[RE-wrenches] Another PV fire

[Nick Soleil]

    Was that fire isolated to the array, or did it spread to the building too?
    I have seen so many j-boxes were a connection has come loose, then arcs.  
This is particularly true of systems with wirenuts.  If enough sunlight is 
present, and the wires begin to arc, then the arc could travel out of the box, 
and start a fire.  

    I have serviced many modules that have failed, and found melted j-boxes and 
cables melted off the backs of panels.  Recently, I pulled a module off of a 
roof, and nearly half the module's backing was blackened and charred.  Many of 
those failures could have lead to a fire.  

    We are all at risk of this happening.  
  

 Nick Soleil
Project Manager
Advanced Alternative Energy Solutions, LLC
PO Box 657
Petaluma, CA 94953
Cell:   707-321-2937
Office: 707-789-9537
Fax:    707-769-9037




________________________________
From: Bill Brooks <billbrooks7 at yahoo.com>
To: RE-wrenches <re-wrenches at lists.re-wrenches.org>
Sent: Thu, November 11, 2010 10:06:10 AM
Subject: Re: [RE-wrenches] Another PV fire


William,
 
Apparently this fire was started by miswiring a combiner box. Most likely 
reverse polarity of a string or whole combiner box feeder at the inverter. 
Details to come.
 
Bill.
 
 
From:re-wrenches-bounces at lists.re-wrenches.org 
[mailto:re-wrenches-bounces at lists.re-wrenches.org] On Behalf Of William Miller
Sent: Thursday, November 11, 2010 8:21 AM
To: RE-wrenches
Subject: [RE-wrenches] Another PV fire
 
Colleagues:

This is starting be more common.  Below from our local paper:


Rooftop solar panels catch fire at Meridian Winery east of Paso Robles

Solar panels on a building at Meridian Winery east of Paso Robles caught fire 
Wednesday morning, according to Cal Fire.The panels were on the roof of the 
building where red wine is fermented. Firefighters are trying to see if the 
flames spread to other solar panels, but have to wait for the electricity to be 
turned off.
Meridian Winery is located at 7000 Highway 46 East. The fire was reported at 
10:25 a.m. 



William Miller



Please note new e-mail address and domain:

William Miller 
Miller Solar
Voice :805-438-5600
email: william at millersolar.com
http://millersolar.com
License No. C-10-773985


      
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