Oops - just come across this - lessons on reacting to a solar panel fire !

[danesol]

Hot topic: lessons on reacting to a solar panel fire |*Solar Power Portal

 

[johnboy6083]

I think that maybe a firemans switch is the best way to go with PV.

 

[moggy1968]

my guess on this, and it is only a guess. is that once the AC supply is isloated the best bet would be to start cutting cables on the roof so that the maximum voltage is single panel voltage, assuming the roof isn't going up of course!!
if the roof has gone up then the cables will have melted through anyway!

 

[sambotc]

How about some kind of contactor relay set up whereby you could install a switch in the middle of the array which breaks the DC in half on the roof, then another cable which comes down from the unit on the roof and down to an accessible position in the house or even wired back to the CU. No long DC runs or expensive cables, surely you could use a bit of 1mm to trigger and as soon as the CU is off the power drops out and the array is split into 2 with each 'end' a good distance away from one another?

 

[Eco Deal]

solar edge !!! keeps a safe voltage of 1v per panel while when a.c is off!

 

[Strima]

Or only fight fires at night...

I'll get my coat, TAXI!!!

 

[Eco Deal]

is that why it called Bone fire NIGHT ?

 

[Ponty Massive]

How about some kind of contactor relay set up whereby you could install a switch in the middle of the array which breaks the DC in half on the roof

Too complicated, double glazing companies wouldn't be able to install PV!!

 

[LightGEN]

Leave it for long enough and the panels will have melted.... end of problem!

 

[sambotc]

win - win then !

 

[sambotc]

Too complicated, double glazing companies wouldn't be able to install PV!!

win -win then!

 

[solarsavings]

Does that system heat the water too...

 

[sambotc]

solar thermal at a new level..

 

[edexlab]

Surely all that smoke will shade the array and lower the voltage, if the winds blowing the right way, maybe the fire service will need some big fans.
In the real world I know this is a debated subject in Germany and I've heard they have to use the equivalent of a firemans switch on each array. which must be accessable to emergency services . I read a report written by the Munich Fire service and it discussed various issues and they even tested shading the arrays by using foam ,trouble was it kept sliding off and array voltages rose, the concensus was that they needed accessable isolators.

 

[Marvo]

Why can't they just use self extinguishing plastics in the panel construction? If the output voltage is causing the fire maybe some temperature fusible links between panels would help.