Comments on: Solar code proposed for firefighters’ safety

By: Danya Golan

Danya Golan — Thu, 14 Jan 2010 15:16:04 +0000

True enough, no PV-related fatalities were recorded, yet. However, several dangerous incidents did occur and are likely to occur in the future as the number of installations increases and as old PV installations age and start to deteriorate. Keep in mind that as long as PV panels are exposed to sunlight, they produce an electrical voltage, even when grid power is disconnected.

There is actually a working group called PV SAFETY, initiated by Photon Magazine and composed of representatives of research and industry leaders such as SMA, SolarEdge, Kaco and Danfoss. The aim of the working group is to advance work to find and implement an immediate solution to the PV safety problem, without limiting the industry. An article summarizing the activity of the group was published on Photon’s December issue.

The gold standard of PV safety, according to Photon magazine consists of systems that use smart module-embedded electronics to short-circuit each individual module once the inverter has been deactivated. In the event of a fire, the fire department routinely cuts the electricity connection to the building. This would automatically deactivate the inverter, which will cause the module embedded electronics to shut off each and every module, and the DC cables connected will become volt-free.

As Mr. Dymond noted, systems like these are already available in the market. Power Optimizers and micro-inverters, which manage energy production at module level, provide the active electronics required to shut off each and every module in case of a fire, making the new code unnecessary.

By: Christopher Dymond

Christopher Dymond — Fri, 08 Jan 2010 18:31:05 +0000

Solar power is a vital part of Oregon’s economic future. With Solar World, Sanyo and Solaicx and numerous supporting companies, Oregon stands to become a major supplier of expertise and high-value equipment. The thought that we (Oregonians) would choose to restrict the deployment of these technologies based on speculative fears, back-stabs the millions of tax payer dollars we have invested in this new future.

First, consider that in Germany more than 70% of the solar market (the worlds largest) is installed on small homes and businesses. They have 18 years of experience, with no setback restrictions and no firefighter deaths that are a result of blocked access and consequential electrocution. If they can do it why can’t we.

Secondly, there are technology solutions that are emerging that allow power to be disconnected at the module level. I know of five such companies, two of which are developing products in OREGON!

Third, the greatest strength of solar power is its distributed nature – being able to place it where the energy is needed and for it to produce power when loads are highest (daytime). To eliminate the highest value locations – namely the ridge-line of our homes is the energy equivalent of cutting off our nose.

By: Larry

Larry — Fri, 08 Jan 2010 17:41:26 +0000

Once again we give the right wingers (neo con, pro oligarchy) more ammunition for shooting at that “evil government regulation”. The primary problem as I see it is there appears to be few if any individuals working at writing rules with even a hint of critical thinking skills. I had meetings with the LA Fire Chief who could come up with an endless list of mindless and thoughtless restrictions on solar PV that when looked at with even a tiny bit of logic and common sense vaporized. Just as emergency rescue personnel threw a “hissy fit” over the deadly Toyota Prius high voltage battery killing some rescuer (maybe a 5 million to 1 chance) we now have the same knee jerk,non thoughtful nay sayers making a big deal of PV’s killing someone. Has anyone ever given even a little thought to the fact that with a fire axe you can go through a PV module in seconds and have all the access you want to the roof. I have yet to see a PV module electrocute someone when it is smashed to pieces. Hopefully true critical thinking skills can be applied to this so called problem before we kill another American industry.

By: dave cozine

dave cozine — Fri, 08 Jan 2010 16:09:40 +0000

If the firefighters need to cut a hole in the roof, why don’t they do it on the roof opposite the array? How can they single out asphalt roofs and not mention metal or tile roofs? Is this new code really coming from the firefighters? With whom did this idea originate? Sounds like another way to destroy a new industry with so much promise in the USA.

By: Marty McGinn

Marty McGinn — Fri, 08 Jan 2010 06:38:33 +0000

With all due respect to Mr Baldwin the system he is looking at cannot as he suggested “slide that array back a foot” The reason it was installed near the edge was because the system would have been shaded by trees. It happens to be my house. Also the proposed state code would prohibit the arrays from being installed over the peak as Mr Baldwin suggested. This is precisely why the proposed code is too restrictive. We would have had to cut the number of solar panels on our roof in half which would have essentially made it cost prohibitive to install. This bill would discriminate against those of us with smaller houses (smaller south facing roof). And the wealthy folks with big houses would stll be able to fit a solar array on their roof.
Firefighters already know how to approach houses with these solar systems. Sure, innovations such as those proposed by Mr Baldwin will come along as a result of the California code. But other states should wait for those safety improvements before destroying an industry in the interim. If these solar systems were such a fire hazard the home insurance would increase. Our homeowners insurance did not increase. In fact the replacement cost of the solar panels are included in our insurance policy.

By: Bruce Baldwin, The Solar Guy

Bruce Baldwin, The Solar Guy — Fri, 08 Jan 2010 01:20:55 +0000

With all due respect to Mr. Savoie, the new breed of on-grid PV systems are actually at high voltage and low current, to directly power grid-synchronous inverters and reduce wire transmission losses. Our typical installation is at 300+ Volts DC at 20-30 amps. Putting a chainsaw blade through that wire is gonna hurt!

Secondly, solar panels are unique in that shorting them out produces no ill effects; they will not self-destruct but will operate at maximum output – in fact, the standard test for PV panels measures the V Max and I Max under the condition of a short circuit.

I usually leave space around my installs just to give us working room – the picture shown at the top of the article shows there might have been plenty of room to slide that array back a foot. It’s usually easy enough to cantilever another row of panels over the peak.

Never really thought about firefighter safety before, so I might just start prominently marking the single wire they need to disconnect to disable the array.

A simple heat-activated fuse within the panels would provide a solution for the electrical safety issue. Pursuing this as a UL requirement would make sense.

Erring on the far side of safety has never been a bad idea in the electrical industry, and we in the solar industry must keep in mind that ultimately, we sell electricity.

Bruce Baldwin, The Solar Guy, Ash Fork, AZ

By: Bruce Baldwin, The Solar Guy

Bruce Baldwin, The Solar Guy — Fri, 08 Jan 2010 01:18:35 +0000

Never really thought about firefighter safety before, so I might just start prominently marking the single wire they need to disconnect to disable the array.

A simple heat-activated fuse within the panels would provide a simple solution for the electrical safety issue. Pursuing this as a UL requirement would make sense.

Erring on the far side of safety has never been a bad idea in the electrical industry, and we in the solar industry must keep in mind that ultimately, we sell electricity.

Bruce Baldwin, The Solar Guy, Ash Fork, AZ

By: Dean Savoie

Dean Savoie — Wed, 06 Jan 2010 22:57:31 +0000

This sounds like so much more B.S. Being distributed by people that haven’t got the first idea about what their talking about. p.v. panels do not generate those kind of High Voltages. High current, maybe. As long as the installation is out of Matalic materials and professionally installed, its very unlikely that there is any thing to worry about. In the worst case just short it out. Its a solid state device. it will instantly self destruct.

By: uberVU - social comments

uberVU - social comments — Wed, 06 Jan 2010 16:47:17 +0000

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