FACILITIES MANAGEMENT
AR FOR MANAGED FACILITIES
pinpointed alerts to system issues in order to reduce trips to the site and time spent on site. This type of monitoring enables site analysis and troubleshooting to be conducted from the comfort of an office. For example, with such panel-level monitoring, if a panel has a failed diode, then an automatic alert will notify the relevant personnel. The panel can be easily identified, and a screenshot can be provided to the panel manufacturer for a warranty claim. This means that, during the next site visit, the maintenance team can replace the failed panel, instead of only learning about its existence.
In recent years there has been a notable shift away from traditional string inverters in favour of more advanced systems that leverage DC-optimisation
The growing deployment of DC-optimised technology opens up a third option – reactive maintenance. In a DC-optimised system, the Power Optimizers track the performance of each pair of solarpanelsinanarrayinreal-time andprovide
HOW CAN FM’s MAKE SURE THE SOLAR SYSTEMS THEY MANAGE ARE SAFE – AND REMAIN SAFE? Ensuring the safety of people and property is every FM’s top priority, and rightly so. With millions of systems installed worldwide, solar is proven to be safe and reliable. However, as traditional solar installations can reach voltages as high as 1,500VDC, precautions should be taken to ensure the safety of people and assets. To overcome potential risks, there are two safety features to look out for when selecting solar technology. The first is a safe-DC feature. This is a panel-level safeguard which minimises the risk of electrocution during installation or standard
system maintenance, or in the event of a fire. With traditional inverters, shutting down the inverter or the grid connection will terminate current flow, but DC voltage in the string cables will remain live for as long as the sun is shining, meaning the system still poses an electrocution risk. A safe-DC feature overcomes this problem by automatically reducing the output voltage of each panel to a touch-safe 1V. Another feature to be aware of is arc fault detection. While uncommon, an electrical arc can be triggered by a number of events, from false trips to a loose connection. The U.S. has introduced strict arc detection standards which call for detection of specificarcsasthey occur. While the UK market has yet to implement a similar requirement, this is expected to change andmay already be requested by insurance companies. So, it’s important not to get caught out.
Christelle Barnes
SolarEdge Technologies
www.solaredge.com/uk/
Order your copy of the Code of Practice for Electric Vehicle Charging Equipment Installation, 5th Edition from the IET Bookshop
Find out about the significant changes including: – full alignment with BS 7671:2018+A2:2022 – requirements of The Electric Vehicles (Smart Charge Points) Regulations 2021
– guidance to meet the requirements of Building Regulations of the devolved nations and PAS 1899 on accessibility
– a substantial update on ‘vehicle as storage’
– considerations for fire safety, new appendices on Mode 4 charging, earthing requirements and expanded coverage on DNO notifications
– and much more Find out more and order your copy today!
The Institution of Engineering and Technology is registered as a Charity in England and Wales (No. 211014) and Scotland (No. SC038698). The Institution of Engineering and Technology, Futures Place, Kings Way, Stevenage, Hertfordshire, SG1 2UA, United Kingdom.
Get your copy today at
theiet.org/cop-ev5-ee
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40
