San Diego Defective Solar Installation Attorneys
Are you concerned about fire damages resulting from solar panel installation or solar power hardware? There have been more than 50 fires related to a Photovoltaic System or PV system or defective solar installations in San Diego since 1999. A recent fire at an Amazon fulfillment center in Redlands is a perfect example. Fire investigators believe the fire in the 800,000 square foot facility was “sparked by faulty components in the complex’s solar energy panels.
Underwriters’ Laboratories has established a roof covering fire test rating system which is the industry standard in the United States. The maximum allowable spread of fire spread related to solar panel installation is between 20 square feet and 40 square feet depending upon the associated rating (A, B or C).
The Society of Fire Protection Engineers (SFPE) recently released laboratory-based tests of solar power roof assemblies and PV systems. Fire damage in solar related fires has involved areas of between 1,000 square feet and 183,000 square feet of roofing. In the most severe cases, fire has spread to the structure and destroyed the home or commercial building.
What Causes Fire Damages Resulting from Solar Panel Installation or PV System Related Fires?
The primary causes of fire damages resulting from solar panel installation and PV system related fires is defective wiring, shorts due to exposed or worn wiring and defects in the design or implementation of the PV system itself. Electrical arcs (the sparking of a fire) can occur at or near the “combiner box” where the wiring from the numerous panels in an array are actually connected.
The combiner box actually generates “considerable voltage” before the system’s inverter converts the current from DC to AC. The potential energy contained within this system and its design can quickly lead to a fire which is spread in close proximity to the roof beneath the array of installed PV panels.
Lab tests conducted by a separate entity, the FM Global Research Campus, tested PV panels placed over a common Class A rated roof assembly. The results were startling. While only a single failure would defeat the test standard, this test showed three failure modes:
- Fire spread laterally to both edges of the sample system
- Materials in the PV System continued to burn after falling to the test room floor, and
- Fire spread across the length of the test apparatus (roughly 13 feet) within 90 seconds
The study concluded regardless of the materials used in the construction of a PV panel or system, the mere presence of the PV system increases the risk of fire damages resulting from solar panel installation and changes the dynamics of fire involving a roof assembly.
Normally, a roof fire spreads vertically or in some cases in a slanted pattern based upon the presence of winds. Once a spark is ignited in a PV system the flames spread under PV panels. As a result the fire is contained in a much smaller space closer to the actual surface of the roof itself, and parallel to the system. This results in a substantial increase in “heat flux” (the amount of heat directly applied to the roof’s surface at any point in time). The proximity and focused nature of the blaze often increases the heat of the fire above the roof’s own critical heat flux rating.
The top of the solar panel is usually made of tempered glass. However, the bottom of the panel may actually contain many combustible materials which house and protect the PV circuitry. The SFPE tests showed these polyester-based covers, cases and back sheets are not only likely to ignite, they actually increase the likelihood fire will spread back and forth beneath the roof assembly and the back of the PV system or panel(s).
Contact Experienced Solar Panel or PV System Fire Damage Attorneys
Many fire damages resulting from solar panel installation and PV system fire and defective installation disputes with solar power contractors and manufacturers are resolved through effective, leveraged negotiation or mediation. Some cases may require arbitration or business litigation before a San Diego Court. Our experienced trial attorneys will represent you each step of the way to ensure you achieve a successful outcome.
If you are concerned about damages associated with property damage or fire due to a defective solar power installation, we invite you to contact the Watkins Firm or call 858-535-1511. Learn about the Watkins Firm’s extensive and proven track record of success in disputes and litigation across decades here in San Diego and our experience with contractor litigation.