Metal conduit requirement for DC PV Wires

[recre8]

I noticed in the recently published (and retracted) SANS 10142-1-2 that the spec requires metal conduit to be used for DC cables. I have only ever seen standard PVC and trunking being used. This would mean that my installation would not comply. And looking at some of the photos of installs on the forums, 99% of them would fail too. Thoughts?

5.3 Integrated System Requirements > 5.3.5 Bonding > 5.3.5.2 Inverter-based Generation Earthing

c) Conduits
Where conduit is used for DC cables, it shall be metal conduit. Conduit shall be bonded at all
junctions to ensure electrical continuity of the conduit. The metal conduit shall be bonded to earth at
a suitable location.

My understanding of the above is that IF conduit is used instead of running the cables bare, that conduit MUST be metal?

[Isetech]

Between eskom and the elctrical industry, I dont know which is worse.

The industrial sites I have visited use a combination of P8/9000 and open wire cable trays with the wires strapped directly to the wire tray in direct sunlight.

The domestic sites have a combination of sprag and PVC conduit.

The question I ask myself, if 80 % of domestic installation are illegal, are they going to adjust the regs to suit the 80 %, or just do nothing about it and write them off as a learning curve.

You would think there would be a call centre or some form of communication between the people who make the regs and the people who use the regs. Public awareness and all that crap.

In the elctrical industry you have to just rely on info posted of forums and hears say from other people who will give you their perspective on the regs, right or wrong.

I believe that a group of registered licensed electricians should form a group where we can all discuss issues and make decisions when we are not sure about stuff.

Like this exposed wire at the downlights lamp holder, if we have a vote to decided if its ok, then submit a query to the relevant people who make the rules for clarity.

[Derlyn]

Before commenting on this, I spent half the day yesterday trying to find anything in the latest SANS 10142 and cannot find anything about only metal conduit permitted for DC circuits. The same goes for socket outlets. Nowhere can I find anything about only metal socket outlets being permitted for certain applications.

Maybe, I have missed something, but I made a concerted effort to find something without success.

[recre8]

Before commenting on this, I spent half the day yesterday trying to find anything in the latest SANS 10142 and cannot find anything about only metal conduit permitted for DC circuits. The same goes for socket outlets. Nowhere can I find anything about only metal socket outlets being permitted for certain applications.

Maybe, I have missed something, but I made a concerted effort to find something without success.

Hey Derlyn. Do you mean the existing SANS10142-1 or the new (and withdrawn) -1-2 extension? The standard -1 spec seems to make very little mention of DC circuits. I am a little concerned that the -1-2 extension spec is going to be published again sometime soon and then large parts of my installation are going to be non-compliant.

[recre8]

Between eskom and the elctrical industry, I dont know which is worse.

The industrial sites I have visited use a combination of P8/9000 and open wire cable trays with the wires strapped directly to the wire tray in direct sunlight.

The domestic sites have a combination of sprag and PVC conduit.

The question I ask myself, if 80 % of domestic installation are illegal, are they going to adjust the regs to suit the 80 %, or just do nothing about it and write them off as a learning curve.

You would think there would be a call centre or some form of communication between the people who make the regs and the people who use the regs. Public awareness and all that crap.

In the elctrical industry you have to just rely on info posted of forums and hears say from other people who will give you their perspective on the regs, right or wrong.

I believe that a group of registered licensed electricians should form a group where we can all discuss issues and make decisions when we are not sure about stuff.

Like this exposed wire at the downlights lamp holder, if we have a vote to decided if its ok, then submit a query to the relevant people who make the rules for clarity.

I completely agree with you. As detailed as the regs are in some parts, we all know asking 10 different electricians the same question is going to get 10 different interpretations on certain aspects. Going off on a tangent, I really also don't believe in putting the regs behind a paywall. I would much rather have an educated public with access to documents questioning whether something is compliant than just blindly accepting one contractors word only to find out from the next contractor that the first made a "life threatening mistake". I recently had a expert solar installer tell me that the wall-box (K&N) DC disconnectors are no longer allowed and they use the string fuse holder as disconnect - which is not only not compliant but incredibly dangerous if opened under load.

But that aside, I agree with you... the industry "experts" can make all the rules they want, but I would some explanation of certain decision they make (e.g. the metal conduit requirement). There should definitely be more involvement from the people executing the rules in the decision-making.

[Dylboy]

It will be fine as down before the book came out, the new draft when not draft can not be used to go back in time.

If so then anything down to Sans Ed2 is illegal and needs to be redone to Ed3....

Carry on as you are and remember we have the Sans 10142-1 as the only book for now regarding PV, there is nothing else yet.

Maybe the NRS stuff but I believe that's to be with the invertes and grid tie, noting about the actual installation.

Sent from my CPH2197 using Tapatalk

[Derlyn]

Hey Derlyn. Do you mean the existing SANS10142-1 or the new (and withdrawn) -1-2 extension? The standard -1 spec seems to make very little mention of DC circuits. I am a little concerned that the -1-2 extension spec is going to be published again sometime soon and then large parts of my installation are going to be non-compliant.

Your installation will not be non compliant.

The edition of the standard that was applicable at the time of erection of an electrical installation is to be considered the edition defining the requirements applicable to that particular electrical installation.

[recre8]

It will be fine as down before the book came out, the new draft when not draft can not be used to go back in time.

If so then anything down to Sans Ed2 is illegal and needs to be redone to Ed3....

Carry on as you are and remember we have the Sans 10142-1 as the only book for now regarding PV, there is nothing else yet.

Maybe the NRS stuff but I believe that's to be with the invertes and grid tie, noting about the actual installation.

Sent from my CPH2197 using Tapatalk

Ah ok thanks very much for the clarification. I guess I still need to figure out which hazard stickers need to go where.