William, There are few Class A fire-rated PV modules on the market today:
http://www.trinasolar.com/us/product/PDG5.html http://www.silicon-energy.com/products/modules The broader context is that UL is in the process of revising the way that fire ratings are determined for PV systems. To date, modules have received a fire classification. However in the installed environment, fire propagation has more to do with the mounting system than with module construction. Therefore, fire classification tests in the future will be based more on the mounting method. As Bill Brooks explained here on January 8th: UL 1703 has been substantially changed as to how modules are fire rated. Basically, modules will no longer receive a direct fire rating unless they are installed in a fire-rated mounting system. A current module with a Class C or Class A rating will no longer have that rating. The mounting system will carry the fire rating. Modules will have specific “types” based on their construction. This way a rack manufacturer can get a fire rating on modules of a particular module construction type and not have to rerate their rack with every module that has that same construction. All these changes in the UL1703 standard are going to require education so that fire officials and building code enforcement officials understand how to enforce the new building code rules in light of the new version of the UL standard. Arguably, enforcement of fire rating requirements in the I-codes is running ahead of the development of the applicable UL standard. It's safe to say that working groups at SEIA and SolarABCs are very interested in tracking these types of issues. The SolarABCs has had fire classification ratings on its radar for several years now: http://www.solarabcs.org/current-issues/fire_class_rating.html David Brearley Senior Technical Editor, SolarPro magazine NABCEP Certified PV Installation Professional david.brear...@solarprofessional.com Direct: 541.261.6545 On Feb 6, 2014, at 12:20 PM, re-wrenches-requ...@lists.re-wrenches.org wrote: > From: William Korthof <wkort...@gmail.com> > Subject: [RE-wrenches] Solar Module fire ratings > Date: February 6, 2014 10:56:05 AM CST > To: re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org > Reply-To: RE-wrenches <re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org> > > > I've just been informed by a city (our own City in fact) that is asking for > minimum Class-B fire-rated solar modules, citing rules newly adopted Jan 1, > 2014. The expert behind the counter made reference to IRC section 902.4, > which seems to call for solar installations to meet the same fire rating > standard as the roofing on which they are installed. It was the end of the > day. Most roofing is B or A rating apparently, and my official was adamant > that this meant only a B or A rated panel would be allowed. > > As far as I know, virtually every solar panel I've ever handled going back to > the mid 90's was Class C rated. The only Class A I remember (and the only one > I noticed from web searching) was the obnoxiously unwieldy glass-on-glass > 300-watt series that got absorbed by Schott and probably discontinued many > years ago. I have one of those antiques in my shop for fun, and I encountered > exactly one installation that used the product (from another installer), and > there were "issues" with the panels within the first 10 years. > > Is this Class A/B requirement issue true? Did the state fire marshall adopt a > policy at the start of this year that basically bans all panels with C > rating? > Are there any class B or A rated modules on the market? > Who's brilliant idea was this? > > /wk > -- > William Korthof > 714.875.3576 and 800.524.2970 > Sustainable Solutions Partners > (also dba: EE Solar) > >
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