What Solar ACDB & DCDB Panels Are, and What We Build

Every solar plant needs two distribution boards: a DCDB before the inverter and an ACDB after it. The DCDB combines the DC output of the PV strings into one protected feed to the inverter — one DC fuse per string, a DC isolator, and a surge protection device that shunts lightning-induced spikes away from the inverter's DC input. The ACDB takes the inverter's AC output and distributes it to the load or the grid connection, with feeder protection, AC surge protection and isolation for maintenance.

Wisdom Techno Solutions manufactures both boards as a matched pair at our Vadodara works — the same enclosure practice, the same labelling discipline, one drawing set and one delivery. They are built in powder-coated CRCA steel or polycarbonate enclosures, dust-proof, vermin-proof and waterproof, in IP54 for indoor and IP65 for outdoor installation, with components conforming to IEC 60947 and IS 8623.

  • DCDB — DC fuse per string (Ferraz Mersen, Eaton and equivalent), DC isolator, DC SPD, MC4 connectors and PG glands
  • ACDB — MCB or MCCB per feeder, AC SPD Type II, isolation switch, metering and net-metering provisions where required
  • Powder-coated enclosures built for Indian site conditions — heat, dust and monsoon
  • IEC 61439-1 assembly practice and MNRE guidelines for solar installations
  • Configurations from a single rooftop pair to multi-feeder utility-scale boards
  • Routine tests and inspection before dispatch, test report shipped with the boards

The same engineering team that builds our IEC 61439 LT switchboards engineers the solar pair, so a solar ACDB that must tie into an existing plant LT network is coordinated with that network rather than designed in isolation.

Solar ACDB & DCDB Technical Specifications

The table below is the standard build. Feeder count, fuse ratings, SPD class and metering are set from the array layout, the inverter schedule and the site's single line diagram.

ParameterSpecification
Product pair ACDB (AC distribution board, after the inverter) and DCDB (DC distribution board, before the inverter)
Application Grid-connected and standalone solar plants — rooftop, C&I and utility scale
DCDB configurations 1 in–1 out to 10 in–10 out, one DC fuse per string
DCDB protection DC fuses (Ferraz Mersen, Eaton and equivalent), DC isolator or DC MCB, DC surge protection device
ACDB protection MCBs or MCCBs per feeder, AC surge protection device (Type II), isolation switch
AC voltage up to 690 V AC; 800 V AC class boards available for high-voltage inverter systems
DC voltage built to the string and inverter system voltage stated in your design documents
Enclosure Powder-coated CRCA sheet steel or polycarbonate; dust-proof, vermin-proof, waterproof
Ingress protection IP54 for indoor installation, IP65 for outdoor installation
Cable interface MC4 connectors and PG glands on the DC side; gland plates sized to the cable schedule on the AC side
Component standards IEC 60947 and IS 8623 compliant switchgear and protection devices
Assembly practice IEC 61439-1 practice and MNRE guidelines for solar installations
Mounting Wall mounted; floor-standing ACDB for larger feeder counts
Testing Routine tests and inspection at the works before dispatch, with test report
Customisation Feeder count, metering, net-metering provisions and monitoring provisions per project requirement
Facility Kotambi, Vadodara, Gujarat, India
Delivery 6 to 7 weeks from drawing approval, subject to switchgear availability

ACDB vs DCDB — Which Board Does What

DCDBACDB
Position in the plantBetween the PV strings and the inverterBetween the inverter and the load or grid connection
Current typeDC, at the string system voltage3-phase or 1-phase AC, up to 690 V (800 V class available)
Main protectionDC fuse per string, DC isolator, DC SPDMCB/MCCB per feeder, AC SPD Type II, isolator
Why devices differDC arcs do not self-extinguish — devices must be DC-rated for the actual system voltageStandard LT AC switchgear per IEC 60947
Typical enclosurePolycarbonate or metal-clad, wall mountedCRCA steel, wall mounted or floor standing

The two boards are not interchangeable, and an AC-rated device of the same frame size is not a substitute for a DC-rated one. Detailed pages: Solar DCDB and AC Distribution Board. For collecting several string-inverter outputs before the ACDB, see the AC combiner box.

Where Each Board Sits in a Solar Plant

On the DC side, string cables land in the array junction box on the structure, run to the DCDB, and from there one protected DC feed goes to the inverter. On the AC side, inverter outputs are collected — directly in a small plant, or through an AC combiner box in a multi-inverter plant — and distributed by the ACDB to the metering point and the grid interface or plant LT network.

Ordering the whole chain from one manufacturer keeps enclosure practice, labelling and documentation consistent across the plant — one engineering contact and one delivery to chase instead of four. The complete package is described on our solar BOS electrical package page.

What to Send for a Solar ACDB & DCDB Quotation

Five inputs let us quote without assumptions: the array layout (strings, modules per string), the string voltage and current at site design conditions, the inverter schedule (models, count, AC output rating), the indoor or outdoor mounting for each board with required IP rating, and any DISCOM, MNRE, developer or lender specification the boards must satisfy. A single line diagram covering both sides is the ideal starting point.

