{"id":42630,"date":"2020-08-28T06:44:58","date_gmt":"2020-08-27T20:14:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/?p=42630"},"modified":"2020-08-28T06:44:58","modified_gmt":"2020-08-27T20:14:58","slug":"solar-power-fire-mb1661","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/solar-power-fire-mb1661\/","title":{"rendered":"Warning From FRNSW On Solar Power System Safety\u00a0"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"attachment_42631\" style=\"width: 1210px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-42631\" class=\"size-full wp-image-42631\" src=\"https:\/\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/solar-panel-fire.jpg\" alt=\"Solar power system fires - FRNSW\" width=\"1200\" height=\"630\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/solar-panel-fire.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/solar-panel-fire-300x158.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/solar-panel-fire-1024x538.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/solar-panel-fire-768x403.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-42631\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Image: FRNSW<\/p><\/div>\n<p>Fire and Rescue NSW has sounded a new warning after another solar PV related incident in the state.<!--more--><\/p>\n<p>The Camden Advertiser <a href=\"https:\/\/www.camdenadvertiser.com.au\/story\/6897733\/firies-issue-warning-after-solar-panels-start-fire-at-ingleburn-home\/\">reports<\/a> FRNSW responded to a call on Wednesday morning after smoke was reported &#8220;coming from a switch&#8221; (assumed isolator switch) connected to solar panels on the rooftop of a home in the Sydney suburb of Ingleburn.<\/p>\n<p>However, it then goes on to state smoke was coming from an &#8220;inverter in the roof&#8221;, which would be a really, really bad place to install an inverter. If it was *on* the roof, that could mean a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/inverters\/micro\/\">microinverter<\/a>. While it&#8217;s more difficult for a microinverter-based solar power system to catch fire, it&#8217;s not impossible. But the Advertiser also states the switches for the panels and &#8220;the inverter&#8221; were then turned off by FRNSW, suggesting it wasn&#8217;t a microinverter based system.<\/p>\n<p>The component confusion aside, there was smoke, solar was involved and it sounds like the firies dealt with the incident before any major damage occurred; bless them.<\/p>\n<p>FRNSW has again urged solar buyers to do their due diligence when <a href=\"https:\/\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/installers\/choosing\/\">choosing a solar installer<\/a> &#8211; and for system owners to ensure professional maintenance is kept up.<\/p>\n<h2>DC Isolator Switches A Common Culprit<\/h2>\n<p>Fire and Rescue NSW <a href=\"https:\/\/www.fire.nsw.gov.au\/news.php?news=2420\">noted in a news item<\/a> early this month it has seen solar panel related fires increase five-fold in the last five years, but didn&#8217;t provide any numbers. While still an uncommon occurrence in the big picture of residential PV, any increase or any incident isn&#8217;t good news.<\/p>\n<p>Some of the increase could be due in part to the increasing popularity of PV in NSW. By the end of 2015, around 327,500 solar power systems had been installed in the state. By the end of June this year that figure had increased to approximately 587,000. More systems in use means an increased chance of bad stuff happening, as with any popular type of electrical product.<\/p>\n<p>Much more relevant though is the hundreds of thousands of systems across the state that have been exposed to the elements for some years, which is revealing more shonky solar not built or installed to last. It&#8217;s also easy for owners to forget solar power systems need a little professional TLC from time to time to ensure everything is still operating as it should and in a safe manner.<\/p>\n<p>FRNSW notes isolator switches have accounted for around half of solar power system fires in the state. What proportion of those were rooftop isolators wasn&#8217;t mentioned, but chances are many of them were.<\/p>\n<p>A rooftop DC isolator is a manually operated switch situated adjacent to a solar panel array that shuts off DC current between the array and the solar inverter. It was intended as an additional safety mechanism, but the switches have caused more problems than they have solved &#8211; particularly when not installed correctly or when using poor quality components.<\/p>\n<p>Solar power systems installed by a competent installer using good quality isolator switches are safe. A shroud\/weather shield to help protect the isolator has also been a requirement for some time. But regardless of installation quality or whether a shroud is in place, it&#8217;s important have an <a href=\"https:\/\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/good-solar-guide\/systems-maintenance\/\">inspection and system test<\/a> performed every few years given the harsh conditions these little boxes and other components of a solar panel system endure.<\/p>\n<h2>Why Are Rooftop DC Isolators Still Used?<\/h2>\n<p>Many solar installers despise rooftop isolators, but they are a required part of an installation. There&#8217;s been a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/rooftop-dc-isolator-mb1097\/\">push to have the rooftop DC isolator requirement removed<\/a> from the AS\/NZS 5033 Standard for quite a while and for wall-mounted DC isolator switches to join them, instead favouring use of an isolator enclosed within the inverter.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Trivia<\/strong> &#8211; Australia is the only country in the world that requires a rooftop DC isolator switch be installed with a solar power system.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Fire and Rescue NSW has sounded a new warning after another solar PV related incident in the state.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":17,"featured_media":42631,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[678],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-42630","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-solar-battery-news","entry"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v27.2 (Yoast SEO v27.2) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Warning From FRNSW On Solar Power System Safety\u00a0 - SolarQuotes Blog<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Fire and Rescue NSW has sounded a new warning after another solar PV related incident in the state.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/solar-power-fire-mb1661\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Warning From FRNSW On Solar Power System Safety\u00a0\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Fire and Rescue NSW has sounded a new warning after another solar PV related incident in the state.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/solar-power-fire-mb1661\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"SolarQuotes Blog\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/SolarQuotes\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2020-08-27T20:14:58+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/solar-panel-fire.