NABCEP PV Associate (PVA) — Practice Exam
O&M: faults: practice questions
Our NABCEP PV Associate bank has 4 questions on this topic. Here are 3 of them with answers; the full mock exam draws from every topic, like the real one.
Question 1
What is a common cause of a ground fault in an older array?
- Too much sunlight
- Clean modules
- Damaged insulation from abrasion, rodents or water
- Using a larger inverter than the array needs
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C. Damaged insulation from abrasion, rodents or water — Insulation testing helps locate faults.
Question 2
What does a reading of near-zero ohms from a conductor to ground during insulation testing indicate?
- A ground fault
- Good insulation
- A normal string
- An open circuit
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A. A ground fault — Healthy insulation reads high (megohms).
Question 3
What is an arc-fault circuit interrupter (AFCI) in a PV system designed to detect?
- Shading
- Series arcs in DC circuits, such as from a loose connection
- Low irradiance
- Overvoltage from the utility and high battery temperature
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B. Series arcs in DC circuits, such as from a loose connection — NEC 690.11 requires DC arc-fault protection for many systems.