To streamline installations around the U.S., the Spice Solar Series 300 integrated racking system and components are certified to all applicable UL-1703, UL-2703 and UL fire requirements.
Solar panels and mounting systems have to pass an exhaustive series of Underwriters Laboratory (UL) tests in order to be code compliant in the thousands of different building departments around the U.S. Recently, these requirements have intensified with new fire resistance and electrical safety standards. The tests require that the specific panels installed on the roof be compliant with the specific racking system securing and grounding the panels.
“It’s a solar installer’s nightmare when a local building department denies a permit for solar panels because they are not fully code compliant with racking from another manufacturer,” said Barry Cinnamon, a solar industry veteran and CEO of Spice Solar. “By combining the solar panels and mounting components into one integrated system and testing them together, Spice Solar systems eliminate this substantial installation risk.”
One System For All Roof Types, Orientations, Wind and Snow Loads
Residential rooftops vary tremendously around the U.S., making it challenging for one mounting system to be both code compliant and inexpensive. Installers have completed Spice Solar systems on composition shingle, tile, metal and flat roofs – and saved an average of $0.30/watt on every job.
Spice Solar’s installation flexibility makes it easy to install in both portrait and landscape orientations, even on the same roof, as well as tilt-up (for flat roofs) and reverse-tilt (for north roof) installations.
“I like the fact that I can mix portrait and landscape panels on the roof to maximize coverage, and still stay within the 36” fire setback requirements,” said Mark Suacci of Suacci Solar in San Diego. “The Spice Solar system really went together quickly, including microinverters and wire management. My installers really like it.”
“We are delighted to offer a complete rooftop system that is UL-1703, UL-2703 and Fire Code compliant in both portrait and landscape,” said Cinnamon. “Because of the highly rigid frame design, Spice Solar systems can be installed throughout the U.S. in high wind and snow zones. Ordinary panels flex under high winds when installed with rail less (edge-attached) mounting systems – leading to solar cell microcracks and faster output degradation. However, with Spice Solar’s rigid frame construction there is virtually no module flexing and fewer solar cell microcracks – leading to better long term system output.”
New Solar System Safety Standards
UL-1703 standards test the mechanical loading and grounding of individual solar panels. The Spice Solar design uses a special frame that provides additional rigidity to the solar panel so that it can be attached at the edges of the panel, instead of supported in the middle of the panel by rails. Although all solar panels must be certified to meet UL-1703 requirements, only a very few panels are certified by UL for installation using edge attachment methods.
UL-2703 standards are the most recent solar panel and mounting system requirements. These standards cover the combination of solar panels, mounting systems and accessories (such as microinverter brackets).
There are thousands of solar panel, racking and accessory combinations from different manufacturers; achieving UL-2703 compliance for every combination is challenging. Spice Solar panels are designed with integrated racking and grounding, making it straightforward to pass these combined panel, mounting system and accessory requirements for both bonding and mechanical load.
Finally, California residential building codes now require that all PV systems (the combination of solar panels and mounting systems) must be tested and listed with a fire classification, either A, B or C. Class A roofs are the most fire resistant, and are required in many urban and suburban cities in California (and soon to be the rest of the U.S.). Spice Solar panels and systems were passed the tests and meet these new UL fire requirements on all common residential roof types.
