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Regulators agree to delay implementation of DC isolator standard

Australian electrical regulators have agreed to MEA’s call for the new DC isolator manufacturing standard to be delayed for six months.

MEA had called on State and Federal electrical regulators to delay the implementation of AS/NZS 4777.2:2020, that was to come into effect from Saturday, 18 December, as no testing laboratories had yet been reaccredited to the standard.

Implementation delayed

The Electrical Regulatory Authorities Council (ERAC) and the Standing Committee of Officials (SCO) on Tuesday afternoon confirmed that:

  • Under electrical safety laws of each jurisdiction Solar PV inverters incorporating DC isolators do not require certification to AS/NZS 4777.2:2020 to be able to be sold or installed.
  • Suppliers of solar PV inverters are required to declare the inverter incorporating DC isolator complies with AS/NZS 4777.2:2020 (including the requirement in AS/NZS 4777.2:2020 that an inverter’s installed DC isolators comply with AS 60947.3:2018).
  • Verification of compliance to certification of DC isolators installed within solar PV inverters, where the supplier has declared the inverter is compliant to AS/NZS 4777.2:2020, will not be requested by electrical safety regulators until 30 June 2022.
What was the problem?

MEA had called on Federal and State regulators in every State and Territory to place a six-month stay on the implementation of AS/NZS 4777.2, the new manufacturing standard for solar inverters, that was to come into effect on Saturday, 18 December.

The new standard requires the manufacturing testing laboratories (all of which are overseas) to be re-accredited by the National Association of Testing Authorities (NATA).

There are significant issues with getting inverters approved as there are no approved testing facilities in the country. The risk profile of these products has not significantly altered due to the changes introduced by the new standard.

What does this decision mean for electrical contractors?

As part of today’s announcement, safety regulators have vowed to work with industry, testing facilities, and accredited certifiers to ensure suitable approved testing facilities are available to enable suppliers to obtain certification of DC isolators installed in inverters by 30 June 2022.

Electrical contractors installing solar PV inverters incorporating DC isolators can rely on the supplier declaration of compliance to AS/NZS 4777.2:2020 as evidence the inverter can be installed in accordance with AS/NZS 3000 The Wiring Rules and AS/NZS 5033 Installation and safety requirements for photovoltaic (PV) arrays.

It remains the equipment supplier’s responsibility to ensure compliance to relevant safety standards and should any incident occur in any solar PV inverter claimed to be compliant to AS/NZS 4777.2:2020 action will be taken under normal electrical safety regulator investigative processes.

 

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