Section 1204 — California Fire Code (Title 24, Part 9)

1204.1 General. Solar photovoltaic systems shall be installed¶

in accordance with Sections 1204.2 through 1204.5, and the California Building Code or California Residential Code . The electrical portion of solar PV systems shall be installed in accordance with the California Electrical Code.

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ENERGY SYSTEMS

1204.2.2 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.

1204.2.3 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 out- side 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 mini- mizes 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. Con- duit shall run along the bottom of load bearing members.

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1204.3 Other than Group R-3 buildings. Access to systems¶

for buildings, other than those containing Group R-3 occupancies, shall be provided in accordance with Sections 1204.3.1 through 1204.3.3.

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 1204.2.1.1 through 1204.2.1.3 are a suitable alternative.

1204.3.1 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).

1204.3.2 Interior pathways. Interior pathways shall be provided between array sections to meet the following requirements:

Pathways shall be provided at intervals not greater than 150 feet (45 720 mm) throughout the length and width of the roof.
A pathway not less than 4 feet (1219 mm) wide in a straight line to roof standpipes or ventilation hatches.
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.

1204.3.3 Smoke ventilation. The solar installation shall be designed to meet the following requirements:

Where nongravity-operated smoke and heat vents occur, a pathway not less than 4 feet (1219 mm) wide shall be provided bordering all sides.
Smoke ventilation options between array sections shall be one of the following:

2.1. A pathway not less than 8 feet (2438 mm) wide.

2.2. 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.

2.3. 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.

1204.3.4 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 venti- lation opportunities. Conduit runs between sub arrays and to DC combiner boxes shall be installed in a man- ner 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.

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1204.4 Ground-mounted photovoltaic panel systems.¶

Ground-mounted photovoltaic panel systems shall comply with Section 1204.1 and this section. Setback requirements shall not apply to ground-mounted, free-standing photovoltaic arrays. A clear, brush-free area of 10 feet (3048 mm) shall be required for ground-mounted photovoltaic arrays.

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1204.5 Buildings with rapid shutdown. Buildings with¶

rapid shutdown solar photovoltaic systems shall have permanent labels in accordance with Sections 1204.5.1 through 1204.5.3.

1204.5.1 Rapid shutdown type. The type of solar photovoltaic system rapid shutdown shall be labeled with one of the following:

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 1204.5.1(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.

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 remain

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ing 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 1204.5.1(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. CONDUC TORS WITHIN ARRAY REMAIN

ENERGIZED IN SUNLIGHT.

1204.5.1.1 Diagram. The labels in Section 1204.5.1 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.

1204.5.1.2 Location. The rapid shutdown label in Section 1204.5.1 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.

1204.5.2 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 1204.5.1 or solar photovoltaic systems where only portions of the systems on the 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.

1204.5.3 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

ENERGY SYSTEMS

Exceptions & meaning →