Section 1205 — SOLAR PHOTOVOLTAIC POWER SYSTEMS

Solar photovoltaic (PV) systems shall be installed in accordance with the California Building Code or California Resi- dential Code . The electrical portion of solar PV systems shall be installed in accordance with the California Electrical Code . Rooftopmounted solar photovoltaic systems shall be installed in accordance with Sections 1205.2 through 1205.4.3. Ground-mounted solar photovoltaic systems shall comply with Section 1205.5.

Roof access, pathways and spacing requirements shall be provided in accordance with Sections 1205.2.1 through 1205.3.3. Pathways shall be over areas capable of supporting firefighters accessing the roof. Pathways shall be located in areas with minimal obstructions, such as vent pipes, conduit or mechanical equipment.

Exceptions:

1. Detached, nonhabitable Group U structures including, but not limited to, detached garages serving Group R-3 buildings, parking shade structures, carports, solar trellises and similar structures.
2. Roof access, pathways and spacing requirements need not be provided where the fire code official has determined that rooftop operations will not be employed.
3. Building-integrated photovoltaic (BIPV) systems where the BIPV systems are approved, integrated into the finished roof surface and are listed in accordance with UL 3741. The removal or cutting away of portions of the BIPV system during firefighting operations shall not expose a firefighter to electrical shock hazards.

1205.2.1 Solar photovoltaic (PV) systems for Group R-3 buildings. Solar photovoltaic (PV) systems for Group R-3 buildings shall comply with Sections 1205.2.1.1 through 1205.2.3.

Exceptions:

1. These requirements shall not apply to structures designed and constructed in accordance with the California Residen- tial Code .

2. These requirements shall not apply to roofs with slopes of 2 units vertical in 12 units horizontal (16.7-percent slope) or less.

1205.2.1.1 Pathways to ridge. Not fewer than two 36-inch-wide (914 mm) pathways on separate roof planes, from lowest roof edge to ridge, shall be provided on all buildings. Not fewer than one pathway shall be provided on the street or driveway side of the roof. For each roof plane with a photovoltaic array, not fewer than one 36-inch-wide (914 mm) pathway from lowest roof edge to ridge shall be provided on the same roof plane as the photovoltaic array, on an adjacent roof plane or straddling the same and adjacent roof planes.

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1205.2.1.2 Setbacks at ridge. For photovoltaic arrays occupying 33 percent or less of the plan view total roof area, a setback of not less than 18 inches (457 mm) wide is required on both sides of a horizontal ridge. For photovoltaic arrays occupying more than 33 percent of the plan view total roof area, a setback of not less than 36 inches (457 mm) wide is required on both sides of a horizontal ridge.

1.2 Setbacks at ridge.** For photovoltaic arrays occupying 33 percent or less of the plan view total roof area, a setback of not less than 18 inches (457 mm) wide is required on both sides of a horizontal ridge. For photovoltaic arrays occupying more than 33 percent of the plan view total roof area, a setback of not less than 36 inches (457 mm) wide is required on both sides of a horizontal ridge.

1205.2.1.3 Alternative setbacks at ridge. Where an automatic sprinkler system is installed within the dwelling in accordance with Section 903.3.1.3, setbacks at the ridge shall conform to one of the following:

1. For photovoltaic arrays occupying 66 percent or less of the plan view total roof area, a setback of not less than 18 inches (457 mm) wide is required on both sides of a horizontal ridge.
2. For photovoltaic arrays occupying more than 66 percent of the plan view total roof area, a setback of not less than 36 inches (914 mm) wide is required on both sides of a horizontal ridge.

1205.2.2 Emergency escape and rescue openings. Panels and modules installed on Group R-3 buildings shall not be placed on the portion of a roof that is below an emergency escape and rescue opening. A pathway of not less than 36 inches (914 mm) wide shall be provided to the emergency escape and rescue opening.

1205.2.3 Building-integrated photovoltaic (BIPV) systems. Where building-integrated photovoltaic (BIPV) systems are installed in a manner that creates areas with electrical hazards to be hidden from view, markings shall be provided to identify the hazardous areas to avoid for ladder placement. The markings shall be reflective and be visible from grade beneath the eaves or other location approved by the fire code official.

Exception: BIPV systems listed in accordance with UL 3741, where the removal or cutting away of portions of the BIPV system during firefighting operations have been determined to not expose a firefighter to electrical shock hazards.

1205.2.4 Locations of DC conductors. Conduit, wiring systems and raceways for photovoltaic circuits shall be located as close as possible to the ridge or hip or valley and from the hip or valley as directly as possible to an outside wall to reduce trip hazards and maximize ventila- tion opportunities. Conduit runs between sub arrays and to DC combiner boxes shall be installed in a manner that minimizes the total amount of conduit on the roof by taking the shortest path from the array to the DC combiner box. The DC combiner boxes shall be located such that conduit runs are minimized in the pathways between arrays. DC wiring shall be installed in metallic conduit or raceways when located within enclosed spaces in a building. Conduit shall run along the bottom of load bearing members.

Access to systems for buildings, other than those containing Group R-3 occupancies, shall be provided in accordance with Sections 1205.3.1 through 1205.3.3.

Exception: Where it is determined by the fire code official that the roof configuration is similar to that of a Group R-3 occupancy, the residential access and ventilation requirements in Sections 1205.2.1.1 through 1205.2.1.3 are a suitable alternative.

1205.3.1 Perimeter pathways. There shall be a minimum 6-foot-wide (1829 mm) clear perimeter around the edges of the roof.

Exception: Where either axis of the building is 250 feet (76 200 mm) or less, the clear perimeter around the edges of the roof shall be permitted to be reduced to a minimum width of 4 feet (1219 mm).

