Eliminating Solar Panel Fires from Wire Faults

What could have stopped the solar panel fire on the Webster Grooves School in StLouis MO?

 Solar Panels that utilize the M215 MicroInverters made by Enphase Energy could have stopped the Solar Panel fire before the fire started.

I realize that is a rather boastful statement made by someone who promotes, sells, and installs Solar PV systems for the StLouis Region and chooses to utilize Green Building in all their Construction Activities.

But the Great Minds behind [The Next Generation of Microinverter] the Enphase M215 MicroInverters that provide 96% CEC efficiency equals more energy production also built the M215 MicroInverter with a GFI [Ground Fault {Detection} Interrupt] shut off.  Similar to GFI Electrical Outlets pictured in the photo below.

Must Have For Safety  GFI Electrical Plugs are required by all USA building codes and are located in your Kitchen, Bath, and Laundry Rooms and other areas close to water sources- Scotty, Scotts Contracting

All M215 MicroInverters will shut off if there is a fault detected. inside of every microinverter is a GFI (Ground fault {detection} interrupt) switch and if there is a fault, it will stop exporting power within 30 milliseconds per UL1741standards.

• {Scotty Adds-

• Just Like the GFI electrical plug in your Bathroom and Kitchen works!
• I had to look up 30 milliseconds to see how fast it was and here's what wiki supplied: 

• 20 milliseconds — cycle time for European 50 Hz AC electricity or mains grid
• 24 milliseconds — minimum ignition time for a U.S. Rockets company solid rocket motor
• 31.25 milliseconds - a hundred twenty-eighth note at MM = 60
• 33.3 milliseconds — the amount of time one frame lasts in 30fps video
• 41.708 milliseconds — the amount of time one frame lasts in 24fps video or film (actually 23.976fps for most films)
• 50 milliseconds — cycle time for the lowest audible tone, 20 Hz}

Enphase Energy M215 MicroInverter

Overview

The Enphase M215 is the world’s most efficient microinverter.

Based on Enphase’s third generation technology, the M215 incorporates the latest innovations in power electronics and custom microchips to deliver 96% CEC efficiency and a range of patented performance features that maximize the performance of 60-cell solar modules.

In addition, the M215 is light weight and offers a “single-bolt” mounting bracket that makes installation easier than any other inverter on the market. 

{Scotty-Faster, Safer, and Requires Less Labor on the Installation-Translates into saving for the Client on the  Installation and produces more Clean Energy ! }

General Features other than the 25 year limited warranty (PDF)

• Integrates with Enphase Engage Cable

• CSA listed per UL 1741/IEE1547

• Works with 60-cell modules ONLY

• M215 Metrics

• 96% CEC efficiency

• Output power: 215W

• Recommended max input power: 270W

• MPPT Range: 22-36V

• Low-voltage operation capability

  Learn more about the Great Product at the following Links

• Enphase Brochure – System Overview Download
  
• Enphase Certification – M215 Microinverter CSA Certificate Download
  
• Enphase Certification – M215 Microinverter VDE License (Part 1) Download
  
• Enphase Certification – M215 Microinverter VDE License (Part 2) Download
  
• Enphase Datasheet – Engage Cable Download
  
• Enphase Datasheet – M215 Microinverter Download
  
• Enphase Installation and Operations Manual – Engage Cable Download
  
• Enphase Installation & Operations Manual – M215 Microinverter  Download
  
• Enphase Quick Install Guide – M215 Microinverter Download
  

Here's my conversation with the Good People of Enphase Energy and links to the Articles about the Solar Fire

Scotty:

“Recently in St Louis, MO a solar panel supposedly caught on fire on the roof of a local school...it hasn't made much news other than deemed solar fire on school. Could one of your Innovative MicroInverters215 sensed the ground fault and stopped the production of electricity and thus eliminated the fire since it would have stopped creating electricity? There is a few local builders who have been considering adding solar but have raised questions in re. Thank you for your time and assistance. Scotty”

Enphase Energy 1st response:

Hello Scotty,
Thank you for contacting Enphase Energy!
That's a scary situation! Sorry to hear that it happened!
Safety is one of the aspects of our system that we are very proud of. The old style of solar array uses solar panels in series, which ends up with High Voltage DC wiring. Our Microinverters converter the DC to AC right at each panel, which is inherently safer. Here is a link to our informational page that speaks to our safety, which also has a link to PDF:
http://enphase.com/explore/enphase-technology/safe/
Here also is a link to a video demonstration on our YouTube channel, which shows the difference between a DC and AC arc fault:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zKtmPMjrbVA
Please let me know if you have any other questions.

