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AS/NZS 5033:2012

[Available Superseded]

Installation and safety requirements for photovoltaic (PV) arrays

Sets out general installation and safety requirements for photovoltaic (PV) arrays, including d.c. array wiring, electrical protection devices, switching and earthing up to but not including energy storage devices, power conversion equipment or loads.

Published: 16/07/2012

Pages: 79

Table of contents

Cited references

Content history

Table of contents

Header

About this publication

Preface

1 Scope and general

1.1 Scope and application

1.1.1 Scope

1.1.2 Application

1.2 Objective

1.3 Normative references

1.4 Definitions

2 PV array system configuration

2.1 Configuration

2.1.1 General

2.1.2 PV system architectures

2.1.3 Array electrical diagrams

2.1.4 Use of PCE with multiple d.c. inputs

2.1.4.1 General

2.1.4.2 PCEs with separate maximum power point tracking (MPPT) inputs

2.1.4.3 PCEs with multiple inputs internally connected together in the PCE

2.1.5 Series-parallel configuration

2.1.6 Batteries connected to systems

2.1.7 Considerations due to prospective fault conditions within a PV array

2.1.8 Considerations due to operating temperature

2.1.9 Performance issues

2.2 Mechanical design

2.2.1 General

2.2.2 Thermal aspects

2.2.3 Mechanical loads on PV structures

2.2.4 Mechanical loads—New Zealand only

2.2.5 Wind

2.2.6 Snow/ice accumulation

2.2.7 Corrosion

3 Safety issues

3.1 General

3.2 Protection against electric shock

3.3 Protection against overcurrent

3.3.1 General

3.3.2 Requirement for overcurrent protection

3.3.3 Overcurrent protection in PV systems connected to batteries

3.3.4 String overcurrent protection

3.3.5 Overcurrent protection sizing

3.3.5.1 PV string overcurrent protection

3.3.5.2 PV sub-array overcurrent protection

3.3.5.2.1 General

3.3.5.2.2 Small arrays

3.3.5.2.3 Other arrays

3.3.5.3 PV array overcurrent protection

3.3.6 Overcurrent protection location

3.4 Protection against earth faults

3.4.1 General

3.4.2 Systems with direct functional earthing of the PV array

3.4.2.1 General

3.4.2.2 Additional PCE detection required for functionally earthed PV arrays (see Appendix H)

3.4.3 Earth fault alarm (see Appendix H, Table H1)

3.5 Protection against effects of lightning and overvoltage

3.5.1 General

3.5.2 Protection against overvoltage

3.5.3 Surge protection devices (SPDs)

3.5.3.1 General

3.5.3.2 Surge protection devices (SPDs) d.c.

3.5.3.3 Surge protection devices (SPDs) information technology equipment

4 Selection and installation of electrical equipment

4.1 General

4.2 PV array maximum voltage

4.3 Component requirements

4.3.1 General

4.3.2 PV modules

4.3.2.1 General (see Appendix H, Table H1)

4.3.2.2 Operational conditions and external influences

4.3.3 PV array and PV equipment

4.3.3.1 Environmental effects

4.3.3.2 Location of PV array and PV string combiner boxes

4.3.4 Circuit breakers

4.3.5 Disconnecting devices

4.3.5.1 General

4.3.5.2 Switch-disconnectors

4.3.5.3 Earth fault interrupters

4.3.6 Cables

4.3.6.1 Size

4.3.6.2 Type

4.3.6.3 Installation method

4.3.6.3.1 General

4.3.6.3.2 PV array cables within buildings

4.3.7 Plugs, sockets and connectors

4.3.8 Wiring in enclosures

4.3.9 Fuses

4.3.9.1 General

4.3.9.2 Fuse holders

4.3.10 Bypass diodes

4.3.11 Blocking diodes

4.3.12 Power conversion equipment (PCE)

4.4 Location and installation requirements

4.4.1 Disconnecting means

4.4.1.1 General

4.4.1.2 Switch-disconnector for power conversion equipment (PCE) maintenance

4.4.1.3 Installation

4.4.1.4 PV array switch-disconnector (Australia only)

4.4.1.5 PV array switch-disconnector (New Zealand only)

4.4.2 Earthing and bonding arrangements

4.4.2.1 General

4.4.2.2 Earth connection of PV array exposed conductive part

4.4.2.3 Protective equipotential bonding

4.4.2.4 PV array protective bonding

4.4.3 Functional Earthing of PV arrays

4.4.3.1 General

4.4.3.2 Functional earthing terminal of PV system

4.4.3.3 PV system functional earthing conductor

4.4.4 Wiring system

4.4.4.1 General

4.4.4.2 Compliance with wiring standards

4.4.4.3 Wiring loops

4.4.4.4 String wiring

4.4.4.5 Wiring installation in junction and combiner boxes

4.5 Commissioning

5 Marking and documentation

5.1 Equipment marking

5.2 Requirements for signs

5.3 Labelling/signs for PV cables and enclosures

5.3.1 Wiring identification

5.3.2 Signs for PV array and PV string junction boxes

5.4 Fire emergency information

5.5 Labelling/signs for disconnection devices

5.5.1 General

5.5.2 PV array disconnecting device

5.5.3 Sign for systems over 600 V

5.6 Labelling of fuse holders

5.7 Documentation

Appendix A

Appendix B

B1 Examples of earthing system configurations

B2 D.C. switch-disconnector voltage rating requirements

Appendix C

C1 Safety

C2 Periodic maintenance

C3 Operation and maintenance procedures

Appendix D

D1 General

D2 Commissioning tests

D3 PV array—D.C. voltage—Sample commissioning sheet

D3.1 General

D4 Insulation resistance measurement

D5 Sample—PV array—Commissioning sheet

Appendix E

E1 General

E2 Open circuit voltage measurements

E2.1 General

E2.2 Procedure

E2.3 PV arrays and PV sub-arrays measurement

E2.4 Records

E3 Short circuit current

E3.1 General

E3.2 Procedure

E3.3 Records

E4 Infrared scan

E5 PV array tracker operation test (if relevant)

E6 PV array I-V curve

E7 Earth fault protection test (if relevant)

E7.1 General

E7.2 Measurements

E7.3 Procedure

Appendix F

F1 Lightning protection

F2 Application of an external LPS

F3 Choice of external LPS

F4 External LPS

F5 Earthing of external LPS

F5.1 General principle

F5.2 Earth resistance value

F6 Internal LPS—Surge protection

F7 Selection of SPDs installed at the d.c. side of the PV-system

F7.1 General

F7.2 Selection of maximum continuous operating voltage VC

F8 Selection of SPDs appertaining to protection level VP and system immunity

F9 Earthing of SPDs

F10 Screening and shielding

Appendix G

Appendix H

Amendment control sheet

AS/NZS 5033:2012

Amendment No. 1 (2013)

Correction

Amendment No. 2 (2013)

Revised text

Bibliography

Cited references in this standard

IEC 61730-2:2023/COR1:2024

[Current]

Corrigendum 1- Photovoltaic (PV) module safety qualification - Part 2: Requirements for testing

IEC 61643-22:2015

[Current]

Low-voltage surge protective devices - Part 22: Surge protective devices connected to telecommunications and signalling networks - Selection and application principles

IEC 61646:2008

[Withdrawn]

Thin-film terrestrial photovoltaic (PV) modules - Design qualification and type approval

IEC 61730-1:2023

[Current]

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

EN 61730-2

Photovoltaic module safety qualification, Part 2: Requirements for testing

Content history

AS/NZS 5033:2014

[Available Superseded]

AS/NZS 5033:2012 AMDT 2