Module wiring safety [RE-wrenches]

[Sky Sims]

William,

Your logic is flawed.

The answer to 1 and 2 is clearly yes. 

If the answer to 1 was no then we would all be dead by now. And the
utilities would run our power lines in conduit.

If the answer to 2 was no then we would not be allowed to use extension
cords or plug in appliances in this country.

I appreciate your desire to improve safety. But taking it too far will
result in many more deaths than saves. 

Saying that the liquid tight or the Volt guard makes the ground mount
safer is simply not true. They trade one set of extremely unlikely
hazards for another set. I like the look of the volt guard and will
offer it as an option to customers. Some people will be happy to pay an
extra 1 to 2% for the look. But to simply require customers to purchase
it would make me feel like I was stealing. And if someone decided not to
purchase solar because it was to expensive due to an unnecessary option
that I tried to force I'd be as much a murdering eco criminal as those
who can afford clean energy but choose to pollute instead.

Solar electricity is much safer than standard AC. Studies indicate the
human body can safely tolerate more DC than AC. Solar energy does not
generate GHG's, mercury or radioactive waste. 


Sky Sims
Ecological Systems
www.ecologicalsystems.biz
220 County Road 522
Manalapan, NJ 07726
ph)732-462-3858  fax)732-462-3962
 

-----Original Message-----
From: William Miller [mailto:wrmiller at charter.net] 
Sent: Tuesday, January 22, 2008 1:46 AM
To: RE-wrenches at topica.com
Subject: Module wiring safety [RE-wrenches]


Friends:

I guess there is one fundamental question (at least as I see it):  1.
Are 
high voltage wires safe when not enclosed in conduit?

In addition, some are asking:  2. Are PV installers being held to a
higher 
standard than for other electrical installations (or at least, will they
be 
under the 2008 code)?

I think the obvious answers are no and no.

Take a look at question 2 first:  What other electrical system can any
of 
you cite that allows high voltage wire to be exposed to the general
public 
and not be protected by conduit?  I can not think of one.  Try running a

branch circuit in THHN stapled to the outside of your next job and see
if 
it passes inspection.  Heck, it's not even allowed inside a wall.  You
have 
to use jacketed cable and only for limited applications.  So, no,
enclosing 
high voltage wire in conduit is not unique to the 2008 PV code.

Further, if electrical installations of any type accessible by the
general 
public require conduit and have for decades, why is this?  Well I
surmise 
that it is because high voltage electricity is DANGEROUS!  That answers 
question number 1.

No, I can not cite an example of someone being killed by a PV system,
but 
you can't deny it is possible, and do you want your system to be the
first 
one?  I fear that the human involved will not be the only fatality-- so 
will the industry.  Envision your next 100 or more residential sales
calls 
after this hits the news.  Again, that fatality may never happen, but I 
can't understand the resistance to making damn sure it doesn't.  I'm in 
favor of the industry regulating itself, but that has to occur before
the 
accident.

Also, the era of high voltage string arrays has been with us for only a
few 
years.  So if your logic is based on the statement, "No one has been
killed 
yet,"  that is not logic, that's gambling.

What gets me is that the bottom line here appears to be:  the bottom 
line.  Many are apparently under the impression that exposed wiring is 
significantly cheaper than protected wiring so they will fight tooth and

nail to maintain this practice.  With module J-boxes and a little 
experimentation, we were able to do it cheaper, faster and better.

I'm all for an industry task force to review the options, but I think
this 
has happened already and the report is out-- it's in the 2008 code.  I 
suggest we not fight it but embrace it for the wisdom it is.

William Miller


-- _________________________________
William Miller
Miller Power and Communications
Voice :805-438-5600     Fax: 805-438-4607
email: wrmiller at mpandc.com
http://mpandc.com
License No. C-10-773985


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