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Hi David,<br>
<br>
Can you elaborate on the mounting system(s?) that would minimize
fire propagation?<br>
<br>
TIA,<br>
<pre class="moz-signature" cols="72">Bill Loesch
Solar 1 - Saint Louis Solar
314 631 1094</pre>
On 06-Feb-14 1:11 PM, David Brearley wrote:<br>
</div>
<blockquote
cite="mid:F0375171-BE79-4B5F-AEC6-2384331C1DEA@solarprofessional.com"
type="cite">
<div>William,</div>
<div><br>
</div>
<div>
<div>There are few Class A fire-rated PV modules on the market
today:</div>
<div><br>
</div>
<div><a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="http://www.trinasolar.com/us/product/PDG5.html">http://www.trinasolar.com/us/product/PDG5.html</a></div>
<div><br>
</div>
<div><a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="http://www.silicon-energy.com/products/modules">http://www.silicon-energy.com/products/modules</a></div>
<div><br>
</div>
<div>The broader context is that UL is in the process of
revising the way that fire ratings are determined for PV
systems. To date, modules have received a fire classification.
However in the installed environment, fire propagation has
more to do with the mounting system than with module
construction. Therefore, fire classification tests in the
future will be based more on the mounting method.</div>
</div>
<div><br>
</div>
<div>As Bill Brooks explained here on January 8th:</div>
<div><br>
</div>
<div>
<pre style="font-family: courier, 'courier new', monospace; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-wrap; word-wrap: break-word; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 19.600000381469727px; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); position: static; z-index: auto; ">UL 1703 has been substantially changed as to how modules are fire rated. Basically, modules will no longer receive a direct fire rating unless they are installed in a fire-rated mounting system. A current module with a Class C or Class A rating will no longer have that rating. The mounting system will carry the fire rating. Modules will have specific “types” based on their construction. This way a rack manufacturer can get a fire rating on modules of a particula
r module construction type and not have to rerate their rack with every module that has that same construction.
All these changes in the UL1703 standard are going to require education so that fire officials and building code enforcement officials understand how to enforce the new building code rules in light of the new version of the UL standard.</pre>
<div><br>
</div>
</div>
<div>Arguably, enforcement of fire rating requirements in the
I-codes is running ahead of the development of the applicable UL
standard. It's safe to say that working groups at SEIA and
SolarABCs are very interested in tracking these types of issues.
The SolarABCs has had fire classification ratings on its radar
for several years now:</div>
<div><br>
</div>
<div><a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="http://www.solarabcs.org/current-issues/fire_class_rating.html">http://www.solarabcs.org/current-issues/fire_class_rating.html</a></div>
<div><br>
</div>
<div apple-content-edited="true">
<div style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space;
-webkit-line-break: after-white-space; ">
<div style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space;
-webkit-line-break: after-white-space; ">
<div>David Brearley</div>
<div>Senior Technical Editor,<span
class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><i>SolarPro</i><span
class="Apple-converted-space"> </span>magazine</div>
<div>NABCEP Certified PV Installation Professional</div>
<div><a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="mailto:david.brearley@solarprofessional.com">david.brearley@solarprofessional.com</a></div>
<div>Direct: 541.261.6545</div>
<div><br>
</div>
</div>
<br class="Apple-interchange-newline">
</div>
<br class="Apple-interchange-newline">
<br class="Apple-interchange-newline">
</div>
<br>
<div>
<div>On Feb 6, 2014, at 12:20 PM, <a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="mailto:re-wrenches-request@lists.re-wrenches.org">re-wrenches-request@lists.re-wrenches.org</a>
wrote:</div>
<br class="Apple-interchange-newline">
<blockquote type="cite">
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom:
0px; margin-left: 0px; "><span style="font-family:
Helvetica; font-size: medium; color: rgb(127, 127, 127); "><b>From:<span
class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></b></span><span
style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: medium; ">William
Korthof <<a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="mailto:wkorthof@gmail.com" style="color: blue;
text-decoration: underline; ">wkorthof@gmail.com</a>><br>
</span></div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom:
0px; margin-left: 0px; "><span style="font-family:
Helvetica; font-size: medium; color: rgb(127, 127, 127); "><b>Subject:<span
class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></b></span><span
style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: medium; "><b>[RE-wrenches]
Solar Module fire ratings</b><br>
</span></div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom:
0px; margin-left: 0px; "><span style="font-family:
Helvetica; font-size: medium; color: rgb(127, 127, 127); "><b>Date:<span
class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></b></span><span
style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: medium; ">February
6, 2014 10:56:05 AM CST<br>
</span></div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom:
0px; margin-left: 0px; "><span style="font-family:
Helvetica; font-size: medium; color: rgb(127, 127, 127); "><b>To:<span
class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></b></span><span
style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: medium; "><a
moz-do-not-send="true"
href="mailto:re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org"
style="color: blue; text-decoration: underline; ">re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org</a><br>
</span></div>
<div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom:
0px; margin-left: 0px; "><span style="font-family:
Helvetica; font-size: medium; color: rgb(127, 127, 127); "><b>Reply-To:<span
class="Apple-converted-space"> </span></b></span><span
style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: medium; ">RE-wrenches
<<a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="mailto:re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org"
style="color: blue; text-decoration: underline; ">re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org</a>><br>
</span></div>
<br>
<br>
<div dir="ltr">I've just been informed by a city (our own City
in fact) that is asking for minimum Class-B fire-rated solar
modules, citing rules newly adopted Jan 1, 2014. The expert
behind the counter made reference to IRC section 902.4,
which seems to call for solar installations to meet the same
fire rating standard as the roofing on which they are
installed. It was the end of the day. Most roofing is B or A
rating apparently, and my official was adamant that this
meant only a B or A rated panel would be allowed.
<div><br>
</div>
<div>As far as I know, virtually every solar panel I've ever
handled going back to the mid 90's was Class C rated. The
only Class A I remember (and the only one I noticed from
web searching) was the obnoxiously unwieldy glass-on-glass
300-watt series that got absorbed by Schott and probably
discontinued many years ago. I have one of those antiques
in my shop for fun, and I encountered exactly one
installation that used the product (from another
installer), and there were "issues" with the panels within
the first 10 years. <br clear="all">
<div><br>
</div>
<div>Is this Class A/B requirement issue true? Did the
state fire marshall adopt a policy at the start of this
year that basically bans all panels with C rating? </div>
<div>Are there any class B or A rated modules on the
market? </div>
<div>Who's brilliant idea was this? </div>
<div><br>
</div>
<div>/wk</div>
--<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><br>
<div dir="ltr">
<div><a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="http://www.sustainsp.com/images/SSP_Logo_RGB_email.jpg"
target="_blank" style="color: blue; text-decoration:
underline; ">William Korthof</a></div>
<div>714.875.3576 and 800.524.2970<br>
Sustainable Solutions Partners</div>
<div>(also dba: EE Solar)<br>
<img moz-do-not-send="true"
src="http://www.sustainsp.com/images/SSP_Logo_RGB_email.jpg"><br>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<br class="Apple-interchange-newline">
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