Insurance ranges for solar microfit systems

[Brian Spilsbury]

the title says it all.
I'm looking for quotes, starting tomorrow, and wonder what others have got so far.

[Ralph Day]

Hi Brian
The insurance (as a rider on our household policy, not stand alone) is between $350 and 400 per year. That's only the first year, it will probably drop as moresystems come on line3. I can't put my hands on the latest bill, sorry.


The insurance company wanted a copy of the ESA report and a copy of the OPA contract. I finally got that to them yesterday (been online since last June).

Ralph

[Brian Spilsbury]

my quote was for 450 with the same requirements. I had no idea if that was the right price or not.

[Julian Egelstaff]

Our Power (http://www.ourpower.ca) has estimated the annual cost of insurance should be about 0.2% of the total capital cost of the system. But the insurance industry has completely not got it story straight when it comes to this stuff, at least in Ontario.

In our case, there was no increase in our insurance (we're overinsured?). I've heard of other people who's insurance company wouldn't insure their house anymore. It's pretty crazy.

--Julian

[Paul Martin]

Just got ours added for $181 from Scotia. It does not include loss of income. They are doing a review for the solar add-ons since so many are requesting it now. The guy on the phone was considering getting a rooftop system himself.

[Peter Klaassen]

I had an interesting conversation recently about roof top installations. The potential hazard of continued electrical production should your house catch fire may prevent the fire department from doing their job. Can the solar array be shut down with 100% certainty so that firefighters would be safe to put out the fire? If they feel there is an electrical hazard they will not put water on the fire. If they can't put out the fire will the insurance still be valid? I am sure there are switches to shut down the array under normal circumstances. Is it possible this won't work in a fire situation? Does the electrical code consider this in it's standards? These were questions that I couldn't answer. Any others with info about this?
Pete

[Dave Turpin]

I am not an expert, but I expect anything certified by the UL must be safe for firefighting when deranged.

On the side of common sense, however, there is no way you could be shocked by spraying water on a solar panel. Each panel is a couple hundred watts; there is not going to be enough power to arc through a waterstream. The inverters themselves will shut down if an arc occurs. And, don't firefighters kill power to a building before entering it or trying to fight a fire in it?

[Peter Klaassen]

Perhaps the system requirements are different in the U.S. or I am not up to code here.(ESSA did check and approve the set up here though) With three panels in series I have up to 135 V DC coming in from the array with a breaker in the basement and individual breakers on the series at the tracker. The Voltage is enough to cause a problem I would say so if the firefighters knew about the array there is a way to shut them down. I should put a sign on the breaker box I think. What happens for a roof top array. Is the a combiner box outside the house? That would probably be a good spot to disable the panels. The issue then is to educate the fire departments.
Pete

[Ralph Day]

Hi Peter
On my side of the County the local fire chief came and looked around at our (and all the other) off-grid systems (2 years ago, pre microFIT) in the ward/township. He documented where the breakers were, where the batteries were, how to isolate the DC from the AC and such. This info is in a binder kept in the cab of the local fire pumper truck (first response vehicle).

He said that when the dept responds to a fire they generally cut the seal and pull the meter...cuts power to the structure and they have access to 240vac to run lights, extractor fans or whatever. Would probably do the same to my microFIT meter if they had a fire call here, just cut both/everything off.

If you're concerned about how things might be attacked at your place I'd suggest calling the fire dept and suggesting a visit for them to see the setup and how to deal with it. Tell them how Sophiasburgh handles all the off-grid places in their jurisdiction.

Ralph