solar failed????

[tm.electrics]

Hi all i install these in northern ireland for a company and i met one of the inspectors who was inspecting my install , he said it will get failed due to there being no ac isolator at the consumer unit even though there is one beside the inverter, his excuse was if you needed to work at the isolator you couldnt isolate it! i replied what if you need to work at the isolator that supplies the isolator? is this not a bit redicuolous? Also it was not controlled by rcd which again i pointed out about tripping times etc but he knew about this and just said power supplier asks for it. he also said all inverters need to be mounted on fireboard which i wasnt aware of ? what does everyone think?

 

[moggy1968]

You need 2 Ac isolators if the board is in a different place to the inverter. One at the board, one at the inverter. If it's in the same place (a garage say) you only need one (although some people say otherwise, but whats the point of two AC isolators next to each other) there is a thread on this somewhere.
You don't need fireboard unless it's mounted on a flamable surface, even then it's debatable (also a thread on here somewhere, but also check manufacturers instructions).
Depending on the inverter type you don't need an RCD unless one is required for other reasons in 1771 (some transformerless inverters may need RCDs depending on their design, again, there are a couple of threads on this on here). Can he provide written evidence that the DNO requires it, I suspect not.

SO, in summary, on the face of it, the reason he sounded muffled is because he was talking out of his bottom!!

 

[SolarCity]

I'd say he is right about the isolator at the board and the inverter being mounted on fireboard.

I don't understand where he is coming from with regards to the RCD. Did you ask him why the supplier asked for it?

 

[moggy1968]

you only need fireboard if the inverter is mounted on an flamable surface, but, as above, even then opinions are divided.

Why would you need fireboard if the inverter is on a brick wall?

 

[mdovey]

My installation only has one AC rotary switch which is in the loft by the inverter - an SB1700 (incidentally, the AC and DC rotary switches and the inverter are mounted directly onto the brick work in the loft).

By the consumer unit and meters, they've installed an RCCB breaker/switch and a 16amp breaker/switch.

Do I need to get the installer to put in a second AC rotary switch by the consumer unit? The DTI document talks about the switch being accessible without torch and ladders (I have a loft ladder and lighting in the loft).

thanks

 

[SolarCity]

I assumed that the inverter was mounted on something flammable. It would seem a bit odd for the inspector to suggest fireboard on an inverter that was brick mounted.

 

[MorganPVI]

Not every inverter needs a fireboard, even on flammable surfaces.

 

[SolarCity]

Not every inverter needs a fireboard, even on flammable surfaces.

I didn't know that. Which inverters are those?

 

[solarsavings]

Aurora say mounting surface must be rated to 70c so timber with an ignition point of at least 180c should be fine unless someone misreads the dti guide.

 

[sambotc]

Must make sure i don't hang an inverter on tissue paper again then...