Common Mistakes in Solar ACDB & DCDB Specifications

  • AC-rated devices specified on the DC side — DC arcs do not pass through zero; disconnectors, fuses and SPDs must be DC-rated for the actual system voltage
  • SPD class left unstated — the SPD is the board's main job on both sides; class and coordination should come from the site's lightning risk, not a default
  • IP rating chosen by habit — an outdoor board next to a cooling tower needs IP65 and a canopy, not IP54
  • String fuse rating copied from the module datasheet STC current — it must account for irradiance enhancement and the fuse manufacturer's derating
  • No spare feeders in the ACDB — plants get extended; two spare ways cost little at build time

How Wisdom Techno Solutions Builds Solar Distribution Boards

A solar ACDB is an LT panel: busbar sizing, temperature rise, clearances and separation follow the same IEC 61439-1 discipline as an industrial switchboard. Our boards are engineered from your single line diagram, built at the Kotambi works, and put through routine tests and inspection before dispatch — insulation resistance, wiring verification, functional checks — with the test report shipped with the board. Drawings (GA and SLD) are submitted for approval before manufacturing begins.

Related Technical Guides

Related Panel Types

If this is not the right fit for your layout, these are the related products we build to the same standard:

Send Your Single Line Diagram

Email your single line diagram, load list and system fault level and our engineers will come back with a technical offer. Not sure what to send? See what a panel manufacturer needs in order to quote accurately.

Manufacturer Wisdom Techno Solutions
Works Plot 9, Nilkanth Industrial Park 1, near Kotambi Stadium, Kamrol, Kotambi, Vadodara, Gujarat 391510, India
Email connect@wisdomtechnosolutions.com
Phone +91 80002 29727
Working hours Monday to Saturday, 8:00 am to 5:00 pm IST
Delivery lead time 6 to 7 weeks from drawing approval, subject to switchgear availability

Frequently Asked Questions About Solar ACDB & DCDB Panels

What is the difference between a solar ACDB and a DCDB?
Which side of the inverter they are on. The DCDB sits before the inverter and combines the DC output of the PV strings, with a DC fuse per string, a DC isolator and a DC surge protection device. The ACDB sits after the inverter and distributes the AC output to the load or grid connection, with an MCB or MCCB per feeder, an AC surge protection device and an isolation switch. The devices are not interchangeable because DC arcs behave differently from AC arcs.
Do I need both an ACDB and a DCDB in my solar plant?
In almost every string-inverter plant, yes. The DCDB protects the inverter from string-side faults and lightning-induced surges; the ACDB protects the load side and gives you a safe point of isolation and metering. Some small rooftop systems combine functions into compact boards, but the two protection jobs still have to be done — the question is only the packaging.
What IP rating should I choose for solar distribution boards?
IP54 for boards installed indoors or inside a weather-protected enclosure room, IP65 for boards mounted outdoors or on the roof. Outdoor boards should also have a rain canopy and UV-stable glands. The IP rating should be stated separately for the ACDB and the DCDB, because they are often mounted in different locations.
Which standards apply to solar ACDB and DCDB panels?
Components conform to IEC 60947 and IS 8623. The assemblies are built to IEC 61439-1 practice and MNRE guidelines for solar installations. Note that the licensed LV switchgear systems we build large AC switchboards within — Rittal Ri4Power, C&S CX and Siemens SIEPAN — are IEC 61439 low-voltage AC systems; a small solar board is built to the same discipline but is not part of those systems, and we say that plainly rather than let the association be assumed.
Can you build an 800 V AC solar board?
Yes. Modern utility-scale inverters increasingly run at 800 V AC, and we build ACDBs and combiner boxes in an 800 V class with appropriately rated switchgear. See the 800V LT Panel page for the platform we use for high-voltage LT distribution.
What surge protection do solar boards need?
Both boards carry surge protection devices — a DC SPD in the DCDB rated for the string system voltage, and an AC SPD, typically Type II, in the ACDB. The class and coordination should follow the site lightning-protection design; long DC runs on rooftops and open ground mounts pick up induced surges, which is why the SPD is treated as a primary component and not an accessory.
Do your boards support net metering?
Yes. The ACDB can be built with net-metering provisions — metering CT provisions, the meter chamber and the isolation arrangement your DISCOM requires. Send the DISCOM's connection specification with your enquiry and the board is built to it.
Can the boards be customised to my project?
Yes — feeder count, incomer arrangement, metering, monitoring provisions, enclosure material and colour, and cable entry direction are all set from your single line diagram and site conditions. The specification table on this page is the standard build that customisation starts from.
What do you test before dispatch?
Every board goes through routine tests and inspection at the works: insulation resistance, wiring verification against the approved drawing, torque checks, functional operation of protection and isolation devices, and IP hardware checks. The test report is shipped with the board.
What should I send to get a quotation?
The array layout with strings and modules per string, string voltage and current at site design conditions, the inverter schedule, indoor or outdoor mounting with the IP rating for each board, and any DISCOM, MNRE, developer or lender specification. A single line diagram covering the DC and AC sides is the ideal input — send it through the Get a Quote form.

Page updated: 17 September 2026