Safety should be your first concern. Where can things go wrong?
Here are some potential issues:
- Sloppy installation
- Inferior or the wrong hardware installed
- Modules installed where the wind can create an underforce and rip them right off
- Interior Weeb connectors used instead of the heavier duty outdoor versions
- Over tightened bolts/under tightened bolts
- Rails not attached to specifications
- Flashing not used
- Wires that are allowed to be loose and not tied to the rails neatly
- Loose connections
- Lightning Arrestors not used on electrical equipment
…and I am sure there are lots of other issues that can
occur.
Not to mention what animals, birds, rodents can do over time
to your system…..so safety should be a concern.
Arc Faults
When you have 1 wire that is carrying electricity and it
breaks or is cut the electricity will try to jump from one side of the break to
the other creating an arc or large spark.
In AC electricity it is fairly easy to stop by turning the system off or
using a . In solar where you have 600 DC
volts going down the line it becomes a serious problem. In the United States the NEC (National
Electrical Code in 2011 issues a standard; UL 1699B which mandates
Arc Fault protection in inverters. These
inverters are slowly coming into the market.
Here are a number of links that discuss fire safety
http://www.ofm.gov.on.ca/en/Fire%20Service%20Resources/Communiques/2012/2012- 03.asp
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