Electrical news
Autumn 2019
energysafe issue 53
Your electrical
questions answered
By Simon O'Leary, Compliance Officer, Electrical Installation Safety
Question
What shutdown label do I need
for a solar panel installation?
Answer Standard/Clause
AS/NZS 5033 clause 5.5.3 outlines what is required for the shutdown
procedure. AS/NZS 5033
5.5.3
There are a number of different technologies available on the market
for installing solar panels that require different shutdown procedures.
Therefore, a generic shutdown label may not be correct for the
particular system installed.
A common defect is the shutdown label does not align with the
equipment installed including the labelling of isolators. For instance, a
shutdown label may state, 'Turn off the solar supply main switch,' yet
the main switch for the inverter is labelled 'Main switch inverter supply'.
Another common defect is the absent warning label relating
to DC isolators not de-energising the array and array cables. In
such instances, these are additional labels and not fixed to the
shutdown label.
What is a common defect relating
to solar panel installations?
Not installing conduit fittings to prevent the entry of water is one of
the most common defects identified in the auditing of solar installation.
AS/NZS 3000:2018
3.10.2.3
AS/NZS 3000:2018 clause 3.10.2.3 outlines the requirements for
preventing the entry of water into wiring enclosures. The majority
of the time the conduit is not glued into the conduit adaptor.
I am installing a freestanding gas
cooktop/electric oven unit.
Am I required to install an isolating
switch mounted near the appliance
in a visible and readily accessible
position, as per clause 4.7.1?
Clause 4.7.1 only applies to cooking appliances that have an open
cooking surface incorporating electric heating. For example an electric
cooktop, electric deep fat fryer, electric barbecue griddle or similar.
AS/NZS 3000:2018
4.18
What needs to be considered is clause 4.18 GAS APPLIANCES
AND EQUIPMENT. This clause will need to be complied with as the
freestanding unit has a gas cooktop.
This clause requires that an isolation switch or plug and switched
socket-outlet be provided adjacent to the appliance location, and
be accessible with the appliance in the installed position.
If an isolation switch is used it must be lockable and operate in all
live (active and neutral) conductors.
Do we need to worry about the egress
around a switchboard/meter box that
only has a 1m clearance to a fence?
Clause 2.10.2.2 c) i. and ii. talks
about unimpeded access.
With meter boxes, the doors open to
the right. If that is the exit direction,
do will still need the 600mm in a
domestic situation?
16
Clause 2.10.2.2 provides an exception
The requirements for doors of switchrooms and for emergency
exit facilities need not apply to single domestic electrical
installations.
Note: consideration should be given to providing means of escape
from the immediate vicinity of the switchboard in more than one
direction. This accounts for a case of an arcing fault occurring while
work is in progress at the switchboard.
AS/NZS 3000:2018
2.10.2.2