This Standard was prepared by the Joint Standards Australia/Standards New Zealand Committee EL-042, Renewable Energy Power Supply Systems and Equipment, to supersede AS/NZS 5033:2014.

AS/NZS 5033:2014 will also remain current for SIX MONTHS and after this time it will be superseded by AS/NZS 5033:2021. Regulatory authorities that reference this standard in regulation may apply these requirements at a different time. Users of this standard should consult with these authorities to confirm their requirements.

The objective of this document is to address the safety requirements arising from the particular characteristics of photovoltaic systems. Direct current systems, and photovoltaic arrays in particular, pose hazards in addition to those derived from conventional a.c. power systems, including the ability to produce and sustain electrical arcs with currents that are not greater than normal operating currents.

At the time of publication there were limited Standards for arc detection and prevention for PV arrays. As standards develop, there will be a revision of this document, which will require the use of this technology for PV arrays.

Many new protection features for arrays when used in grid connected applications will be implemented in inverter systems and are required by the International Standard for inverters — IEC 62109-2. Both this document and AS/NZS 4777 require inverters that conform to IEC 62109-2 for grid connected PV systems.

There are a number of changes in requirements in this revision. They include but are not limited to —

(a) change in the scope of this document with respect to maximum PV array power limit;
(b) additions of provisions relating to d.c. conditioning units regarding voltage and current calculations;
(c) changes to requirements for overcurrent protection and earthing;
(d) changes to methods of PV isolation including for d.c conditioning units;
(e) changes to requirements for wiring systems and connector requirements;
(f ) new signs, verification and commissioning requirements.

This document necessarily deals with existing types of systems but is not intended to discourage innovation or to exclude materials equipment and methods that may be developed in the future.

Revisions will be made from time to time in view of such developments, and amendments to this edition will be made when necessary.

The author thanks the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) for permission to reproduce Information from its International Standards. All such extracts are copyright of IEC, Geneva, Switzerland. All rights reserved. Further information on the IEC is available from www.iec.ch. IEC has no responsibility for the placement and context in which the extracts and contents are reproduced by the author, nor is IEC in any way responsible for the other content or accuracy therein.

Statements expressed in mandatory terms in Notes to Tables and Figures are deemed to be requirements of this document.

The terms “normative” and “informative” have been used in this document to define the application of the Appendix to which they apply. A “normative” Appendix is an integral part of a document, whereas an “informative” Appendix is only for information and guidance.