Electrical news
Winter 2020
energysafe issue 58
Prescribed electrical installation
work — Solar installations
By Sandy Atkins, Senior Compliance Officer, Renewable Energy
A registered electrical contractor (REC) was recently issued infringement notices
totalling over $4,000 for energising a solar installation prior to it being inspected.
The CFA were called to a solar system
fire at a primary school. Shortly after ESV
attended the site, where upon inspection
identified that the system had been
energised prior to inspection.
Regulation 249 of the Electricity Safety
(General) Regulations 2019 outlines
the requirements for what electrical
installation work is defined as prescribed
electrical installation work.
Regulation 249 (1) (f) states that work
on all or part of any electricity generation
systems including any wiring systems,
switchgear, controlgear or accessories
installed to provide control or protection
to those generation systems (excluding
stand-alone power systems with a power
rating that is less than 500 volt-amperes)
that are ordinarily operated at low
voltage, or exceeding low voltage,
is prescribed electrical installation work.
Section 45 (1) of the Electricity Safety
Act 1998 (the Act) requires a person
who is responsible for the carrying out
of prescribed electrical installation work
to ensure the work is inspected by a
licensed electrical inspector (LEI) before
the electrical installation is connected
to the electricity supply.
Where the electrical circuits or electrical
equipment handled in the course of the
work are not disconnected from the
electricity supply, inspection by a LEI
must be carried out before the work
is first used after it is completed.
ESV recommends ensuring all isolation
switches associated with the solar
system, as well as the ‘inverter supply
main switch’, are turned off. Where
possible, get a device fitted to ensure
they are not easily turned on by a person
other than the inspector. Plan ahead and
organise to have your inspector inspect
the installation once installed.
Fire scene: the CFA were called to a fire started by the system at a primary school.
The fire site inspection also identified
different brands of solar d.c. cable
connectors mated together. The
connection failed and the arcing of the
d.c. cables started a fire within the PV
system.
Connector failure is one of the main
failures of solar panel installations
worldwide. Accordingly, the solar
installation standard (AS/NZS 5033)
has stipulated to only mate connectors
of the same type from the same
manufacturer since 2012.
It can be difficult to identify the brand
of connectors on a panel as they all look
very similar. It is important you ask your
supplier or check the panel spec sheet
for the connector details.
As a rule, when you connect solar
panels together in a series, the
connectors on each panel are usually
the same – provided they are all the
same panels. Problems in the field most
often arise at the point of connection at
the start and end of a solar panel string
back to the d.c. isolator. If the panel
has different connectors than what is
accessible to you, ask the supplier
for matching connectors.
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