Rapid Shutdown Button

[AZ Solar Junkie]

Anyone have any recommendations on a good outdoor rated emergency shutdown switch? Looking to set one up for my 6000XP. There are a good number of options on Amazon. Does anyone recommend any one in particular or have any examples of ones to avoid, or are all the waterproof ones about the same?

 

[MisterSandals]

good outdoor rated emergency shutdown switch?

What are you switching off? AC input from grid? AC output to loads? DC connection to batteries? AC or DC from solar?

 

[AZ Solar Junkie]

What are you switching off? AC input from grid? AC output to loads? DC connection to batteries? AC or DC from solar?

Just looking for a good emergency shutdown switch that will survive the rain and sun outdoors. It will be wired to the rapid shutdown switch terminal block on the 6000XP which initiates a full rapid shutdown of the inverter and panel output (when combined with the Tigo CCA, TAP, and modules on the panels). I'm not sure about the batteries yet - I have the LL-V2's, not the LL-S batteries that support the rapid shutdown mechanism, although I did read a post from EG4 stating they're working on adding the rapid shutdown support to the LL-V2's with a firmware update.

But I don't want to go off on a tangent. Just looking for a good weatherproof outdoor emergency stop button - which is just a simple switch. Looking to hear if anyone has experienced anything good or bad about the selection that is out there...

 

[AZ Solar Junkie]

BTW - I tested the rapid shutdown functionality on my 6000XP today - turns out that the firmware update I did on my LLV2's a few weeks ago was primarily to add the rapid shutdown support and I didn't even notice. Once I made a connection for the rapid shutdown switch terminals, not only did the inverter output shut down (entirely - including pass through from the grid), but the LLV2 batteries all showed zero % SOC, and the monitoring portal showed BMS Charge and BMS Discharge as prohibited. The breakers on the batteries did not trip. Once I turned them off and back on again, it took a few minutes before they switched to allowing charge and discharge again. Now I'm not sure if turning the batteries off and on again was necessary or not. In any case, the LLV2's with the firmware update do in fact trigger the BMS to stop any charging or discharging. ?

Now back to finding a good switch for mounting outside by the main panel...

 

[n2aws]

If this is just for convenience, that'll work.

If it's to meet inspections of compliance, you'll want to confirm with your AHJ, but most of them will want something you can lock out, which is why so many places insist on a knife switch disconnect ont he AC side.

They may sell RSD initiator buttons with a lockout feature, but you'll need to find out from your AHJ if that'll suffice for them.

 

[Quattrohead]

Something like this with lockout.
Or this without the lockout option.

 

[AZ Solar Junkie]

Something like this with lockout.
Or this without the lockout option.

Thanks for the recommendations.

I am confused by the lockout option though. I thought the whole point of these was for first responders to have a quick way to shutdown the panel and inverter output with the shutdown button out by the main panel. If it is padlocked, then doesn't that defeat the whole purpose?

 

[n2aws]

Thanks for the recommendations.

I am confused by the lockout option though. I thought the whole point of these was for first responders to have a quick way to shutdown the panel and inverter output with the shutdown button out by the main panel. If it is padlocked, then doesn't that defeat the whole purpose?

The lockout usually works the other way . you can lock it out in the "disabled" position to make sure nobody turns it back on. Though some have a lockout in either position. Yes, locking it in the "on" position would be against code, and not in your best interest if first responders are showing up.