NEC 690: Solar Photovoltaic (PV) Systems
What This Article Covers
NEC Article 690 covers solar photovoltaic (PV) systems — the installation requirements for grid-tied and standalone solar arrays. PV is one of the fastest-growing specialties.
Key Requirements
- Maximum PV system voltage per 690.7 (accounting for low-temperature voltage rise)
- DC conductor sizing at 125% of short-circuit current, then another 125% for continuous (effectively 156%)
- Rapid shutdown required for rooftop systems (690.12)
- Disconnect requirements for PV source circuits and PV output circuits
- Marking and labeling per 690.31, 690.53, 690.54, 690.56
Common Field Applications
- Residential rooftop array with microinverters
- Central inverter ground-mount system
- Battery storage interconnection with PV
Common Mistakes & Inspection Failures
- Sizing DC conductors at 125% instead of 156%
- Missing rapid shutdown
- Inadequate labeling at the service
Related NEC Articles
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What does NEC 690 cover?
NEC Article 690 covers solar photovoltaic (PV) systems — the installation requirements for grid-tied and standalone solar arrays. PV is one of the fastest-growing specialties.
What are the key requirements of NEC 690?
Key requirements include: Maximum PV system voltage per 690.7 (accounting for low-temperature voltage rise); DC conductor sizing at 125% of short-circuit current, then another 125% for continuous (effectively 156%); Rapid shutdown required for rooftop systems (690.12). See the full requirements list on this page.
What are common mistakes with NEC 690?
Sizing DC conductors at 125% instead of 156% Missing rapid shutdown Inadequate labeling at the service
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Michael B.
IBEW Local 134 Journeyman Electrician · Licensed Electrical Contractor
Michael is a licensed electrical contractor and IBEW Local 134 journeyman with years of field experience. He built Sparky AI after ChatGPT gave him wrong NEC code information on a job — costing him $800 in callbacks. Every answer in Sparky AI is verified against the actual NEC.