homartorres
Member
- Location
- Puerto Rico
- Occupation
- Electrical Engineer
Hi Mike and followers
I am a huge fan!
I am an electrical engineer and have been installing PV systems in concrete roofs since 2006.
Since Mike and its team are a very well known and respected guru regarding code interpretation and what was the purpose of every new sentence, I am directing to you the issue we are having at Puerto Rico.
In Puerto Rico, since we are a tropical island that face storms every year, more than 90% of residence walls and roofs are made of solid concrete.
When the NEC use the term Rapid Shutdown for the first time, I remember part of the discussion back there was that there is a need for rapid emergency responder to shutdown pv panels in order for them to take an axe and broke wood/metal roof or wood walls to rescue people and first emergency responder were afraid to hit a pipe with live PV voltage while breaking the roof with an axe.
In Puerto Rico, there is not a single case of fire fighters or any first emergency responder making a hole in the roof of a property in order to rescue people, because roofs are made of solid concrete!
But, because the government of PR decide to jump from NEC 2005 to NEC 2017 in a snap, now inspectors are requiring concrete houses to comply with RS. The code requires it, yes!. But since the beginning, RS requirement design and purpose is so first responder can brake building roof safely. So, common sense and good code interpretation said if should not be mandatory in houses made of concrete. Or at least, it should be leave to the designer discretion.
Please comment!!!
And if you can, send a petition to the NEC to add a sentence that said, RS is not mandatory for PV systems installed in concrete roofs
Thanks!!!
I am a huge fan!
I am an electrical engineer and have been installing PV systems in concrete roofs since 2006.
Since Mike and its team are a very well known and respected guru regarding code interpretation and what was the purpose of every new sentence, I am directing to you the issue we are having at Puerto Rico.
In Puerto Rico, since we are a tropical island that face storms every year, more than 90% of residence walls and roofs are made of solid concrete.
When the NEC use the term Rapid Shutdown for the first time, I remember part of the discussion back there was that there is a need for rapid emergency responder to shutdown pv panels in order for them to take an axe and broke wood/metal roof or wood walls to rescue people and first emergency responder were afraid to hit a pipe with live PV voltage while breaking the roof with an axe.
In Puerto Rico, there is not a single case of fire fighters or any first emergency responder making a hole in the roof of a property in order to rescue people, because roofs are made of solid concrete!
But, because the government of PR decide to jump from NEC 2005 to NEC 2017 in a snap, now inspectors are requiring concrete houses to comply with RS. The code requires it, yes!. But since the beginning, RS requirement design and purpose is so first responder can brake building roof safely. So, common sense and good code interpretation said if should not be mandatory in houses made of concrete. Or at least, it should be leave to the designer discretion.
Please comment!!!
And if you can, send a petition to the NEC to add a sentence that said, RS is not mandatory for PV systems installed in concrete roofs
Thanks!!!