Rob Tierney
Inside Sales
Enphase Energy

Scotty:

Thank you for responding to my question.  I'm already a fan of the M215.  Can the M215 sense a ground fault and stop producing electricity?

 "Could one of your Innovative MicroInverters215 sensed the ground fault and stopped the production of electricity and thus eliminated the fire since it would have stopped creating electricity?"

Thank you for your time and assistance.

Scotty 

Enphase Energy (2nd Answer):

Yes! Our Microinverters do detect ground faults and halt production. 

Please let me know if you have any other questions, or if there is anything else I can do to assist. 

Thanks,

Rob Tierney

Enphase Energy (3rd Answer from Contact Form on their website):

Hi Scotty, 

The inverter will shut off if there is a fault detected. inside of every microinverter is a GFI (Ground fault detection interrupt) switch and if there is a fault, it will stop exporting power within 30milliseconds per UL1741 standards. 

If you'd like to watch the recorded session of the webinar feel free to use the link below. That link will take you to all of the recorded sessions that we have. 

https://enphasetraining.webex.com/ec0606l/eventcenter/recording/recordAction.do?siteurl=enphasetraining&theAction=archive

Jarett

Enphase Energy (4th Answer via a Twitter Post)

Enphase Energy ‏@Enphase

If a phase line drops, units stop producing immediately @stlhandyman @chjch I was just on their site and;@Enphase  and asked the same question.

• Contact Enphase via Twitter: Enphase Energy ‏ @Enphase

• By Email
  
• 
  

  Rob TierneyInside SalesPhone: (877) 797-4743, ext 8128RTierney@EnphaseEnergy.com
  

  
  

  Jarett Skeffington 
  

Solar Panel Fire Articles

• . @StLHandyMan See this? Solar panel fire: MT @ksdknews: Webster HS- Damage minimal. Finals week NOT in jeopardy. pic.twitter.com/cEM0udKqYv
  

  • 
    Webster Groves School District May 18

Solar panels on the roof of Webster Groves High School caught fire today. The fire, which was contained, caused no interior damage. Some water used to put out the fire seeped into a classroom.

The cause of the fire has not been determined.

The High School will have classes on Monday.

Like I wrote earlier the Great Minds at Enphase have already factored this safety feature into the Design and Construction of their Innovative MicroInverter the M215. Couple that with the great and timely feedback from their Websites, Twitter Accounts, and Email Correspondence-

Whats not to Love about the Dynamic and Innovative Products at Enphase Energy!

Scotty writes on June 5th 2013-2 Typos were corrected-GDFI-to GFI.

Thank you for stopping by St Louis Renewable Energy. Feel free to comment in the section below or contact Scotts Contracting- St Louis Home Improvement Projects and Energy Reducing Needs Get Your Green Building Tips and Resources at St Louis Renewable Energy Green Blog

Public Comments Sought-Environmental News

Public Comments Sought on Proposed Coal Ash Cleanup Settlement with Rotary Drilling Supply in Jefferson County, Mo.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE-Environmental News

(Lenexa, Kan., May 30, 2013) - EPA Region 7 and Rotary Drilling have reached a proposed agreement to address environmental impacts from the unauthorized disposal of approximately 140,000 tons of coal ash from the Rush Island Power Plant owned and operated by Union Electric Company (d/b/a Ameren Missouri). EPA is accepting public comment on the settlement pursuant to the federal Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA).

In an administrative order on consent (AOC), EPA alleges that the dumping of the coal ash on property owned by Rotary Drilling Supply, Inc., located in Jefferson County, Mo., impacted wetlands, an unnamed tributary to Plattin Creek, and a portion of Willers Lake. The coal ash contains environmentally harmful metals that migrate into adjacent surface waters.

