Solar COC Findings

S

Syphonx

Expert Member
Joined
Jun 25, 2008
Messages
4,351
Reaction score
902
Location
Cape Town
After completing a solar install I received the COC which had 1 finding:
  • No DC fuses in PV combiner box.
My understanding is that this is not a critical issue, especially since lightning strikes aren't a problem where I live? I need to submit the COC to insurance. Does anyone know how they handle this, will they refuse it, or ignore it? Or will they use it to invalidate any claims against anything solar related further down the line?
 
So you did receive a COC, and this was just something noted by the electrician? If it was a problem, would they not withhold a COC until the installation is compliant?

Interesting, following this.
 
My insurance sent out a notice excluding surge damage without a fuses.

EDIT
Endorsement Number: 141
We will only compensate you for loss or damage caused by lightning or power surge to your Solar Panel System and accessories (including Batteries) if SABS approved surge
arrestors are installed on the insured premises. Power surge units installed on DB boards must be 10kA or higher.
Click to expand...

No clue if this is the same thing - grates my nerves that they expect you to understand technical **** you don't specialize in.
 
Bliksis said:
So you did receive a COC, and this was just something noted by the electrician? If it was a problem, would they not withhold a COC until the installation is compliant?

Interesting, following this.
Click to expand...
Hmm well looking at it now I am not sure if it is the actual COC? Heading of the document is 'Additional Test Report for SSEG'. The house has an COC so my understanding is that only the alterations are tested and the COC is amended/updated with that.
EDIT: I see a comment on the form that explicitly states it is a COC.

The COC electrician mentioned that the electrical engineer (from the solar company) could 'override' his findings if he deemed them to be irrelevant or mitigated in some other fashion.
 
xrapidx said:
My insurance sent out a notice excluding surge damage without a fuses.
Click to expand...
Ok that would make sense, my missing fuses are between the panels and inverters so any damage 'should' be limited to the inverters and not the rest of the house.
 
When my COC was done the inspector told me that the COC has nothing to do with the DC side of the installation. It's only required for the AC side.
 
So the term used on the COC is 'Flags'. Not sure if they have different names for criticality.....
 
ghaye said:
When my COC was done the inspector told me that the COC has nothing to do with the DC side of the installation. It's only required for the AC side.
Click to expand...
Well he checked DC side as well. Spent about 2 hours on it so was very thorough.
 
Fuses can't stop lightning imo
Hundreds of thousands of volts doesn't care for 10mm

After jumping 100's of meters throught the atmospere imo

Fuse also serve no function on single string solar arrays other than being an solation device ' not even a great one you do have to have some form of isolation device so as long as you have one

It is impossible to fuse protect a solar array, as the fuse has to be higher than max amps the array can supply , lower rating then it will burn every single day

so essentially just eye candy

The only place fuses actually has a place and definitely has to be in place is with parralel strings
To prevent fire risk
 
Apparently “flags” now come in flavors like “optional,” “meh,” and “we’ll ignore this unless something burns down.” Insurance, of course, only cares after the fireworks start.
 
Your COC, the headline reads GENERAL ELECTRICAL INSTALLATION CERTIFICATE OF COMPLIANCE"

On page 2 :

"is alternative power supply installed? (see 7.12)" the box is ticked YES

Look at Section 3 as well <-- "description of installation covered by this report"

--------------------------

Without those DC fuses there should be no way to get a COC, that's a serious safety failure. Your combiner box does as it's name says, it combines all your strings DC output into one single output. Now if there is a fault / short circuit on one string it can blow all the others, so each string needs to be protected.

Your solar guy should have just offered to quickly install DC fuses in your box, chop chop and problem solved, not even an hours work. Without that there is no way an insurance company would cover anything IMO, which makes sense.
 
So just to update with feedback from the installer:
Fuses are not required since we installed DC breakers, the COC engineer recommended if you want additional protection fuses can be installed. However, due to no more than 1 strings being paralleled, it will not make a difference, hence no ‘red’ flag.
Click to expand...
 
Syphonx said:
After completing a solar install I received the COC which had 1 finding:
  • No DC fuses in PV combiner box.
My understanding is that this is not a critical issue, especially since lightning strikes aren't a problem where I live? I need to submit the COC to insurance. Does anyone know how they handle this, will they refuse it, or ignore it? Or will they use it to invalidate any claims against anything solar related further down the line?
Click to expand...
I opted for DC circuit breakers in stead of fuses. then you can isolate the PV side as well if you want to do maintenance.
 
fuses are faster than breakers and are completely fail safe, breakers are not....

  • how many strings have you got? As far as I know the regs state that if it's 3 or more then you will require fuses.

the regs normally don't say you can have this or that, it will just state that there must be protection for reverse current flow.
circuit breakers are normally for over current, whilst fuses can protect on reverse current flow <-- and I think this is what your insurance company is saying why they will not cover you.
 
thehuman said:
Installer supposed to have employee who can do coc .
Click to expand...

No they don't, a layman or your mistress can install an entire houses electrical system, it's up to the inspector who signs it off to determine if it's all legal or not.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top
Sign up to the MyBroadband newsletter
X