I have been asked to wire up and connect the AC side of a solar system. That's all easy enough. Switchboard to inverter via isolator, bond from switchboard. I can very easily provide a COC for that. Where things get a bit vague is when a non electrician has mounted the inverters, batteries, panels, DC cabling, DC connections. Am I right in saying that some of this work should not have been done by a non electrician? Where is the line drawn? The panels are up to 500vDC, the batteries only 48v but very large currents.
Im trying to break this down so that the solar installer can know exactly what point they should be getting the electrician to complete work, and therefore be requiring the COC. When completing a COC, Is it ok for the electrician not to say they have done the solar install, but insured its compliance with relevant standards?
I hear of roofers installing panels, and have no problems with someone screwing an inverter to wall or setting up a rack of batteries but just trying to gain some clarity around all this.
Certification of solar works
Re: Certification of solar works
The short answer is that those aspects that are prescribed electrical work (PEW) must be done by an authorised person.
Authorisation being either a current practicing licence, or via an employer licence.
PEW is defined in Schedule 1 of ESRs.
Installing ELV conductors / fittings is not PEW unless it's in hazardous or medical area [clause 2; items (b) & (c)].
ELV goes up to 120 V d.c.; so at 500V installing the array is PEW requiring certification;
and ESR 6A makes it high risk PEW so it also requires inspection.
It's the output voltage of the array that counts; not the nominal voltage of individual panels.
Installing the inverter is also PEW; and if intended to operate in parallel with grid supply is also high risk PEW .
The battery section, at only 48V, is not PEW, and so does not need to be certified.
From the difference between array voltage and battery voltage; I'm assuming that there's also a d.c. charge controller, perhaps within the inverter.
The LV cabling from array is PEW, the ELV output to charge the batteries isn't.
Nor is an ELV input to an inverter from the battery; though I suspect this will likely be one set of ELV d.c. cables for both charging the batterires and feeding the inverter.
(Energy Safety have adopted the view that an ELV side of an inverter is not "associated" with the LV output).
However even when ELV work is not PEW ; it is still required to comply with relevant Standards of it's part of an electrical installation.
Provided PEW was carried out "lawfully and safely" (wording in ESR 66);
any person authorised to certify PEW of the relevant type can issue a CoC for it.
However it is not OK for anyone to certify PEW that was carried out by unauthorised persons
(except for PEW done under the various Exemptions in Sections 75 - 79 of the Act)
Authorisation being either a current practicing licence, or via an employer licence.
PEW is defined in Schedule 1 of ESRs.
Installing ELV conductors / fittings is not PEW unless it's in hazardous or medical area [clause 2; items (b) & (c)].
ELV goes up to 120 V d.c.; so at 500V installing the array is PEW requiring certification;
and ESR 6A makes it high risk PEW so it also requires inspection.
It's the output voltage of the array that counts; not the nominal voltage of individual panels.
Installing the inverter is also PEW; and if intended to operate in parallel with grid supply is also high risk PEW .
The battery section, at only 48V, is not PEW, and so does not need to be certified.
From the difference between array voltage and battery voltage; I'm assuming that there's also a d.c. charge controller, perhaps within the inverter.
The LV cabling from array is PEW, the ELV output to charge the batteries isn't.
Nor is an ELV input to an inverter from the battery; though I suspect this will likely be one set of ELV d.c. cables for both charging the batterires and feeding the inverter.
(Energy Safety have adopted the view that an ELV side of an inverter is not "associated" with the LV output).
However even when ELV work is not PEW ; it is still required to comply with relevant Standards of it's part of an electrical installation.
Provided PEW was carried out "lawfully and safely" (wording in ESR 66);
any person authorised to certify PEW of the relevant type can issue a CoC for it.
However it is not OK for anyone to certify PEW that was carried out by unauthorised persons
(except for PEW done under the various Exemptions in Sections 75 - 79 of the Act)