solar installation questions

[jjavier]

Hi

I have doubts about solar fields next to warehouse (the same fenced property):

Do we need separate with fence the parking area of the warehouse the solar installation?

Other question:

Do we need electricians to install modules on the rack system (not electrical mc4 connection)?

And the lasts:

Do we need differents manholes to separate communication cables to ac cables? And if it is fiber optic? Could they share the trench?

Do we need rack system listed UL2703? Or just the lugs and washers?

A lot of questions!

 

[electrofelon]

Ill take a stab at a few of them

Hi

I have doubts about solar fields next to warehouse (the same fenced property):

Do we need separate with fence the parking area of the warehouse the solar installation?

Fencing has been discussed before on here, sorry I do not recall the requirements off the top of my head. IIRC It may be a gray area, and depend on whether you are at 600 or 1kv strings.

Other question:

Do we need electricians to install modules on the rack system (not electrical mc4 connection)?

This would depend on your local rules. Check with your authority having jurisdiction. Requirements can vary widely. Some places require even ballast blocks to be hauled around by electricians, Others just require a "license holder" to pull the permit and be responsible for the job but anyone can do the work, and still others have no licensing requirements at all.

And the lasts:

Do we need differents manholes to separate communication cables to ac cables? And if it is fiber optic? Could they share the trench?

Do we need rack system listed UL2703? Or just the lugs and washers?

A lot of questions!

There is no such thing as a trench afterwords, so it makes no sense to have a "not in the same trench" requirement. I am not saying I havent seen that on job specs :rant:

 

[Carultch]

Do we need rack system listed UL2703? Or just the lugs and washers?

The racking system needs that listing, if you are relying upon it to carry electrical continuity among the modules.

If you make the design decision not to rely on the racking system for electrical continuity, it does not need that listing. Instead, you need to attach a listed lug to each module in an approved manner, and install ground wire to connect them all. Modules can carry the ground continuity, but if that is the case, removal of any one module (keyword "one") should still maintain continuity to all the others. So you can bond the first and final module in a row, or you can "matrix ground" all modules in both axes, as long as no one module breaks the link to the remainder.

In my opinion, it is an inefficient use of material to not take advantage of a racking system for bonding the module frames to the EGC system. One reason you might want to do this, is so that non-electricians can install the racking, and electricians can come back later to install modules, bond the frames and wire the modules. You might want to do this, if your AHJ allows non-electricians to do non-electrical work on the PV system.

 

[jjavier]

fence question

fence question

So, if is a fenced private property that include solarfarm, company warehouse for different uses, Do we need to fence between racking of the solar farm and warehouse ,parking ... ?

 

[Carultch]

So, if is a fenced private property that include solarfarm, company warehouse for different uses, Do we need to fence between racking of the solar farm and warehouse ,parking ... ?

You can have a completely unfenced ground-mount system, as long as you block the wiring from being readily accessible. Usually by means of hardware cloth or similar, a wire grid barrier that covers the wiring so that a tool is required to get to it.