Electrical Safety for Solar Arrays

Running renewable energy systems efficiently requires a high level of availability, as well as effective protection against electrical safety hazards that may occur. A crucial issue is electrical safety. An unexpected insulation fault often means unexpected downtime, or an increased risk of fire. Bender's extensive experience in the renewable energy industries ensuer that your system is provided with the most advanced electrical safety equipment on the market to prevent solar ground faults. A wide portfolio of products work with virtually every type of array and measure at different system levels. Bender’s ground fault protection and insulation monitoring devices ensure continuous safety for both grounded and ungrounded solar arrays, detecting faults early and preventing system downtime. 

Using a fuse on grounded solar arrays for ground-fault protection can create the "blind spot" issue - a ground fault on the already grounded conductor of a PV array may not drive sufficient current to trip the fuse. Additional faults can go undetected and may cause unexpected behavior, leading to a high risk of fire.

Bender's ground-fault relays detect low-level AC and DC ground faults on grounded arrays by using a differential measurement method, mitigating the blind spot issue. Advanced technology alerts technicians to conditions that may lead to damage to equipment or fire.

As a leading innovator in electrical safety, Bender is always designing products to meet the latest requirements of codes and standards worldwide. NEC 690.41 (2017 edition), NEC 690.35 (2014 edition), and CSA C22.1 (CE Code) 64-068 require ground fault protection on ungrounded solar arrays. By measuring the system's insulation resistance to ground, Bender's advanced ground-fault detectors provide accurate readings of immediate ground faults, as well as faults caused by slow deterioration over time. With insulation monitoring devices and regular LIM testing, Bender provides comprehensive electrical safety, ensuring insulation integrity and accurate ground fault detection across solar arrays.

Bender offers a wide range of ground-fault detectors for virtually all size arrays, from small-scale deployments to large-scale, utility grade solar grids. Our years of experience dedicated to the solar industry ensure that your system is protected with the products best fit for the job. Bender’s ground fault protection, combined with LIM testing, guarantees reliable fault detection and continuous monitoring, enhancing the safety of solar installations.