Module wiring safety [RE-wrenches]

[William Miller]

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Sky:

I think your are taking this a bit further than is intended.  No one is 
saying that touching the outside of an insulated wire is going to kill 
anyone.  Let me try to explain it one more time:

What we are saying is that unprotected wire, when subject to abuse that 
will, given time, very likely happen, can expose energized metal parts and 
pose a serious safety hazard.

Here is just one scenario:  The similarity between a Unirac ULA ground 
mount and a child's play structure is self evident.  That children will 
want to climb on this type of structure is inevitable.  That children will 
accidentally grasp one of the leads such as pictured on my rogue's gallery 
is also inevitable.  Will the weight of a 40 pound child swinging on one if 
these wires stretched across a metal edge pierce the insulation?  It seems 
very likely to me.  Will the pin or socket pull out of the plastic 
connector shell?  This also seems highly likely.

There is consensus on the above logic in the electrical industry at 
large.  This is why you must protect any high voltage wire (>30 volts) with 
conduit if it is accessible to the public.  The only exception to this I 
know of, as of now, are PV circuits.

Your reference to a utility drop is a non-sequitur:  The utility drop is 10 
feet in the air.  Your reference to lamp cords does not apply either for 
the reason Michael Welch cited:  these are cord connected devices-- when 
kids tug on them, they pull out of the receptacle.

There has developed a temporary precedent in the PV industry that is 
allowing unconduited high voltage leads.  My  theory is that the regulating 
industry has been slow to react to the fact that PV systems are no longer 
limited to 12 volts, 24 volts or even 48 volts nominal.  They now push the 
600 volt ceiling.  The new code requirements are written by those who are 
experienced in fire and electrical safety responding to new high voltage 
string technology.

I really hate to propose something that might affect anyone's bottom line, 
but the pursuit of quick profit over long term public safety does not cut 
it, in my value system.

I guess we will have to agree to disagree, and I see no reason for you and 
I to discuss this any further.  The science is conclusive however-- 400 VDC 
at 5 amps is lethal.  I can't figure how you rationalize out of that fact.

Respectfully,

William Miller




At 02:59 PM 1/23/2008, you wrote:

>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.


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