Rooftop solar isolator switch fire at Woongarrah, NSW home extinguished

Fire and Rescue New South Wales attended a residential property in Woongarrah, on the Central Coast, on 5 January 2021 after a triple-zero call reported smoke coming from the roof. Firefighters from Hamlyn Terrace and Doyalson stations extinguished the fire and ensured it had not spread further. The fire service said the fire was believed to have started in the isolation switch and that its Fire Investigation and Research Unit was working to establish the cause. The incident followed two other rooftop solar related fires in New South Wales in the preceding fortnight, at Bar Beach on 30 December, where panels were reported smouldering and no cause was given, and at Lake Cathie on 28 December, where the cause was noted as a rooftop isolation switch. The Bar Beach fire was put out before any major structural damage occurred. No injuries were reported in the source material.

Fire and Rescue NSW has previously stated that isolator switches account for around half of solar power system fires in the state, and reported that solar panel related fires had increased five-fold over the previous five years. The switch involved in the Woongarrah incident did not appear to have a protective shroud, a requirement intended to shield the switch from sun, heat, UV degradation and rain. Rooftop DC isolators are exposed to harsh outdoor conditions over many years, which can accelerate component degradation.

1. Rooftop mounted DC isolator switches are exposed to significant environmental stress, including heat, UV and moisture, which can lead to premature failure.
2. Protective shrouds over isolator switches are a low cost mitigation and their absence should be treated as a concern during inspection.
3. Periodic professional inspection of solar installations, including isolator switches and enclosures, can identify degradation before it results in fire.
4. Installations in coastal or marine adjacent settings may face elevated corrosion and ingress risk and may warrant more frequent checks.

solarquotes.com.au/blog/solar-fires-nsw-mb1829