General > General Technical Chat

Dodgy solar regulators catches fire this morning

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cpuerror:
To me it looks like the solar regulator was not at fault, it only melted/fire from the adjoining inverter catching fire. Looking at the pics, I don't see any wires that look like they are actually heavy enough for inverter use, even though this was a 48v system. So perhaps the wires over heated, the jackets melted and the system shorted out. If the wires were too thin to begin, they won't carry enough amperage to trip the breaker but would just get hotter and hotter, so perhaps this is what led to the fire.


Electro Detective:

What a disaster, the family inside sleeping,  :=\
lucky if a smoke detector eventually triggers.. which may not be much use once the walls are on fire and collapsing around them  :scared: :scared:


I think I'll stick to my long time 'Claytons' Solar Install

LED light replacements and switch off stuff not required

and keep chasing off the door to door salestards trying to flog me a solar deal and loan  >:(

Red Squirrel:

--- Quote from: Electro Detective on April 20, 2020, 12:52:19 am ---
What a disaster, the family inside sleeping,  :=\
lucky if a smoke detector eventually triggers.. which may not be much use once the walls are on fire and collapsing around them  :scared: :scared:


I think I'll stick to my long time 'Claytons' Solar Install

LED light replacements and switch off stuff not required

and keep chasing off the door to door salestards trying to flog me a solar deal and loan  >:(

--- End quote ---

I feel outdoor smoke detectors should actually be a thing, they would be designed for the outdoors and be less sensitive but still detect excessive smoke or maybe even have a flame sensor that points down.  My parents had a fire that originated on the side of the house (24h old camp fire ashes had been put in the garbage earlier that day and it actually managed to ignite overnight).  My parents were inside sleeping and my dad woke up because the dishwasher was on timer and it kicked in.  He's a very light sleeper.  He had a weird feeling, and went to look outside and saw light.  Being tired and dazed did not think much of the light, but then he decided he better look outside.  Looked out and saw the corner of the house on fire and flames shooting through the soffit and into the attic.

Long story short if he had not caught it, I hate to think of what could have happened.   By the time any smoke detectors inside the house went off I think the roof would be completely on fire and collapse into the house first. 

Long story short, never trust camp fire ashes even if they've been sitting out for over a day.  The fireman told them sometimes they are active for days even though it does not seem like it. 

In the case of electronics cabinets, perhaps it's not a bad idea to put a smoke detector right inside the cabinet, and have it shoot an alert to inside the house if it goes off.

NiHaoMike:
Some fire sprinklers installed above the (waterproof) boxes would be cheap insurance.

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