Between October 2004 and September 2008, Rotary Drilling and another company, Mineral Resource Technologies, Inc., contracted with Kleinschmidt Trucking, Inc., to haul and dispose of approximately 95,000 tons of coal ash to the Rotary Drilling site. During that time period, Mineral Resource Technologies, Inc., contracted with Union Electric Company to find and secure locations for coal ash disposal. In 2007, Union Electric contracted directly with Kleinschmidt Trucking, Inc., to haul and dispose of approximately 45,000 tons of coal ash from the Rush Island Power Plant at Rotary Drilling’s property.

EPA’s proposed settlement, issued pursuant to federal RCRA authority, requires Rotary Drilling to abate impacts of the coal ash disposal by placing a protective cap over the coal ash piles and installing controls to prevent the continued migration of coal ash constituents into wetlands and other surface waters.

Additionally, Rotary Drilling must mitigate for lost wetland functions by purchasing wetland mitigation bank credits. Wetland mitigation bank credits involve the restoration, creation, enhancement, or preservation of a wetland, stream, or habitat conservation area to offset adverse impacts to similar nearby ecosystems. The goal is to replace the function and value of the specific wetland habitats that have been adversely impacted.

A copy of the Administrative Record is located at the Crystal City Public Library, 736 Mississippi Ave., Crystal City, MO 63019. EPA invites the public to comment on theAOC. The 30-day public comment period opens on May 30, 2013, and runs throughJune 28, 2013.

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region 7

11201 Renner Boulevard, Lenexa, KS 66219

Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, and Nine Tribal Nations

Contact Information: David Bryan, 913-551-7433, bryan.david@epa.gov

Thank you for stopping by St Louis Renewable Energy. Feel free to comment in the section below or contact Scotts Contracting- St Louis Home Improvement Projects and Energy Reducing Needs Get Your Green Building Tips and Resources at St Louis Renewable Energy Green Blog

Coal 101: What's Wrong with Coal?

Video on the Damages from Electricity Generated by Utilities that burn Dirty Coal to create our Energy.




Thank you for stopping by St Louis Renewable Energy. Feel free to comment in the section below or contact Scotts Contracting- St Louis Home Improvement Projects and Energy Reducing Needs Get Your Green Building Tips and Resources at St Louis Renewable Energy Green Blog

We Know Who You Are:71 Sen Reject GMO Labeling

Date: Thu, May 30, 2013 at 9:15 AM
Subject: We Know Who You Are: 71 Senators Reject GMO Labeling

