The Question of Roof based DC Isolators is here again!

I noted recently the SEIA made a post about the roof based DC Isolators.

FYI About the SEIA

SEIA was formed in 2007 in response to demand from within the industry. Installers who felt they wanted to be unified and represented under one banner with their interests at heart; manufacturers and importers of panels, inverters, batteries etc who wanted to support and grow the solar industry; retailers, researchers and lobbyists who requested a union of like-minded professionals so that all the various interests and concerns of the solar industry could be effectively reflected under one roof.

Here is the link to the SIEA website: Link 1 and to the Article Link 2

Quoted from SEIA Website "URGENT"

The Draft Standards recommend Rooftop Isolators to be continued with improved design and installation practices.

If you disagree, please read below and act:

SEIA’s aim is to reflect the common view & interests of solar installers. Please read our intended comment to the Draft Standards:

SEIA is an association that represents Australian solar installers.

Installers are concerned that continued use of Rooftop Isolators (RTIs) may breach their duty of care.

We do not believe that EL42 has made a strong, evidence-based case for the continuation of the use of RTIs. In the context of widespread failures of rooftop isolators, solar installers need to be convinced that the benefits from their continued use outweigh the risks of installing them.

Until this can be publicly demonstrated, we recommend that the draft revisions to AS/NZ5033 be reconsidered, and the use of RTIs be made optional.

If you agree, please send an email with the words “I agree – your Name & Accreditation Number” by 13 March 2018 c.o.b. to [email protected]

We will add a list of installers that agree to our submission.

Online copies of the Draft Standards are available via SAI global (see Amendment 1, Clause 1.3 and thereafter)

ENDS

So why am I reposting? What's new?

I don't want this debate to go away, and I have opened up the "Petition" I ran unsuccessfully in 2015 to have them not included in the new standard at the time.

I will pass any fresh or updated responses to the SEIA and see if they can do something. My industry colleagues, electricians and suppliers, mostly feel having them on the roof is a critical potential point of failure, as we have seen, with several fires and very close calls. With more than 700,000 systems now over or around 5 years old, many are coming up for replacement or due to failing with wear and tear. Why can't we choose not to replace them as we service these past installs? is this the safest option?

Thanks to prompting by the SEIA posts, I have reopened this campaign here: LINK

For reference, I have placed Links to the following posts, expertly supported by Christopher T. J. Dusch below.

Lucas Sadler.

! https://seia.org.au/rooftop-isolators/