With the number of solar installations in Australia, reaching a million and with recent fires involving solar panels, questions are being asked: what are the safety implications to home owners, electrical workers and emergency personnel of these installations? What can be done to make them safer?
Until now, the major problem of solar photovoltaic (PV) systems is that there has been no safe way to isolate rooftop panels and reduce the generation of potentially lethal direct current (DC) voltages. Even by using a recommended shutdown procedure or the DC/PV isolators that are installed on every solar PV installation, lethal DC voltages are still generated throughout the panels and their associated wiring.
The Solar Safety ShutOFF™ was developed in order to combat this issue, which is a recognised safety concern of emergency services and solar regulatory authorities around the world. Solar Safety ShutOFF™ is an Australian-owned, designed and manufactured product, which allows for safe access to any building fitted with solar panels. Solar Safety ShutOFF limits any lethal solar voltage to the safety of Extra Low Voltage as per Australian Standard 3000/2007 and has also successfully completed compliance testing for AS3100.
When a Solar Safety ShutOFF™ is fitted to a home or business, anyone may safely reduce the generation of electricity by the solar panels, simply by flicking a switch at the meter board or in an emergency, by remotely disconnecting power at the nearest substation. This then provides a SAFE environment for all home owners, emergency personnel and tradespeople to access the solar PV system. In the case of flood, fire or cyclone, the Remote Solar Isolator™ ensures street power is isolated and that there is no chance of solar panels generating lethal voltages and back feeding into the electricity grid. The Remote Solar Isolator™ ensures safe roof access without the risk of fire or an electric shock from solar panels.
A thought on solar safety
Solar Safety ShutOFF - The most technologically advanced protection system involving solar generation.