Subscribe & Read Past Issues | OCA Homepage | Donate  ESSAY OF THE WEEK We Know Who You Are: 71 Senators Reject States' Rights to Label GMOs On the eve of a worldwide protest against Monsanto, 71 U.S. senators voted against an amendment to the Senate version of the 2013 Farm Bill that would have guaranteed states the right to enact mandatory GMO (genetically modified organism) labeling laws. Seventy-one Senators voted against you, the 90 percent of consumers who have said that you want labels on foods containing genetically engineered (GE) ingredients. Seventy-one Senators – including 43 Republican so-called defenders of states' rights - voted against your state's Constitutional Tenth Amendment right to protect the health, safety and welfare of its citizens and local businesses. We know who those Senators are. And we plan to make certain that everyone who cares about food safety and food sovereignty knows who they are, too. Read the essay Tell your Senators what you think ACTION ALERT With Friends Like These . . . How Will States Label GMOs? TAKE ACTION: Tell Your Congress Member: Reject the King Amendment and any other rider or amendment to the Farm Bill that would take away states' rights to label GMOs! With 71 senators on record opposing state labeling laws, the potential for a rider or amendment to the Farm Bill that would wipe out states' rights to label genetically modified organisms (GMOs) looms even larger. On Wednesday, May 15, the House Ag Committee passed the King Amendment, a measure some say could take away states' rights to label GMOs. If the King Amendment survives to the final version of the Farm Bill 2013, and is passed by Congress, some say it could preempt states' rights to label GMOs. And if it doesn't, will another rider or amendment be introduced into the final bill that would threaten state labeling laws? Some in Congress would have us believe that state labeling laws are too messy – we must reject them in favor of a federal labeling law. But that's just stonewalling. We all know that a federal law is unlikely, given the revolving door between biotech and the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA). And any law signed off on by Congress and the FDA would be a flimsy, loophole-ridden measure written by biotech and Big Food. The OCA is calling on consumers to tell their Congress members to reject any rider or amendment that would preempt state's rights to label GMOs. We're also hosting a Twitter Rally to generate buzz and let Congress know that we expect them to uphold states' rights to label GMOs! Join us on Thursday, June 6 at 5 p.m. PST under the hashtag #LabelGMOs. Login to twitter and type #LabelGMOs into your twitter search browser. From there you can follow the rally conversation and join in by adding #LabelGMOs to the end of your tweet. ACTION ALERT Good Ole' Boys Block Repeal of Monsanto Protection Act TAKE ACTION: Write and Call Your Senators to Demand a Vote to Repeal the Monsanto Protection Act Surprise. Sen. Roy Blunt (R-Mo), with a little help from his friend, Sen. Thad Cochran (R-Miss, pictured), last week blocked an amendment to the Senate version of the Farm Bill that would have repealed the Monsanto Protection Act. (Sen. Blunt helped write the Monsanto Protection Act, and then slipped it into the Continuing Resolution, an emergency spending bill passed by Congress in March.) Fortunately, the author of the amendment, Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-Ore) isn't giving up. Neither are we. What to do? You can start by calling Sens. Blunt (202-224-5721) and Cochran (202-224-5054). Tell them you want a full debate and vote on the Merkley amendment. Here's what Merkley said about the Monsanto Protection Act: It raises profound questions about the constitutional separation of powers and the ability of our courts to hold agencies accountable to the law and their responsibilities. I can tell you that this process and this policy has provoked outrage across the country. Please call Senators Cochran (202-224-5054) and Blunt (202-224-5721) today! Learn more TAKE ACTION: Write and Call Your Senators to Demand a Vote to Repeal the Monsanto Protection Act SUPPORT THE OCA & OCF Two Steps Back. Full Speed Ahead. It was one of those weeks. Last week, Senators voted overwhelmingly against an amendment to the Farm Bill that would have guaranteed states' rights to label GMOs. Two senators blocked an amendment to the Farm Bill that would have repealed the Monsanto Protection Act. Two steps back. But there was good news, too. More than two million people across the globe marched against Monsanto. And the New York Times reported that food companies big and small are struggling to replace genetically modified ingredients with conventional ones – that's good news, because it means that food companies are responding to consumers' demands for non-GMO foods. There will always be setbacks. Whether we're fighting for GMO labeling laws, or the preservation of organic standards. Whether we're fighting against fracking and factory farms, or for stricter regulations on pesticides. The victories, large and small, inspire us. The setbacks reignite our passions, sharpen our focus. And propel us forward. With your help, it's full speed ahead. Thank you! Donate to the Organic Consumers Fund (non-tax-deductible, but necessary for our legislative efforts in Washington, Vermont and other states) If you need your donation to be tax-deductible, you can donate to the Organic Consumers Association (tax-deductible, helps support our work on behalf of organic