Residential fires remain one of the most common residential accidents in the whole world. While many residential fires are caused by faulty wiring with traditional electrical connections, houses powered by solar energy are still vulnerable to these kinds of accidents.
The worst part is that extinguishing fire on a solar-powered home is more complicated than traditional houses. If you’re one of those who have residential solar power units, you’d have to know all about the solar rapid shutdown.
What is solar rapid shutdown?
Solar rapid shutdown refers to the ability, mandated by regulation, to quickly shut down a solar panel system in case of an emergency.
People don’t realize that solar panels, when exposed to the sun, are always electrically charged. It can actively electrocute people during contact and cause short circuits during emergencies.
Rapid shutdown regulations were first implemented in 2014 as a safety precaution by the National Electrical Code (NEC), offering a fast and effective way of cutting off the electricity running through the system.
The primary purpose of this regulation was to provide a way for firefighters to “shut down” the power source during a fire. The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) got rapid shutdowns added into the NEC to keep first responders safe.
How can you initiate solar rapid shutdown in case of fire?
Most people would assume that simply turning the solar inverter off would turn the power off, but it doesn’t work like that. You would still have power being generated by the solar panels, and your electric cables will still carry electricity.
Solar rapid shutdown is a device that can automatically deactivate all electrical connections on your solar panels in one switch. This can remove the electric charge on your solar panels.
Most solar panel contractors offer solar rapid shutdown devices. While they may be expensive, they can ensure safety in your home in case of an emergency.
Source:
Go Solar Today 