Clean Energy Associates (CEA) has conducted a safety audit of more than 600 rooftop solar PV systems and found that 97 percent of the installations have major safety issues. It says 49 percent of the items have grounding problems, 47 percent have damaged modules, and 41 percent have crossed connectors.
It shared key findings from the audit in a new report that identifies the top 10 security issues in the systems audited. It said 49% of items have grounding problems, 47% have damaged modules, 41% have cross connectors, 40% have bad terminations and misassembled connectors, 31% have module connection points, 27% , have cables with sharp edges, 26% have broken or damaged connectors and water ingress, and 19% have case hotpots.
“Most of these hazards are due to poor installation practices,” said a company spokesperson pv magazine. “This means that most of them can be identified and resolved relatively easily before they lead to fires, safety risks and potentially expensive liabilities.”
CEA found that most grounding problems occur in the inverter or equipment pad, between PV array blocks and module rows, and along long pipes, addressing the most common safety issue. It also found that module damage is often caused by improper installation or cleaning methods, including walking on the modules, and extreme weather events such as hail or wind.