standards, fair trade and public education) NEW REPORT 'Broken' Food Safety System: One More Reason to Avoid Meat from Factory Farms Cockroaches on the floor where hogs are slaughtered. Fecal material on the carcasses of hogs allegedly already cleaned. Still-conscious hogs plunged into scalding water. You would think an agency whose tagline is "Protecting Public Health through Food Safety and Defense" wouldn't tolerate any of the above. But according to a report released by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Office of the Inspector General, the agency's Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) has allowed all of the above, and more. Repeatedly. In hundreds of slaughterhouses. Bruce Friedrich, Senior Director for Strategic Initiatives at Farm Sanctuary, said this in an article about the report: Every year according to the CDC (Centers for Disease Control), there are tens of millions of cases of food poisoning, hundreds of thousands of hospitalizations, and thousands of deaths. The agency charged with reducing these numbers is doing, according to its Office of the Inspector General, a pathetically bad job. Whether you're concerned about your health, or the wellbeing of the animals killed for your food – or both – this report underscores why eating meat that comes from factory farms is risky. And it's just another example of how the USDA places the interest of Big Ag over public health. Read Friedrich's article Read the study Take the pledge to boycott factory farms ACTION UPDATE March Against Monsanto Goes Mainstream The goal was numbers. The object was attention and education. By all measures, the March against Monsanto was a success. On Saturday, May 25, an estimated two million protesters from 436 cities, 58 countries and six continents hit the streets in protest of the world's most hated corporation. The message from seniors, Vietnam vets, mothers, grandmothers, farmers and consumer activists, from nearly every corner of the globe, was clear: Monsanto's control of the global food system threatens food safety, biodiversity and food sovereignty. The list of participating cities included: New York, Miami, Florida, Portland (on both coasts), Philadelphia, Detroit, Buenos Aires, Chicago, Des Moines, Tokyo, Japan, Barcelona, Spain, Cincinnati, Denver, San Francisco, Albuquerque, Brussels, Las Vegas, Vienna, Austria, Seattle, Cairo, Egypt, and hundreds of others, large and small, representing every region of the world. It was enough to make mainstream media stand up and take note. Stories ran in major newspapers. The Associated Press reported on the march. CNN ran a full seven-minute segment. What's next? On July 4th, Moms Across America (MAA) will march in Independence Day parades across the country in support of GMO labeling. And March against Monsanto 2.0 has already been scheduled for May 24, 2014. Congratulations to all the organizers and thanks to all of you who marched! Check out OCA's March against Monsanto video playlist Watch OCA's Zack Kaldveer at the San Francisco rally Read more here, here and here.   American Meat: Brought to You by Farmers "The film makes a powerfully persuasive case for the benefits of small, grass-based organic farms and local sourcing…. it presents its arguments forcefully but without strident didacticism." – Fred Scheck, The Hollywood Reporter Ever wonder what it's like to run a huge feedlot or a Confined Animal Feeding Operation (CAFO)? Curious about the alternatives to factory farms, and whether alternative models can really feed the world's growing population? American Meat, a documentary produced primarily by farmers, explores these questions and more. The DVD won't be released to the public until later this year. But you can purchase a limited edition DVD now for $20. And when you do, the documentary's producers will donate $2 to the OCA. Details here LITTLE BYTES Essential Reading for the Week Havana Organic Coop Farm Sets a Model for Health and Sustainability Russia Warns Obama: Global War Over "Bee Apocalypse" Coming Soon The New Farm Bill Is an Economic Disaster How I Got Hooked on Weeds – and Why You Should, Too Get Apocalyptic: Why Radical is the New Normal Decline in Biodiversity of Farmed Plants, Animals Gathering Pace MESSAGE FROM OUR SPONSORS 'Cows Save the Planet: And Other Improbable Ways of Restoring Soil to Heal the Earth' is now available from Chelsea Green Publishing "In Cows Save the Planet, Judith Schwartz takes us on a fascinating, John McPhee-style journey into the world of soil rehabilitation. The eclectic group of farmers, ranchers, researchers, and environmentalists she visits have one thing in common: they all believe in the importance of organic matter in the soil for solving our most pressing environmental issues. Some of the innovative techniques they use to increase the vitality of their soil include no-tillage, using deep-rooted perennial grasses, cover crops, mulching, and, surprisingly, grazing large herds of animals according to a program called 'holistic management.' Imagine, a book about soil that's a real page turner!" — Larry Korn, editor of The One-Straw Revolution and Sowing Seeds in the Desert, by Masanobu Fukuoka Learn more!  follow on Twitter | friend on Facebook | OCA on Pinterest  | Donate Please forward this publication to family and friends, place it on web sites, print it, duplicate it and post it freely. Knowledge is power! Organic Bytes is a publication of Organic Consumers Association 6771 South Silver Hill Drive - Finland, MN 55603 - Phone: 218-226-4164 - Fax: 218-353-7652