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1200\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"630\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Michael Bloch\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@solar_quotes\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@solar_quotes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/solar-power-fire-mb1661\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/solar-power-fire-mb1661\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Michael Bloch\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/66afd571aa00c2e442f0192ebac2f6f1\"},\"headline\":\"Warning From FRNSW On Solar Power System Safety\u00a0\",\"datePublished\":\"2020-08-27T20:14:58+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/solar-power-fire-mb1661\/\"},\"wordCount\":659,\"commentCount\":9,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/#organization\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/solar-power-fire-mb1661\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/solar-panel-fire.jpg\",\"articleSection\":[\"General Solar &amp; 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Crews arriving on the\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;General Solar &amp; Storage News&quot;","block_context":{"text":"General Solar &amp; Storage News","link":"https:\/\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/category\/solar-battery-news\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Rooftop solar panel fire","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/solar-panel-fire.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/solar-panel-fire.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/solar-panel-fire.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/solar-panel-fire.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/10\/solar-panel-fire.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":46360,"url":"https:\/\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/solar-fires-nsw-mb1829\/","url_meta":{"origin":42630,"position":1},"title":"Solar Power System Fires And Blasted Rooftop Isolator Switches","author":"Michael Bloch","date":"January 6, 2021","format":false,"excerpt":"There have been several fire incidents in New South Wales in the last week or so involving solar power systems - and at least two are thought to have been caused by rooftop isolator switches. Yesterday, Fire and Rescue New South Wales reported it had attended an incident at a\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;General Solar &amp; Storage News&quot;","block_context":{"text":"General Solar &amp; Storage News","link":"https:\/\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/category\/solar-battery-news\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Solar rooftop DC isolator switch fire","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/isolation-switch-fire.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/isolation-switch-fire.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/isolation-switch-fire.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/isolation-switch-fire.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/isolation-switch-fire.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":80497,"url":"https:\/\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/home-battery-safety-plan\/","url_meta":{"origin":42630,"position":2},"title":"Should You Have A Home Battery Safety Plan?","author":"Kim Wainwright","date":"December 11, 2023","format":false,"excerpt":"Many local councils actively promote the importance of having a bushfire survival plan to residents. Given the potential risks associated with home batteries, should homeowners also have a dedicated emergency response plan for their home battery systems? It's good to know that a suitably qualified installer will tick all the\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Battery Storage&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Battery Storage","link":"https:\/\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/category\/battery-storage\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Home battery safety plan","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/home-battery-checklist.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/home-battery-checklist.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/home-battery-checklist.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/home-battery-checklist.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/home-battery-checklist.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":71457,"url":"https:\/\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/home-battery-fire-mb2835\/","url_meta":{"origin":42630,"position":3},"title":"Dodgy DIY Home Solar + Battery Disaster","author":"Michael Bloch","date":"February 21, 2023","format":false,"excerpt":"This solar and battery installation was the stuff of sparkie nightmares, and occupants of the Sydney home were very lucky to avoid an even greater tragedy. Good quality solar batteries are expensive and part of the reason for this relates to safety. But some have been lured into self-installing their\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;General Solar &amp; Storage News&quot;","block_context":{"text":"General Solar &amp; Storage News","link":"https:\/\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/category\/solar-battery-news\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Solar battery fire","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/diy-battery-fire.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/diy-battery-fire.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/diy-battery-fire.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/diy-battery-fire.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/diy-battery-fire.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":85684,"url":"https:\/\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/home-battery-fires-mb2977\/","url_meta":{"origin":42630,"position":4},"title":"Home Battery Fires In Australia &#8211; What Are The Facts?","author":"Michael Bloch","date":"August 5, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"Lithium-ion battery fires are on the increase, but how many of these incidents involve solar batteries? Li-ion batteries are ubiquitous; used in everything from tiny sensors to hand-held electronics, scooters, home battery systems, electric vehicles, and large-scale renewable energy storage facilities with thousands of megawatt-hours capacity. An advantage of Li-ion\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;General Solar &amp; Storage News&quot;","block_context":{"text":"General Solar &amp; Storage News","link":"https:\/\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/category\/solar-battery-news\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Home battery fire","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/home-battery-fire-2.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/home-battery-fire-2.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/home-battery-fire-2.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/home-battery-fire-2.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/home-battery-fire-2.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":80922,"url":"https:\/\/www.solarquotes.com.au\/blog\/emergency-response-guide-solar\/","url_meta":{"origin":42630,"position":5},"title":"When Nature Strikes: An Emergency Response Guide for Solar Owners","author":"Kim Wainwright","date":"January 18, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"Our hearts go out to those Australians facing the current onslaught of floods nationwide. Times like these underscore the importance of knowing what to do in an emergency without the added stress of figuring it out on the spot. 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