FAQ category: SAFETY AND EFFECTIVENESS

PVSTOP is a necessary safety tool because it is the only product that quickly and safely isolates the power produced by solar PV systems at the source, the solar panels themselves. PVSTOP renders solar PV systems electrically safe, protecting first responders, electrical workers, and system owners/operators from the risk of electrocution.

Yes, PVSTOP is the only accredited light blocking agent designed to spray on to solar panels like a ‘liquid blanket’, blocking the light and ‘switching off’ the solar panels in seconds.  PVSTOP is effective on a range of risks relating to solar PV systems including,

• PV system failure (panel damage, component failure, faulty interconnects and damaged cabling)
• PV system maintenance (in many countries up to 20% of solar PV systems have been found to be dangerous and/or sub-standard)
• Property fire (where the solar PV system is the ignition source of the fire)
• Property fire (where the solar PV system becomes indirectly involved due to an external ignition source)
• Hazard containment (solar panels are toxic when burning)
• Extreme weather events (floods, wildfires, hailstorms)

Yes, PVSTOP is a fire retardant solution in its wet state and non-flammable/heat resistant in its dry state.

No, although PVSTOP can extinguish a Class A fire (and successfully passed a Class 2A examination under Australian Standards test conditions), it is not a certified fire extinguisher, it is a light blocking agent designed to ‘switch off’ solar PV systems.

PVSTOP has been tested on voltages up to 3000v (DC), twice the maximum voltage allowable on a commercial PV string and is electrically non-conductive at these voltage levels.  PVSTOP is not a Class C (electrical fire extinguisher) and should not be used on electrical equipment other than solar PV systems.

PVSTOP is designed to be used in a variety of scenarios where it is necessary to de-energise a solar PV system for the safety of personnel, property and the environment including:

• Before an electrical fault escalates into a fire incident.
• During an electrical arc, fire or flood incident.
• After a fire incident to mitigate the risk of a secondary fire incident developing due to damaged PV system equipment.

Yes, PVSTOP works on all types of solar PV systems, including BIPV.

No, PVSTOP is not designed to be used on Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS).  However, PVSTOP is designed to be used on solar PV systems connected to Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) to stop the PV system continuing to feed electricity to the BESS.

No, PVSTOP is not designed to be applied to Electric Vehicle (EV) fires.

PVSTOP is universally effective on all solar PV panel types, including monocrystalline, polycrystalline, thin-film technologies, and various system configurations.  It is not designed to be used on thermal solar systems as thermal solar systems do not pose an electrical risk.