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NBC Washington DC doing a little solar fear mongering

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  • #31
    Originally posted by CharlieEscCA View Post

    What's dangerous about a ground mount system?

    Not disputing, but want to know what cautions I should be taking with my newly installed ground mount system -- which up to now I would have assumed is safe to touch / safe to wash off (in the first daylight before sun hits the panels).
    What is unsafe is the chance of someone that does not understand electricity coming in contact with energized wires above 50V.

    As Butch states most JHA require some type of fencing or barrier & signs to keep out and warn people that may touch or cut the energized wires. That would be dangerous. Unfortunately animals can't read so they don't know better not to eat the wire so the type of fence to keep them away is important.

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    • #32
      Originally posted by ButchDeal View Post
      We have customers that want solar but want it ground mounted because it is too
      dangerous on the house, we try to explain that ground mount is more dangerous and it is safe on the house.
      I am one of the owners who doesn't want the risk of a high powered panel system on my roof; I'd say
      its mostly a fire risk. Is it MORE dangerous 600' away on the south acre? Certainly not to me, the
      area is fenced, not accessible from any road, some wildlife is at risk. There are warning signs all over.

      Where it is more risky, is that someone (me?) might smash into it accidentally. Biggest concern is
      snow removal, which is actually possible; I don't see it as practical on a roof, even worse if tried.
      I don't want to be slipping on the ice and falling through a panel. Using insulated snow pushers,
      the system is getting reworked to greatly minimize this problem. Bruce Roe

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      • #33
        Originally posted by bcroe View Post
        I am one of the owners who doesn't want the risk of a high powered panel system on my roof; I'd say
        its mostly a fire risk. Is it MORE dangerous 600' away on the south acre? Certainly not to me, the
        area is fenced, not accessible from any road, some wildlife is at risk. There are warning signs all over.
        Most homeowners do NOT have this much space and are not as remote as you (or as educated on the systems).
        We have no problem and have done ground mounts. It is the homeowner in small neighborhoods with 1/4 acre land (or less) often shaded ground that I am talking about here.
        There are kids, deer, chipmunks, etc all damaging the equipment on the ground. Not that many would worry about the chipmunk but say one chews a little on some wires and then a kid comes in and completes the circuit...

        However slight though, even in your case you still have the fire risk with it out in the field (ok you have 600' of brushfire to catch before it hits your house though).
        OutBack FP1 w/ CS6P-250P http://bit.ly/1Sg5VNH

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        • #34
          We do have lots of ground squirrels and deer, but so far they haven't been interested in my wiring. If they
          were, I'd have to make some more upgrades. Here where it rains MANY times a month, and the lawn is
          mowed, brush fires aren't an issue. Bruce Roe

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          • #35
            Originally posted by ButchDeal View Post

            You have up to 600V at ground level. Many jurisdiction require fencing to prevent people to access it.
            You also have a lot of glass panels at ground level. Yes they are pretty tough but small kids and wild animals do strange things to equipment like this.

            you can't easily protect the array wiring (except with a fence) as many large and small animals will nibble on the insulation. Keeping the wires tight and close to the racking helps keep larger animals from nibbling.
            As shown in this image (from my installation thread) https://www.solarpaneltalk.com/filed...6&d=1493591263 my wiring is about as tight as it can be.

            I had asked my installer (who has done several hundred ground mounts in San Diego county) about critters and wires, and they said from their experience over the years it's not an issue. Obviously, only time will tell ...

            In terms of people, the whole backyard is fenced, and we don't have people going through the yard (on an acre at a dead end private street); for example, no trick or treaters in 27 years.
            Last edited by CharlieEscCA; 05-23-2017, 02:24 PM.
            8.6 kWp roof (SE 7600 and 28 panels)

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            • #36
              Originally posted by CharlieEscCA View Post

              As shown in this image (from my installation thread) https://www.solarpaneltalk.com/filed...6&d=1493591263 my wiring is about as tight as it can be.

              I had asked my installer (who has done several hundred ground mounts in San Diego county) about critters and wires, and they said from their experience over the years it's not an issue. Obviously, only time will tell ...

              In terms of people, the whole backyard is fenced, and we don't have people going through the yard (on an acre at a dead end private street); for example, no trick or treaters in 27 years.
              looks clean.

              We have had several critter damaged DC cables (though that would come out to a very small percentage). all of ours have been rooftop but then we install a lot more rooftop than ground mount. Still the potential is there particularly with kids in neighborhoods, one never knows what those little bipeds will do.
              OutBack FP1 w/ CS6P-250P http://bit.ly/1Sg5VNH

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              • #37
                NEC panels continue to rack their brains to come up with theoretical safety improvements while real dangers still exist: http://www.today.com/health/electric...family-t111764

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                • #38
                  Originally posted by adoublee View Post
                  NEC panels continue to rack their brains to come up with theoretical safety improvements while real dangers still exist: http://www.today.com/health/electric...family-t111764
                  Regarding the article, regs have existed for pools, etc for a long time. I actually did some GFI development
                  for our labs in 1969. I could tell you a horror story about the baptismal pool in my church; fortunately nobody
                  got hurt before I got wind of it and took action. That problem appears to be one of enforcement. Our panels
                  on the other hand, are a whole new problem, which I have been heard to grumble about. Sure us who have
                  been around industry, vacuum tube TVs, and HAM transmitters have some understanding and respect, but
                  suddenly its everywhere the uneducated public lives. Bruce (400V) Roe

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