring fault, the arc gets hotter and hotter. Temperatures can reach up to 4200 degrees centigrade. This is hot enough to melt tungsten.
The second case illustrates a microinverter scenario. As you can see, only the smallest of arcs is visible and for a very brief moment. The arc is self extinguishing. The risks are minimized with Enphase microinverters.
We hope this illustrates the difference in arc fault risks between inverter technologies.

[@falfield]

I hope you will publish an update to this to show what the landscape is like in 2023: with AFCI (Arc Fault Circuit Interruptors) built into high quality central inverters such as Fronius, this risk is mitigated, if not removed altogether, and the advantages of DC-coupled batteries can then be employed. I have NO commercial affiliation.

[@uploadJ]

Remember kiddies, DC has NO zero volt crossover to help with ac extinguishing!

[@nick_parker]

While that is true, this video is showing what takes place when you create a break on the DC side of the two different inverter setups. The micro-inverter has a very low DC side voltage typical is 36Vdc at full load, where as string inverters work with high DC voltages up to or over 400Vdc on the DC side voltage. The comparison was not fair though as the same DC side current was not used in both experiments.

[@technik87]

​@@nick_parker "The comparison was not fair though as the same DC side current was not used in both experiments."
The current show on the power meter device it was inverter output current (for 230V), input PV panel current was similar, about 8A. It is 9 years old video, in that time 180W panels was available with parameter 22V, 8A ;-)

[@airselectricalcontractors842]

@@nick_parker which makes the micro invertor the safer option?? - these panels are in the sun for 20 years - i know what i feel safer with