Remote Solar Isolator is the most technologically advanced safety system available for solar generation

Remote Solar Isolator

The Remote Solar Isolator is the most technologically advanced safety system available for solar generation.

The Remote Solar Isolator is designed to integrate seamlessly into any solar array without affecting its performance or appearance. It splits strings of solar panels to the safety of Extra Low Voltage removing lethal d.c. voltages generated by both domestic and commercial solar installations. This is of utmost importance during an emergency and is recommended by the latest Australian Standards as a safe procedure for maintenance.

The Remote Solar Isolator has been tested and fully complies with Australian / New Zealand Standards (AS/NZ 3100:2009 ; AS/NZ 61000.6.3:2007 C-Tick mark) and exceeds the latest NEC 690.12 safety specifications by providing instant module level shutdown capability.

* Provides a single source solution that exceeds requirements for compliance of NEC 690.12.

* Uses the latest air gap isolation techniques providing up to 8mm air gap in less than 5 milliseconds
Provides true instantaneous module level shut down isolation.

* Removes lethal d.c. Voltages on any solar array providing a safe environment for all

* Automatically shuts down if it detects heat from a fire
Prevents solar panels back feeding into the grid.

* Allows emergency services an immediate and unrestricted path to attack a fire or emergency situation rather than lose precious time performing risk assessments or not be willing to go on the roof from concern of electric shock.

* Electricians would be able to work on the array and change faulty solar panels or cables knowing that NO dangerous or lethal voltage can be generated.

* Anyone would have safe access to work on or just near the array without fear of finding themselves in a hazardous situation caused by a hidden or unknown fault or damage to the array.

* Prevents potential for electric shock when cleaning solar panels with water.

When an Remote Solar Isolator is fitted to your home, anyone may stop the generation of electricity of the solar panels simply by following the standard solar shutdown procedure. In an emergency, when access to the meter box is limited the entire solar array may be deactivated and reduced to Extra Low Voltage just by disconnecting the incoming power at the house, the street or the nearest substation. This then provides a SAFE environment for all emergency personnel, tradespeople and you to access the solar PV system and roof knowing that NO lethal voltages are being generated anywhere in your solar installation including all wiring between the panels.

For more information please visit our website remotesolarisolator.com

Remote Solar Isolator crosses the North Atlantic

A global solar safety solution
By John Burfoot

Remote Solar Isolator™ is proud to welcome FireSafe Solar LLC as exclusive distributors in the United States of America.

Solar safety concerns are not unique to Australian residents and commercial owner/operators. Nations from both developed and semi-developed regions have adopted solar power as an affordable and accessible energy alternative. The risks, however, are beginning to emerge and in some parts of the world changes are being made and laws are being passed to address this.

Solar installation methods have changed little over the last 15 years since solar power first emerged on the commercial and residential scene. Over this time we have listened to the safety concerns of fire fighters and other emergency services personnel around the world, particularly with roof-mounted panels that account for the majority of solar installations. These solar arrays not only made it difficult to navigate around their flat, slippery surfaces, they also became an electrical hazard, as every array was in fact a lethal power generator that could never be turned off.

Remote Solar Isolator™ and its growing list of Accredited Installers have been promoting and lobbying for solar safety in Australia ever since Remote Solar Isolator won the 2012 Innovative Product of the Year award by the MEA and ECA1. This created a ground swell of awareness as home and commercial property owners began to take the issue of solar safety more seriously. But it wasn’t until September 2013 at the Dietz & Watson warehouse fire in Delanco, USA, where the world stopped to take a serious look at the real issues and the consequences of un-isolated PV solar installations.

The enormous scale of the warehouse fire and the impact that it had on solar safety headlines around the world, led to change at a political level earlier this year, with the passing of a bill in New Jersey that now requires an external shut-off mechanism as well as a method of identifying premises that have such devices. (For further information read http://cliffviewpilot.com/solar-panel-protections-bill-for-nj-firefighters-becomes-law/.)

