I think it's 12v but about 8kw
8 kW at 12 volt would require 667 amps from the panels ...
It's reassuring to see that (give or take rounding), arithmetic is consistent this morning4 kW (the max size for a domestic array) would need a current of 4000/12 = 333A....
Indeed - such is PV, and you can't change physics/chemistry. However, I would have thought that spraying with something sticky and opaque would be more practical (and safer) than trying to position a tarpaulin - particularly if the building were on fire.IIRC they then went on to say that other than covering the whole array with a thick (opaque) tarpaulin, there wasn't really anything practical they could do to reduce this voltage.
Indeed it would - but so, I imagine, would any of the alternatives (e.g. tarpaulins) represent a major challenge!It mentioned that spraying with their standard foam had little effect. I suspect that getting something that's sprayable (especially by someone stood on the ground and aiming at a roof on a 2/3 storey house), and is sticky enough to stay put, and is opaque enough to do any good - would be quite a challenge !
When I joined the fire brigade back in the 70's we used a protein based foam that has some thickness to it and on a flat, horizontal, surface could be several inches thick. It would never have stayed put on a pitched roof.It mentioned that spraying with their standard foam had little effect. I suspect that getting something that's sprayable (especially by someone stood on the ground and aiming at a roof on a 2/3 storey house), and is sticky enough to stay put, and is opaque enough to do any good - would be quite a challenge !
There is currently no national UK guidance specific to fighting fires involving PV systems. In most respects, fires involving photovoltaics are little different from any fire involving live electrics, however, PV systems do present some new risks to fire-fighters:
Fire Brigade ones are plastic so might be feasible after the fire but not during. Installing on a normal house might be OK if there was access for hydraulic platform, or similar but otherwise there is still going to be a danger of electric shock.Indeed it would - but so, I imagine, would any of the alternatives (e.g. tarpaulins) represent a major challenge!
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