1205.3.2 Interior pathways. Interior pathways shall be provided between array sections to meet the following requirements:

1. Pathways shall be provided at intervals not greater than 150 feet (45 720 mm) throughout the length and width of the roof.
2. A pathway not less than 4 feet (1219 mm) wide in a straight line to roof standpipes or ventilation hatches.
3. A pathway not less than 4 feet (1219 mm) wide around roof access hatches, with not fewer than one such pathway to a parapet or roof edge.

1205.3.3 Smoke ventilation. The solar installation shall be designed to meet the following requirements:

1. Where nongravity-operated smoke and heat vents occur, a pathway not less than 4 feet (1219 mm) wide shall be provided bordering all sides.

2. Where gravity-operated dropout smoke and heat vents occur, a pathway not less than 4 feet (1219 mm) wide on not fewer than one side.

3. Smoke ventilation options between array sections shall be one of the following: 3.1. A pathway not less than 8 feet (2438 mm) wide. 3.2. A pathway not less than 4 feet (1219 mm) wide bordering 4-foot by 8-foot (1219 mm by 2438 mm) venting cutouts every 20 feet (6096 mm) on alternating sides of the pathway.

1205.3.4 Locations of DC conductors in occupancies other than R-3. Conduit, wiring systems and raceways for photovoltaic circuits shall be located as close as possible to the ridge or hip or valley and from the hip or valley as directly as possible to an outside wall to reduce trip hazards and maximize ventilation opportunities. Conduit runs between sub arrays and to DC combiner boxes shall be installed in a manner that minimizes the total amount of conduit on the roof by taking the shortest path from the array to the DC combiner box. The DC combiner boxes shall be located such that conduit runs are minimized in the pathways between arrays. DC wiring shall be installed in metallic conduit or raceways when located within enclosed spaces in a building. Conduit shall run along the bottom of load bearing members.

Buildings with rapid shutdown solar photovoltaic systems shall have permanent labels in accordance with Sections 1205.4.1 through 1205.4.3.

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1205.4.1 Rapid shutdown type. The type of solar photovoltaic system rapid shutdown shall be labeled with one of the following:

1. For solar photovoltaic systems that shut down the array and the conductors leaving the array, a label shall be provided. The first two lines of the label shall be uppercase characters with a minimum height of [3] / 8 inch (10 mm) in black on a yellow background. The remaining characters shall be uppercase with a minimum height of [3] / 16 inch (5 mm) in black on a white background. The label shall be in accordance with Figure 1205.4.1(1) and state the following:

SOLAR PV SYSTEM EQUIPPED WITH RAPID SHUTDOWN. TURN RAPID

SHUTDOWN SWITCH TO THE “OFF”

POSITION TO SHUT DOWN PV SYSTEM

AND REDUCE SHOCK HAZARD IN ARRAY.

2. For photovoltaic systems that only shut down conductors leaving the array, a label shall be provided. The first two lines of the label shall be uppercase characters with a minimum height of [3] / 8 inch (10 mm) in white on a red background and the remaining characters shall be capitalized with a minimum height of [3] / 16 inch (5 mm) in black on a white background. The label shall be in accordance with Figure 1205.4.1(2) and state the following:

THIS SOLAR PV SYSTEM EQUIPPED WITH RAPID SHUTDOWN. TURN RAPID

SHUTDOWN SWITCH TO THE “OFF”

POSITION TO SHUT DOWN CONDUCTORS

OUTSIDE THE ARRAY. CONDUCTORS

WITHIN ARRAY REMAIN ENERGIZED IN SUNLIGHT.

FIGURE 1205.4.1(1)—LABEL FOR SOLAR PV SYSTEMS THAT REDUCE

SHOCK HAZARD WITHIN ARRAY AND SHUT DOWN CONDUCTORS LEAVING ARRAY

SOLAR PV SYSTEM EQUIPPED
WITH RAPID SHUTDOWN

FIGURE 1205.4.1(2)—LABEL FOR SOLAR PV SYSTEMS THAT ONLY SHUT DOWN CONDUCTORS LEAVING THE ARRAY

THIS SOLAR PV SYSTEM EQUIPPED
WITH RAPID SHUTDOWN

1205.4.1.1 Diagram. The labels in Section 1205.4.1 shall include a simple diagram of a building with a roof. Diagram sections in red signify sections of the solar photovoltaic system that are not shut down when the rapid shutdown switch is turned off.

1205.4.1.2 Location. The rapid shutdown label in Section 1205.4.1 shall be located not greater than 3 feet (914 mm) from the service disconnecting means to which the photovoltaic systems are connected, and shall indicate the location of all identified rapid shutdown switches if not at the same location.

1205.4.2 Buildings with more than one rapid shutdown type. Solar photovoltaic systems that contain rapid shutdown in accordance with both Items 1 and 2 of Section 1205.4.1 or solar photovoltaic systems where only portions of the systems on the

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building contain rapid shutdown, shall provide a detailed plan view diagram of the roof showing each different photovoltaic system and a dotted line around areas that remain energized after the rapid shutdown switch is operated.

1205.4.3 Rapid shutdown switch. A rapid shutdown switch shall have a label located not greater than 3 feet (914 mm) from the switch that states the following:

RAPID SHUTDOWN SWITCH

FOR SOLAR PV SYSTEM

Ground-mounted photovoltaic panel systems shall be installed in accordance with this section. Setback requirements shall not apply to ground-mounted, free-standing photovoltaic arrays.

1205.5.1 Vegetation control. A clear, brush-free area of 10 feet (3048 mm) shall be required around the perimeter of the groundmounted photovoltaic arrays. A maintained vegetative surface or a noncombustible base, approved by the fire code official, shall be installed and maintained under the photovoltaic arrays and associated electrical equipment installations.