The Remote Solar Isolator™ is designed to isolate portions of the solar array to a safe operating level known by the industry as Extra Low Voltage. Activation can be performed remotely at the fuse box, sub station or automatically by its internal thermal detection. Homes and businesses fitted with Remote Solar Isolator™ are also clearly labeled at the power source or fuse box. For more information go to www.remotesolarisolator.com.au

1 Masters Electricians Australia and Electrical Contractors Association

Remote Solar Isolator: The Solution to Rooftop Solar Panel Fires

By Liz Nelson.

When it comes to a house fire, the men in yellow arrive to battle the blaze as quickly and as efficiently as possible. Able to attack the fire from any angle, these individuals put themselves on the line to win this fight. What if the home had rooftop solar panels installed? The firefighter has no choice but to alter his mindset on how to approach the disaster. The same tactics cannot be used because of fear of electrocution.

When a fire begins to consume solar panels, wires become exposed. These wires could have hundreds of volts and thousands of watts traveling through them even while the fire is in the process of destroying the array. This creates a bad situation for firefighters for the panels cannot be shut off in order to combat the blaze. As water is a superconductor of electricity, one wrong spray with the hose could be fatal. What are these heroes supposed to do in this kind of a situation?

The Answer to Solar Panel Fires

Due to the dangers that solar panels promote to firefighters, Remote Solar Isolators have been designed in Australia to help secure the safety of those involved. These RSI devices reduce energy levels produced by solar arrays to safe and manageable levels removing the fear of physical injury from electrocution.

How They Work - The RSI connects to the solar power in order to adjust the flow of power. When the unit is plugged into the power grid, the solar panels are live at full capacity. Unplugging the unit causes it to switch the panels to a protective state reducing or even eliminating the amount of power they are producing. This could be done from a breaker or remotely from a power station. Once the RSI has disabled the maximum power the panels can produce, firefighters will have a safer and easier time combating the blaze.

The Need for Global Marketing - Awarded the most Innovative Product of the Year for 2012 by the Master Electricians of Australia, the Remote Solar Isolator can help save lives as well as property damage. As these units have been proven to be effective, why haven't they been distributed globally? All too often solar panel fires make headlines but not much is mentioned about such a device preventing the damage in the first place. Could this simply be because skeptics of photovoltaic technology are more concerned with tragedy than prevention?

Other Benefits of the RSI

Cleaning the Array
The RSI unit doesn't merely have to be isolated to allowing firefighters to do their job. They can be utilized to allow virtually anyone the capability of safely cleaning their panels without fear of being injured. Once the power is deactivated, the homeowner can feel safe knowing that there is no chance of being electrocuted while cleaning the panels.

Repairing Solar Panels
Replacing faulty panels could be a hazardous task to do without the benefit of a Remote Solar Isolator. Although a single panel could be faulty, the other panels surrounding it are producing thousands of watts worth of power. Deactivating the panels simultaneously with the RSI unit can allow repairs to be completed without worry.

Power Line Repairs
Local repairs to grid lines could also be hazardous to workers should a live solar array be functional and feeding power back into the system. For instance, downed power lines can be shut off at the power station directly. However, a solar array could still be feeding a great deal of power into that system creating a live line. With the RSI device, the panels are deactivated once power is no longer detected on the grid. This will save power company employees a great deal of trouble from having to locate and shut down the solar system in the neighborhood that is still providing power.

Solar panels are being utilized globally for homes and businesses alike. If anything should happen to these facilities, a lot of trouble can be eliminated. The Remote Solar Isolator can help prevent many accidents from happening during an emergency, and should be considered when anyone is installing a photovoltaic system regardless of their place in the world. Protect your solar assets and prevent them from becoming a liability.

For more information visit www.remotesolarisolator.com.au

Author Bio:This is a guest post by Liz Nelson from WhiteFence.com. She is a freelance writer and blogger from Houston. Questions and comments can be sent to: liznelson17@gmail.com.