Legal Requirements for Solar PV Management systems

February 16, 2024 SAPAC Reporter

Solar PV Systems and how it affects your structure

Prepared by : Mr. Willem Beukes : Pr. Eng (Structural/Fire)
Article Classification: Legal Information
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Ensuring Structural Stability and Fire Protection of PV System Installation in Compliance with National Building Regulations.

1.(a)National Building Regulations and Solar installations (Administration SANS10400-A) According to the National Building Regulations SANS 10400-A it is compulsory for the owner of a building to appoint a Civil Engineer to plan, design and supervise and certify any alteration or addition to any structural of fire system according to the Engineering Professional Act, 200 (Act No 46 of 2000). Such addition or alteration shall comply with the requirements of the Act when changes are made to the following:

This means that should you want to install solar, in terms of your investment, you dwelling i.e. home. That you should in effect appoint an civil engineer (structural/fire) to ensure that your Solar PV system is installed correctly in line with applicable standards as quoted above. Note SAPAC Electricians is already working with associated Engineers

1.(b) such addition shall comply with the requirements of the Act, but no changes to the original building shall be required unless the addition –
(i) will affect the structural strength or stability of the original building;
(ii) will render any existing escape route from the original building less effective; or
(iii) will affect the health of persons using the original building.

It is therefore required for a Civil Engineer to plan, design, supervise and certify solar installations on the following matters with solar installations:

INDEX OF INFORMATION

1.1 Solar Panels (important factors)

1.1.1 Dead load & Live Load (SANS 10160-1&2)
1.1.2 Wind Load (SANS 10160-3)
1.1.3 Fire protection on combustible material (SANS 10400-T)

1.2 Battery backup and Inverter System

1.2.1 Fire Protection on J1 occupancy protection (SANS 10400-T)

2 CoC compliance according to the National Building Regulations

1.1 Solar Panels (important factors)

1.1.1 What is meant by dead load and live load

Solar panels add addition dead load to existing roof structures. Most solar panels are between 20-30kg per panel. These extra dead loads need to be accounted for in the structural strength and stability of the roof structure.

On small scale installations e.g.
10xPanels these extra loads are between 200-300kg. SANS 10160-2 describe how these extra weights need to be accounted for and SANS 10243 describe how timber trusses need to be strengthened accordingly.

Placing solar panels on an existing roof structure can affect live loads (maintenance, construction, snow, hail and rainwater). These live loads need to be considered when choosing appropriate solar mounting structures to accommodate these live loads on the roof structure. These live loads need to be incorporated when designing roofs with extra
solar loads as per SANS 10160-2

In essence dead load, means the new solar panels that you would like to install, this will affect your roof structure in the long run.

With regards to live load, what is meant is environmental factors is going to attribute towards the existing roof structure such as hail, rain, snow and maintenance loads.

Therefore it is essential and crucial to ensure that your roof is inspected or is going to be predesigned to accommodate dead load and live load considering all environmental changes to your geographic area. Live load. i.e. Rain, Snow, Construction activities (maintenance) hail.

1.1.2 What is meant by Wind Load

Solar panels are non-porous surfaces that attract significant wind loading. Wind loading on solar panels need to be designed and accounted for as per SANS10160-3 per individual roof shape, terrain categories, terrain topography and external wind pressure forces. Solar panels also change concrete tiled roof surfaces into steel sheeted type roof designs causing uplift loads that are normally not accounted for in concrete tiled roof surfaces.

When you install solar panels on your roof. Wind load plays a major contributing factor that is to be taken into consideration. It is therefore crucial to obtain a professional opinion from a Professional Civil engineer that can assess your roof and make the required recommendations to ensure your roof is structurally sound before you install solar PV panels onto your roof.

1.1.3 What is meant by Fire Protection and why is it important

Unlike traditional electrical products, PV modules and wiring do not have an overall enclosure to contain arcs and fires resulting from component or wiring faults. Many PV installations operate at DC voltages which are very capable of sustaining DC arcs. (SANS 60364-7-712 Annex E) Solar panels can arc and act as combustible roof covering. SANS 10400-T regulations need to be accounted for as per Fire Safety of PV installations
(SANS60364-7-712.420.101)

All safety distances need to be accounted for when dealing with combustible roof assemblies and coverings as per SANS 10400-T. Figure 3 below give illustration thereof when the area of roof surface is below 5% roof covering and can be seen as non-combustible. Above 5% roof covering a rational fire design is needed as per SANS10400T

Figure 3 — Roof coverings
All fire escapes and occupation separating elements need to be in place when installing combustible roof coverings as per SANS 10400-T. Figure 2 below provide some separating distances.

Figure 2 — Roof fire resistance

Therefore, when you decide on installing a solar pv system, you should ensure that the installer is in fact a legitimate electrical contractor. That knows that compliance matters of the national building Regulations applications. For more information contact SAPAC to obtain relevant documentation at https://bit.ly/sAPACHelp

2. Battery backup and inverter system (important factors)

The installation of inverter and battery should be done behind a 120min fire wall outside the living space area to protect you as owner form fire and poisonous fumes that might arise from the system when there is a major fault, or an existing fire arise.

Occupations for living space are divided up into categories according to SANS 10400-A as below. It is important to identify your living space.

Storage classification is specified as J occupations as per Table 1 above. When battery backup with inverter is installed in any occupancy it falls under J1 occupancy with the following criteria: Occupancy where material is stored and where the stored material is liable, in the event of fire, to cause combustion with extreme rapidity or give rise to poisonous fumes, or cause explosions.

All batteries currently in the market when exposed to an existing fire will cause combustion with extreme rapidity, give rise to poisonous fumes or cause explosions. To protect other occupancies against such influences separating elements need to be in place between such battery backup system and the rest of the occupancies as per table 4 below per occupancy. Separating element should be viewed per time needed to prevent fire to spread to other occupancies.

**Table 4 — Fire resistance of occupancy-separating elements**
1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	15	16	17	18
Occupancy groups	Fire resistance min
Occupancy groups	B1 D1	B2 D2	J1	A1 A2 A4 F1	F3	D4	E1 E2 E3 E4	A3	J2	F2	G1	J3	J4	H1 H2 H3 H4 H5	A5	C1 C2	B3 D3
B1, D1	•	120	120	120	120	120	120	120	120	120	120	120	120	120	120	120	120
B2, D2	120	•	120	120	120	120	120	120	120	120	120	120	120	120	120	120	120
J1	120	120	•	120	120	120	120	120	120	120	120	120	120	120	120	120	120
A1, A2, A4, F1	120	120	120	•	120	120	120	120	120	120	120	120	120	120	120	120	120
F3	120	120	120	120	•	120	120	120	120	120	120	120	120	120	120	120	120
D4	120	120	120	120	120	•	120	120	120	120	120	120	120	120	120	120	120
E1, E2, E3, E4	120	120	120	120	120	120	•	90	90	90	90	90	90	90	90	90	90
A3	120	120	120	120	120	120	90	•	90	90	60	60	60	60	60	60	60
J2	120	120	120	120	120	120	90	90	•	90	60	60	60	60	60	60	60
F2	120	120	120	120	120	120	90	90	90	•	60	60	60	60	60	60	60
G1	120	120	120	120	120	120	90	60	60	60	•	60	60	60	60	60	60
J3	120	120	120	120	120	120	90	60	60	60	60	•	60	60	60	60	60
J4	120	120	120	120	120	120	90	60	60	60	60	60	•	60	60	60	60
H1, H2, H3, H4, H5	120	120	120	120	120	120	90	60	60	60	60	60	60	•	60	60	60
A5	120	120	120	120	120	120	90	60	60	60	60	60	60	60	•	60	60
C1, C2	120	120	120	120	120	120	90	60	60	60	60	60	60	60	60	•	60
B3, D3	120	120	120	120	120	120	90	60	60	60	60	60	60	60	60	60	•

J1 to any other occupancy requires 120 min separating elements to protect occupancies from the fire loads of J1.

Structure stability also need to be considering when dealing with J1 occupancy with time required for a structure to stand in such a fire as per table 1 and 6 below.

**Table 1 — Fire resistance of external walls**
1	2
Occupancy	Fire resistance min
Occupancy	Fire resistance min	All occupancies except those mentioned below	30
B1, C1, D1, E1, E2, E3, F1, F3, J2 and J3	60
J1	120

**Table 6 — Stability of structural elements or components**
1	2	3	4	5	6	7
Type of occupancy	Class of occupancy	Stability min
Type of occupancy	Class of occupancy	Single-storey building	Double-storey building	3 to 10 storey building	11 storeys and more	Basement in any building
Hotel Dormitory Domestic residence Detached dwelling house Hospitality	H1 H2 H3 H4 H5	30 30 30 30 30	60 30 30 30 30	90 60 60 60 Not applicable	120 120 120 Not applicable Not applicable	120 120 120 120 120
High risk storage Moderate risk storage Low risk storage Parking garage	J1 J2 J3 J4	60 30 30 30	90 60 30 30	120 90 90 30	180 120 90 90	240 180 120 120
NOTE 1 Unprotected steel may be used in the structural system of all single-storey and certain double-storey buildings in spite of the fact that in many cases such structural members would not comply with the requirements of this table. The practice is regarded as safe for all practical cases that are likely to occur in single-storey construction, but the possible consequences of early distortion or collapse should be considered in the design of double-storey buildings in order to be certain that escape routes will be able to serve their purpose for the required period. Particular care should be exercised where thin sections are used or in “space-frame” type structures. NOTE 2 A further problem arises in the application of the requirement of 4.2. Distortion or collapse of any structural member should not cause loss of integrity or stability in any external wall facing a site boundary or another building as this might lead to non-compliance with the safety distance requirement. Where such a situation occurs, it would be necessary either to protect the steel to the extent required to attain the stability given in this table or to regard such wall as being of type N for the purposes of 4.2.

Fire doors in such separating elements should be as per table 7 below to provide the minimum time required for J1 occupancy.

**Table 7 — Class of fire doors or fire shutters**
1	2	3
Type of wall	Required minimum fire resistance of wall min	Class of fire door or fire shutter
Occupancy separation	60	A
Occupancy separation	120	B
Occupancy separation – Plant rooms or other ancillary accommodation	120	C
	60	A
Divisional separation	60	A
Divisional separation	120	D
Emergency route	120	B
Protected corridor and protected stairs.	30	E
Service shafts not fire stopped at every floor level	60 or 120	A or B
Openings in all walls	30	F

Portable fire extinguishers will also be required as per table 11 below for occupancy J1 as listed below:

**Table 11 — Provision of portable fire extinguishers**
1	2	3	4	5	6
Class of occupancy	Number of portable fire extinguishers required^a per m²	Minimum charge^b
Class of occupancy	Number of portable fire extinguishers required^a per m²	Water	Foam	Carbon dioxide	Dry chemical powder
A1	1/200	9 L	9 L	5 kg	4,5 kg
A2	1/200	9 L	9 L	5 kg	4,5 kg
A3	1/200	9 L	9 L	5 kg	4,5 kg
A4	1/400	9 L	9 L	5 kg	4,5 kg
A5	1/400	9 L	9 L	5 kg	4,5 kg
B1	1/100	9 L	9 L	10 kg	9 kg
B2	1/200	9 L	9 L	10 kg	9 kg
B3	1/400	9 L	9 L	10 kg	9 kg
C1	1/200	9 L	9 L	10 kg	9 kg
C2	1/200	9 L	9 L	10 kg	9 kg
D1	1/100	9 L	9 L	10 kg	9 kg
D2	1/100	9 L	9 L	10 kg	9 kg
D3	1/200	9 L	9 L	10 kg	9 kg
D4	1/400	9 L	9 L	10 kg	9 kg
E1	1/200	9 L	9 L	5 kg	4,5 kg
E2	1/200	9 L	9 L	5 kg	4,5 kg
E3	1/200	9 L	9 L	5 kg	4,5 kg
E4	1/200	9 L	9 L	5 kg	4,5 kg
F1	1/200	9 L	9 L	5 kg	4,5 kg
F2	1/200	9 L	9 L	5 kg	4,5 kg
F3	1/200	9 L	9 L	5 kg	4,5 kg
G1	1/200	9 L	9 L	5 kg	4,5 kg
H1	1/200	9 L	9 L	5 kg	4,5 kg
H2	1/200	9 L	9 L	5 kg	4,5 kg
H3	1/400	9 L	9 L	5 kg	4,5 kg
H5	1/100	9 L	9 L	5 kg	4,5 kg
J1	1/100	9 L	9 L	10 kg	9 kg
J2	1/100	9 L	9 L	10 kg	9 kg
J3	1/400	9 L	9 L	10 kg	9 kg
J4	1/400	9 L	9 L	10 kg	9 kg
^a The owner shall install by extinguisher charge mass. If the required size of extinguisher required is 1 × 9 kg powder extinguisher per 200 m² as with a C2 occupancy, the owner of the building may install 2 × 4,5 kg extinguishers of the same type per 200 m². ^b See SANS 1910 for required minimum performance ratings.

2. CoC compliance according to the National Building Regulations

The complete PV installation shall comply to the minimum Building Regulations with some notice to specific regulations as below:

• SANS 10400-A (The Application of the National Building Regulation: General principles)
• SANS 10400-B (The application of the National Building Regulations: Structural design)
• SANS 10400-K (The application of the National Building Regulations: Walls)
• SANS 10400-L (The Application of the National Building Regulation: Roofs)
• SANS 10400-T (The Application of the National Building Regulation: Fire Protection)
• SANS 10160 (all parts), (Basis of structural design and actions for buildings and industrial structures)
• SANS 10163-1 (The structural use of timber Part1: Limit-states design)
• SANS 10243 (The manufacture and erection of timber trusses)
• SANS 10162-1 (The structural use of steel Part1: Limit-states design of hot rolled steelwork)
• SANS 10162-2 (The structural use of steel Part2: Cold-formed steel structures)

What else should I Know?

Press to Read - Who may legally install Solar
Press to Read - COC for Solar Installations
Press to Read - Guide to the Electrical COC
Press to Read - What is the Cost of a Legal COC
Press to Read - How to Spot a Fake COC
Press to Read - Approved Inverter List
Press to Read - Solar installations on Asbestos roofing
Press to Read - Do I need permission from Eskom for Solar
Press to Read - Ignorance of the Law

It is better to consult with a reliable registered electrical contractor, that has access to a civil engineer to check your roofing structure and layout. The electrical contractor will proceed on the ok from the engineer. That will allow the electrician to install the solar PV system in accordance with their particular SANS codes. In short following this information will and shall ensure that your installation is in accordance with requirements. And your installation will be to specifications.