Standard

UPDATE AVAILABLE

AS/NZS 5033:2005

[Superseded]

Installation of photovoltaic (PV) arrays

Specifies electrical installation requirements for PV arrays with an open circuit voltage of up to 600 V d.c. or up to plus or minus 600 V with respect to earth.

Published: 19/05/2005

Pages: 70

Table of contents

Cited references

Content history

Table of contents

Header

About this publication

Preface

1 Scope and general

1.1 Scope

1.2 Objective

1.3 Normative references

1.4 Definitions

2 Protection requirements

2.1 General

2.2 Bypass diodes

2.3 Blocking diodes

2.4 Fault current protection

2.4.1 Number of parallel strings without overcurrent protection

2.4.2 Discrimination

2.4.3 PV strings

2.4.4 PV sub-arrays (subdivided PV arrays only)

2.4.5 PV array cables

2.4.6 Location of fault current protection devices

2.5 Disconnecting means

2.5.1 General

2.5.2 Selection and installation

2.5.3 Disconnection device requirements

2.5.4 Extra-low voltage segmentation

2.6 Earth fault protection

2.6.1 General

2.6.2 Earth fault protection settings

2.7 Alarms

2.7.1 Visual alarms

2.7.2 Audible alarms

2.8 Lightning and overvoltage protection

2.8.1 Lightning protection

2.8.2 Overvoltage protection

3 Wiring requirements

3.1 Compliance with AS/NZS 3000

3.2 System voltage

3.3 Installation wiring

3.3.1 General

3.3.2 Wiring loops

3.3.3 String wiring

3.3.4 Wiring installation in junction boxes

3.3.5 Location of PV array and PV sub-array junction boxes

3.4 Cable selection

3.4.1 Cable size

3.4.2 Insulation

3.5 Wiring identification

4 Component requirements

4.1 PV modules

4.1.1 Reliability

4.1.2 Equipment class∗

4.1.2 Equipment class†

4.2 PV array and PV sub-array junction boxes

4.2.1 Environmental effects

4.3 Switching devices

4.3.1 General

4.3.2 Non-load-breaking switches

4.3.3 Current breaking devices

4.4 Plugs, socket-outlets and couplers

4.5 Fuses

4.5.1 Ratings

4.5.2 Fuse holders

5 Earthing

5.1 General

5.1.1 General

5.1.2 Point of connection of PV system earth

5.1.3 PV system earthing cable

5.1.4 Bonding conductors

5.2 PV array system earthing

5.3 Earthing of exposed conductive parts and equipotential bonding (System bonding)

5.4 Equipment earthing

6 Marking and signs

6.1 General

6.2 PV array and PV sub-array junction boxes

6.3 Disconnection devices

6.3.1 General

6.3.2 PV array main switch

6.4 Fire emergency information

7 Documentation

7.1 Design information

7.2 Commissioning information

8 Commissioning tests

8.1 General

8.2 Open circuit voltage

8.2.1 General

8.2.2 Procedure

8.3 Solar isolation device test

9 Case studies

9.1 General

9.2 Examples

Appendix A

A1 PV arrays

A1.1 d.c. vs. a.c. behaviour

A1.2 Series parallel configuration

A1.3 Low fault levels

A2 Fault current protection

A2.1 General

A2.2 Fault current protection rating

A2.3 Number of strings

A2.4 Battery storage

A2.5 Diodes

A2.6 Operating temperature

A3 PV systems

A3.1 Stand‑alone photovoltaic (PV) systems with battery storage

A3.2 Grid-connected photovoltaic (PV) systems

A3.3 Solar water pumping system

Appendix B

B1 General

B2 Thermal aspects

B3 Mechanical loads on PV structures

Appendix C

C1 General

C2 Floating PV arrays

C3 Earthed PV arrays

Appendix D

D1 Background

D1.1 Types of earthing

D1.2 Purpose of earthing

D1.3 General earthing considerations in a PV system

D2 Earthing of equipment conductive parts

D3 Earthing of the PV array (System earth)

D3.1 Options of PV array earthing

D3.2 Typical earthing arrangements for PV arrays

D3.2.1 Unearthed (floating) PV array

D3.2.2 Negative earthed PV array

D3.2.3 Centre tapped earthed PV array

D3.2.4 Centre tapped earthed PV array via capacitor

D4 Comparison between earthing schemes

D4.1 Earth fault behaviour

D4.1.1 Floating systems

D4.1.2 Earthed system

D4.1.3 Capacitively coupled earth systems

D4.2 Electric shock hazard

D4.2.1 Floating systems

D4.2.2 Earthed systems

D4.3 Fire hazard

D4.3.1 Floating systems

D4.3.2 Earthed systems

D4.3.3 Capacitively coupled earthed systems

D5 Other considerations

D5.1 Battery systems

D5.2 Non-isolated inverter systems for PV arrays

D6 References

Appendix E

E1 Floating systems

E2 Earthed systems connected to the load via an isolated power conditioning system

E3 Grid connected systems connected to the load via a non-isolated power conditioning system

Appendix F

F1 Lightning protection

F2 Overvoltage protection

F2.1 Equipotential bonding

F2.2 Wiring loops

F2.3 Surge arresters

F2.3.1 General guide

F2.3.2 Selection

F2.3.3 Usage and installation

F2.3.4 Recommended specifications for surge arresters

F2.4 Shielding

Appendix G

Appendix H

H1 Safety

H2 Periodic maintenance

H3 Operation and maintenance procedures

Appendix I

I1 General

I2 Open circuit voltage measurements

I2.1 General

I2.2 Procedure

I2.3 PV Arrays and sub-arrays measurement

I2.4 Records

I3 Short circuit current

I3.1 General

I3.2 Procedure

I3.3 Records

I4 Infrared scan

I5 PV array tracker operation test (If relevant)

I6 PV array I-V curve

I7 Earth fault protection test (If relevant)

I7.1 General

I7.2 Measurements

I7.3 Procedure

Appendix J

J1 General

J2 Notes on case studies

Amendment control sheet

AS/NZS 5033:2005

Amendment No. 1 (2009)

Revised text

Cited references in this standard

AS/NZS 3008.1.1:2017

[Current]

Electrical installations - Selection of cables, Part 1.1: Cables for alternating voltages up to and including 0.6/1 kV - Typical Australian installation conditions

IEC 61730-1:2023

[Current]

Photovoltaic (PV) module safety qualification - Part 1: Requirements for construction

AS 1319-1994

[Current]

Safety signs for the occupational environment

AS 60529-2004

[Current]

Degrees of protection provided by enclosures (IP Code)

AS 4509.1-1999

[Superseded]

Stand-alone power systems, Part 1: Safety requirements