IEEE Transactions on Energy Conversion, Vol.24, No.1, 274-282, 2009
Guidelines for Protection Against Electric Shock in PV Generators
This paper assesses the protection against electric shock in a photovoltaic generator (PVG), the dc side of a PV installation. Within this context, we discuss the applicability of the protection requirements of the International Electrotechnical Commission 60364, the international standard that provides guidelines for wiring in low-voltage (LV) electrical installations. The unique operational characteristics of a PVG, which differ from those of a conventional ac LV system, made it necessary to revise and adapt these requirements. With a view to discovering the effectiveness of electric shock protection in ungrounded PVGs, we carried out both a theoretical and practical study in a real PVG in order to analyze its electrical behavior. As part of our study, the feasibility of applying an "active" means of protection was experimentally tested in this same PVG.
Keywords:Electric shock;grounding;insulation;International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC);leakage currents;photovoltaic (PV) power systems;protection;safety