I went through my home owners insurance policy today. They limit the damages to elec equipment due to a power surge to R10k.
Question is, will an Escom induced power surge potentially damage one’s inverter?
If so, what can be done to stop the damage from occurring?
This sounds like a clause to protect the insurance company. Get hold of them and ask about your specific requirements and they might include these since they have been specified.
You can increase the limits, just have to pay more each month, increased mine to R30,000, they do not require any surge protectors though, my insurance is through Santam
I have specified all my PV items, but their catchall “surge limit” is probably across the insured landscape because of Escom issues and loadshedding…
I’ll have to discuss it with them. They have already increased my premium for the PV items…
Sneaky bunch, insurance companies!
All too often I read on other forums of someone asking where he can get components and this is accompanied by a pic of a PCB with blackened burned out components.
As an electronics tech I would not recommend an inexperienced soul attempt something like this. Most companies supporting this type of equipment will not attempt to repair and either replace the module or scrap the complete inverter.
So insurance has it’s place…
Your normal CBI type surge arrester on the AC incoming side is basically all you can do. It will take any voltage above 275 volt to earth. That is the only quick fix protection you can install. We normally install DC surge protection on the PV side as well. Most insurances I have dealt with wants to see the surge protection stipulated on the COC, if not, they dont insure.
For the rest you have to rely on the inverter’s internal protection. Most of the inverters will only connect to the incoming AC, when ever the volts goes to high or to low the inverter will disconnect from it.
For mini rail boards:
For din rail boards:
