disco madness continues [RE-wrenches]

[Bill Brooks]

Matt T,

The attractive hallway disconnect is the only method I know of to comply.

Bill.


-----Original Message-----
From: matthew tritt [mailto:solarone at charter.net]
Sent: Tuesday, May 27, 2003 10:48 AM
To: RE-wrenches at topica.com
Subject: Re: disco madness continues [RE-wrenches]


Bill,

How will this affect systems with direct penetrations like roof shingles?
Even though I'm not personally a fan of shingles it sounds like this rule
will make them virtually impossible to legally install.

Matt T
----- Original Message -----
From: "Bill Brooks" <billb at endecon.com>
To: <RE-wrenches at topica.com>
Sent: Tuesday, May 27, 2003 10:22 AM
Subject: RE: disco madness continues [RE-wrenches]


Jeff,

Mike is a good guy, and I have been the one working with him. He is the one
of the only fire officials really looking at this stuff and has a number of
valid concerns. This issue has been around since the beginning but is only
now rearing its head. If all the conduit is exterior to the building, the
disconnect is not necessary. If the conduit is going through the building,
the code says that the disconnect must be in a readily accessible location
(most roofs are not readily accessible) or at the nearest point of entry
(very difficult to find an accessible location in a house that is not
unobtrusive).

We have a problem folks. The NEC and the fire officials are at odds. The
fire officials want a roof disconnect if the wires go through the building,
but the code currently does not allow it. Some things got to change. For
now, get good at camouflaging conduit on the exterior of the building.

Bill.


-----Original Message-----
From: Jeff Oldham [mailto:starpower4u at juno.com]
Sent: Tuesday, May 27, 2003 10:00 AM
To: RE-wrenches at topica.com
Subject: disco madness continues [RE-wrenches]



A note from one of our field crew:

"I met with Mike Denning, Captain of Ross Valley Fire Department (San
Anselmo, CA). We talked about his departments stop on (the) solar system due
to a lack of disconnect on the roof by the panels. He said that we should
not have been given a permit to do (the) job without the plans having been
reviewed by him first. He thinks the permit office in the city of San
Anselmo must have failed to send the plans through him before granting the
permit. I told him we would have put the disconnect on the roof if we had
been told it was required when we applied for the permit and that it wasn't
fair to insist on it after we were granted a permit and had installed the
system. He was sympathetic but not willing to change his mind. He suggested
talking to the permit office about what could be done. He said that he has
been working with the CEC and that in the future they will require all
systems to have a disconnect on the roof by the panels. He said that all
permit offices are likely to do the same. I don't know how credible this is
but it would be a good idea to ask the CEC about it.

He also said that a disconnect is needed for every string of panels along
with the usual one needed next to the inverter. This would be 3 disconnects
for a Sunny Boy/18 Sharp system."

What next??

-jeff o


>From the Solar, Wind and Hydro powered office of Jeff Oldham

________________________________________________________________
The best thing to hit the internet in years - Juno SpeedBand!
Surf the web up to FIVE TIMES FASTER!
Only $14.95/ month - visit www.juno.com to sign up today!

- - - -
To send a message: RE-wrenches at topica.com

Archive of previous messages: http://www.topica.com/lists/RE-wrenches/

List rules & etiquette: http://www.mrsharkey.com/wrenches/etiquete.htm

Check out participant bios: www.mrsharkey.com/wrenches/index.html

Hosted by Home Power magazine

Moderator: michael.welch at homepower.com

- - - -
To send a message: RE-wrenches at topica.com

Archive of previous messages: http://www.topica.com/lists/RE-wrenches/

List rules & etiquette: http://www.mrsharkey.com/wrenches/etiquete.htm

Check out participant bios: www.mrsharkey.com/wrenches/index.html

Hosted by Home Power magazine

Moderator: michael.welch at homepower.com

- - - -
To send a message: RE-wrenches at topica.com

Archive of previous messages: http://www.topica.com/lists/RE-wrenches/

List rules & etiquette: http://www.mrsharkey.com/wrenches/etiquete.htm

Check out participant bios: www.mrsharkey.com/wrenches/index.html

Hosted by Home Power magazine

Moderator: michael.welch at homepower.com

- - - -
To send a message: RE-wrenches at topica.com

Archive of previous messages: http://www.topica.com/lists/RE-wrenches/

List rules & etiquette: http://www.mrsharkey.com/wrenches/etiquete.htm

Check out participant bios: www.mrsharkey.com/wrenches/index.html

Hosted by Home Power magazine

Moderator: michael.welch at homepower.com
==^================================================================
This email was sent to: michael_welch at sbcglobal.net

EASY UNSUBSCRIBE click here: http://topica.com/u/?bz8Qcs.bz9JC9.bWljaGFl
Or send an email to: RE-wrenches-unsubscribe at topica.com

TOPICA - Start your own email discussion group. FREE!
http://www.topica.com/partner/tag02/create/index2.html
==^================================================================