[RE-wrenches] Ground mount fire code clarifications

[Jeff Clearwater]

Yes Sonoma county requires 30' minimum from ground arrays for fire 
setbacks.  and by extension 30' from property lines (as an array owner 
can't control a neighbors brush removal) More is surely advised!  I 
imagine other CA counties have similar requirements.

Dave Angelini Offgrid Solar wrote on 3/20/20 5:32 PM:
>
> In our area of California, when the green grass dies and turns brown, 
> the area under any type of array needs to be free of grass. An array 
> could ignite a wildfire if the array were emit sparks. This is a very 
> rare condition but it can happen to even the best design and module type.
>
> There would not be any brush anywhere near an array. 10 feet from any 
> point of the array makes sense but if there were a wildfire I would 
> want alot more. 100 feet is typical for the zone around a home. That 
> is what our AHJ wants to see in an inspection. We are in a very 
> dangerous area for wildfires in the southern Sierra.
>
> Brush does not count as grass. An array should survive a grass fire. 
> Brush would be much more dangerous and must be kept clear as it is a 
> much larger heat source than grass. I hope this is helpful.
>
> *Dave Angelini Offgrid Solar "we go where powerlines don't" 
> http://members.sti.net/offgridsolar/ e-mail offgridsolar at sti.net 
> <mailto:offgridsolar at sti.net> text 209 813 0060*
>
> On Fri, 20 Mar 2020 17:06:01 -0600, Dan Fink <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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-- 
~~~~~~~~~~~
Jeff Clearwater
Village Power Design
linkedin <https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeff-clearwater-0622a312/>
www.villagepowerdesign.com <http://www.villagepowerdesign.com>
cell - 413-559-9763
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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