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Multiple solar installs on one building

Johno12345

I'm looking for some advice.

We have had a solar system installed with four groups of panels, going to inverters in four distant areas of the site. The installer has more or less walked.

It is a large install, I think about 1MW in total so the DNO is involved, they want to witness the shutdown. They are expecting a stop button at the ring main unit to shut all three down within 30 seconds. I think there should be a stop button near the fire panel or have them shut down with the fire alarm. Another thinks there should be a stop button next to each bank of inverters. 

I'm sure the correct answer is in there somewhere but as the inverters aren't linked, something additional is required. Solaredge want a fire cable linking all four banks of inverters together and a fire gateway on one bank, connected to a stop button or fire relay. This will require a lot of cable and not an easy job

I think the prefered option is to have a fire relay installed next to each bank of inverters, a fire gateway and then the fire alarm will shut them all down, and we can install a stop button next to the ring main unit to trigger the fire alarm, or a call point, and even call points next to each bank of inverters if we wanted, all considerably easier than anything else, and somewhat automated. 

I think the crux of the matter is what is legally required, can anyone point me in the right direction? 

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    the project was supposed to be entirely managed by the contractor.

    I have a G99 A3-2 document to complete and they want to witness the shutdown, so its got to be synchronised somehow.

    the DNO have installed some power quality monitoring equipment in the ring main room, whatever that is doing.

    It is 520kW of inverters, a lot more in panels, I misremembered that bit.

    There are no shunt trips on the MCCBs, although, somewhat suspiciously, the electrician left one module of space next to each one in the new panelboards he fitted

    The contract included the G99 work and firefighter gateway which, as far as I can tell just receives a trigger from the fire alarm to shut down all the inverters over their RS485/MODBUS network - this bit hasnt been done

    we dont have any generators connected up to worry about

    I do our fire risk assessment and I cant see much issue or reason for it to be shut down in the event of a fire, but I don't see any harm in it being done, it isn't like we expect the fire alarm to turn off the power elsewhere automatically (only exception being specific pieces of kit (Comms room FM200))

    I can see a reason for a central point to disconnect it, if the DNO want it to be done, for example, the fire alarm looks to be the easiest way.

    Anything wireless here has always been a total disaster

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  • 0

    the project was supposed to be entirely managed by the contractor.

    I have a G99 A3-2 document to complete and they want to witness the shutdown, so its got to be synchronised somehow.

    the DNO have installed some power quality monitoring equipment in the ring main room, whatever that is doing.

    It is 520kW of inverters, a lot more in panels, I misremembered that bit.

    There are no shunt trips on the MCCBs, although, somewhat suspiciously, the electrician left one module of space next to each one in the new panelboards he fitted

    The contract included the G99 work and firefighter gateway which, as far as I can tell just receives a trigger from the fire alarm to shut down all the inverters over their RS485/MODBUS network - this bit hasnt been done

    we dont have any generators connected up to worry about

    I do our fire risk assessment and I cant see much issue or reason for it to be shut down in the event of a fire, but I don't see any harm in it being done, it isn't like we expect the fire alarm to turn off the power elsewhere automatically (only exception being specific pieces of kit (Comms room FM200))

    I can see a reason for a central point to disconnect it, if the DNO want it to be done, for example, the fire alarm looks to be the easiest way.

    Anything wireless here has always been a total disaster

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