[RE-wrenches] Ground mount fire code clarifications
Ray
ray at solarray.com
Sat Mar 21 13:11:35 EDT 2020
I, second Jay's /no gravel/ sentiment. I saw a huge 160 acre solar farm
that they covered with hundreds of thousands of dollars of gravel.
Punch Line? Only the weeds came back. And only the nice 3 ft tall ones
that some might call brush.....
Just use a weed eater or manually pull the taller stuff as needed a few
times a year. Smaller cordless weed eaters don't throw rocks as bad as
the big motorized ones, and I would recommend clearing the rocks, not
adding more.
Ray Walters
Remote Solar
303 505-8760
On 3/21/20 11:03 AM, Jay wrote:
> There is another aspect to the 10’ rule which is, its protection for
> the array from wildfires. 10’ might not be enough for that though
> depending on where you live.
>
> In regards to what’s being discussed, I have many ground mounts (not
> talking pole mounts)out there, I try to have them as high off the
> ground as practical, and to allow easy grass cutting. Yes brush would
> have been removed before install.
> I don’t agree with bringing gravel in, or any sort of barrier, we don
> t need a sterile environment under the array. And anyone who’s ever
> seen such a weed cloth/gravel area will see it grass in over time, so
> it really doesn’t work.
> Where I live, no fire danger in the winter after the rains, and during
> the green grass of spring. Cut the grass as it drys, and as we get no
> summer rain no more grass grows, until the following winter
> rains,spring time.
>
> Many people live in green all year areas, Hawaii for example, or what
> about if you have enough water to keep it all green?
>
> In the end it’s the AHJ’s world
>
> Jay
>
> Peltz power.
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>> On Mar 20, 2020, at 7:28 PM, Martin Herzfeld <findsolar at herzfeld.org>
>> wrote:
>>
>>
>> Dan,
>>
>> I think there should more discussions on ground-mounted arrays as an
>> option in addition to rooftop systems - to get out ahead of any
>> issues. In addition, any renderings for ground-mounted arrays and
>> ground-mounted stuff as ESSs.
>>
>> 1. By definition, a brush could mean a "slight and fleeting touch" -
>> which we do not want to do at these times :) or "undergrowth, small
>> trees and shrubs."
>>
>> 2. The challenge also in one and and two family dwellings when there
>> is a setback of only (3) three feet as an accessory structure and the
>> (10) foot rule.
>>
>> 3. I think mounts can be categorized in general as SPMs (Side of
>> Pole Mounts), TPMs (Top of Pole Mounts), MPM's (Multiple Pole Mounts)
>> or an Open Structure with the ability to walk underneath or a Closed
>> structure where you can not walk underneath.
>>
>> 4. BTW, you may wish to look at versions of ISEP and the IRC too?
>>
>> "A. RS402.4 (R324.6) Ground-mounted photovoltaic systems.
>>
>> Ground-mounted photovoltaic systems shall be designed and installed
>> in accordance with Section (R301).
>>
>> B. RS402.4.1 (R324.6.1) Fire separation distances.
>>
>> Ground-mounted photovoltaic systems shall be subject to the fire
>> separation distance requirements determined by the local jurisdiction."
>>
>>
>> 5. Gravel and the various types is also my goto soil amendment. In
>> California, I'd also suggest working with a C27 Landscaping
>> Contractor on what type of blue flowers would be okay.
>>
>>
>> What do you think?
>>
>>
>> All the best,
>>
>> Martin Herzfeld, Interstate Renewable Energy Council (IREC) Certified
>> Master Trainer ™ for Photovoltaics (PV) Installation Professional
>> #IREC 10037
>> Contract Training Provider (CTP)
>> Adjunct Professor, Energy
>>
>> California Solar & Electrical Contractor License #00833782 C46, C10,
>> D56, D31, C-7
>> Solar, Electrical, Trenching, Pole Installation & Maintenance,
>> Instrumentation
>>
>> Contract Solar (PV) Technical Inspector - 3rd Party Inspections
>> Underwriters Laboratories (UL) Certified PV Installer #17, OSHA 30
>> OSHA-Authorized Construction Trainer #32-0105338
>> CompTIA Certified Technical Classroom Trainer (CTT+) #T3NSZCNBBKB4QTQG
>>
>> * Professional Member, International Association of Electrical
>> Inspectors #7035507
>> * Accredited and Registered North American Board of Certified Energy
>> Practitioners (NABCEP) Continuing Education (CE) Provider
>>
>> Telephone & Text: 510.243.0190
>>
>> On Fri, Mar 20, 2020, 4:06 PM Dan Fink <danbob88 at gmail.com
>> <mailto:danbob88 at gmail.com>> wrote:
>>
>> Hello esteemed Wrenches; I am trying to clear this up for a
>> client and his AHJ, which is also puzzled at how to interpret IFC
>> 2018, Section 1204.4, which states:
>>
>> Setback requirements shall not apply to ground-mounted,
>> free-standing photovoltaic arrays. A clear, brush-free area
>> of 10 feet (3048 mm) shall be required for ground-mounted
>> photovoltaic arrays.
>>
>> I found one lone informational note in a white paper stating this
>> was to prevent a burning PV array from igniting surrounding
>> vegetation and the fire spreading.
>>
>> So, has anyone dealt with an AHJ on this before? Our questions are:
>>
>> * What exactly is a "free-standing photovoltaic array" that is
>> exempt? A pole mount? Couldn't burning debris from that
>> ignite vegetation underneath?
>> * What exactly does "A clear, brush-free area of 10 feet (3048
>> mm)" mean? "10 feet" is a linear measurement, not an area,
>> that would be in square feet.
>> * What is "brush"? Does grass count as brush?
>>
>> I would interpret this on the safe side as meaning that all
>> vegetation under the PV array and out to a 10 foot perimeter
>> should be cleared, except for pole-mount arrays (that exception
>> makes no sense to me).
>>
>> I always recommend to clients that the area /under/ the ground
>> mount array should be pea gravel bordered by railroad ties, but
>> out to 10 feet from the array edge seems excessive.
>>
>> Any input greatly appreciated!
>>
>> Dan Fink
>> Executive Director, Buckville Energy Consulting
>> NABCEP PV Associate
>> NABCEP Certified PV System Inspector
>> IREC Certified Instructor™ for:
>> ~ PV Installation Professional
>> ~ Small Wind Installer
>> NABCEP Registered Continuing Education Providers
>> d <mailto:dan.fink at greendustrialtraining.com>anbob88 at gmail.com
>> <mailto:anbob88 at gmail.com>
>> 970-672-4342
>>
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