Tornado Safe Room Design

With the Rash of Tornadoes and Extreme Weather Conditions we have had recently in the US.  

I put together a few Tornado-Hurricane Safe Room Designs and Options.  

The first Drawing outlines the basic components of the exterior walls and ceiling for building a safe room in an existing basement using CMU-Concrete Masonry Units generally called Concrete Blocks-Steel Door and Frame, Reinforced Poured Concrete Ceiling.  

If a saferoom is in a floodplain- a drain system - top safety option. #SafeRoom Next update to: https://t.co/bFZJ3UULGs #FEMA

— Scotty (@StLHandyMan) September 7, 2017

Complete plans, Design-Build Assistance for adding a Safe Room to your Building contact Scotts Contracting at the Contact Form on the Right.

CAD Safe Room Design for an existing Basement-8in CMU, Steel Door, 6in Reinforced Concrete Ceiling

When Building a CMU structure it is highly advisable to add Steel Reinforcement- In the case of building for Tornado or Hurricane Safe Rooms substitute No.4 Vertical Rebar for No.5 size rebar.

How a CMU Block Wall is Reinforced.  Simple CAD Drawing showing the suggested Metal Reinforcement.

Building the Concrete Ceiling-Structural Reinforcement Suggestions.

Build Notes-Hurricane and Tornado-Safe Room Build Suggestions #5 Rebar at 12in MATT-Dowel Into Existing Concrete Wall, Attach MATT to Existing #5 Verticals in CMU Wall-, {For Added Reinforcement for this area ADD 2ft "L" Bar and Wire Tie to MATT and Verts, 4in Min Concrete Ceiling Suggested 6in Thick Ceiling, All CMU Voids filled with Mortar {Be Sure to ADD the "L" Bar before the Voids are filled with Mortar.

Concrete Ceiling-Structural Reinforcement Suggestions.

Build Notes-Hurricane and Tornado-Safe Room Build Suggestions

Added April 7, 2014

• I'll be honest there has always been something that bothered me about the Tornado Safe Room design that FEMA suggested. I was never worried about the Structural Ability of the Safe Room Design to not withstand a Severe Storm-it is the fact of being trapped in a Safe Room- like Jodi Foster in Panic Room.  Maybe I've watched too much tv?  I'd rather be safe than sorry.

• The fact that 2 exits are not available-as is required of almost any home/room design was the Red Flag going off in my mind and when I finally figured it out I made some notes and a quick sketch.  When I got home this evening I sat down and made a couple of quick CAD drawings of the idea to help you get a better idea of what I'm talking about.   

Maybe its just me, but; I'd hate to survive a storm only to die of starvation because I couldn't get out of a safe room in a basement of a home.  I've seen too many horror stories (Hurricane Katrina - New Orleans)  phones not working, emergency personnel too busy to respond to all the requests...Scotty

• There is also the added benefit in the building of the safe room with an exterior point to bring the building materials into the safe room.  This will help keep the labor costs lower as it will speed up the job production by reducing the man hours.  

I now feel that I have a Safe Room Design Build Plan that I would build in my own home and am comfortable sharing and discussing the project in detail.  

Feel free to email or call me for any design build assistance in building a Tornado shelter in your Home. 

Safe Room Emergency Exterior Exit

Safe Room CMU Basement Steel Door Location

Safe Room Exterior Exit Point

Taking Shelter From the Storm | FEMA.gov

Taking Shelter From the Storm

Main Content

View in FEMA Multimedia Library

View in FEMA Multimedia Library

The safe room construction plans and specifications from FEMA P-320, Taking Shelter From the Storm, are available in DWG format. 

To view and download those files 

and other CAD Storm Shelter Drawings 

click here.

Limit of Liability:  The designs in this booklet are based on extensive research of the causes and effects of windstorm damage to buildings. Safe rooms designed and built to these designs should provide a high degree of occupant protection during extreme windstorms (tornadoes and hurricanes). Any substitution of either materials or design concepts may decrease the level of occupant protection and/or increase the possibility of personal injury during an extreme wind event.

Important Legal Notice

Because it is not possible to predict or test all conditions that may occur during extreme windstorms, or control the quality of construction, among other things, the designer does not warrant the design.

The designer neither manufactures nor sells safe rooms built from this design. The designers have not made and do not make any representation, warranty, or covenant, express or implied, with respect to the design, condition, quality, durability, operation, fitness for use, or suitability of the safe room in any respect whatsoever. Designers shall not be obligated or liable for actual, incidental, consequential, or other damages of or to users of safe rooms or any other person or entity arising out of or in connection with the use, condition, and/or performance of safe rooms from this design or from the maintenance thereof.

Thank you for stopping by St Louis Renewable Energy. Feel free to comment in the section below or contact Scotts Contracting- St Louis Home Improvement Projects and Energy Reducing Needs Get Your Green Building Tips and Resources at St Louis Renewable Energy Green Blog