[RE-wrenches] Rapid shutdown questions

[Exeltech]

Dave's point below is excellent.

The solar energy industry has a work group comprised of volunteers who work diligently to craft safe Code, yet acceptable and workable Code for the renewable energy industry.  It's a moving target at best.  We do not write the NEC.  We submit proposed changes to the NEC.  During the 2014 Code cycle, the many proposed changes submitted by the various groups (including ours) covered more pages than the actual Code itself.

Ultimately, a committee of approximately 28 members of the National Fire Protection Association have the final say on what gets included, what gets removed, what gets excluded, and what gets amended in each publication of the Code.  Each NEC member has one vote.

Every member of our work group can sign on in favor of a proposed change to the NEC, only to have it rejected by the NFPA committee.  It happens frequently - so our progress with each release of the Code is measured in inches rather than feet or miles.

Aside from submitting proposed changes to the Code, our solar industry work group has no authority in the final Code process.

Dan Lepinski




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On Fri, 8/29/14, Dave Click <daveclick at fsec.ucf.edu> wrote:

Subject: Re: [RE-wrenches] Rapid shutdown questions
To: re-wrenches at lists.re-wrenches.org
Date: Friday, August 29, 2014, 12:08 PM

While I share Robin's optimism, I should also note the "NEC 2017 690.12
committee" referred to is not the code making panel. While it does have
(at least) one firefighter representative among a majority of PV
industry personnel, there's no guarantee that the Code Making Panel
approves this committee's proposal. There could very well be a competing
proposal from firefighters that requires cell-level shutdown every time
a red truck drives within 1/4 mile of an array, because "SAFETY!"

DKC