274 IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON ENERGY CONVERSION, VOL. 24, NO.

1, MARCH 2009

Guidelines for Protection Against Electric

Shock in PV Generators
Jesus C. Hernández and Pedro G. Vidal

Abstract—This paper assesses the protection against electric UOC PVG Open-circuit voltage of a PV generator.
shock in a photovoltaic generator (PVG), the dc side of a PV instal- τ Discharge time constant.
lation. Within this context, we discuss the applicability of the pro- Subscripts
tection requirements of the International Electrotechnical Com-
mission 60364, the international standard that provides guidelines MAX Maximum.
for wiring in low-voltage (LV) electrical installations. The unique MIN Minimum.
operational characteristics of a PVG, which differ from those of a Acronyms
conventional ac LV system, made it necessary to revise and adapt ECPs Exposed conductive parts.
these requirements. With a view to discovering the effectiveness IMDs Insulation monitoring devices.
of electric shock protection in ungrounded PVGs, we carried out
both a theoretical and practical study in a real PVG in order to LV Low voltage.
analyze its electrical behavior. As part of our study, the feasibility PVGs Photovoltaic generators.
of applying an “active” means of protection was experimentally RCMs Residual current monitors.
tested in this same PVG.
Index Terms—Electric shock, grounding, insulation, Interna- I. INTRODUCTION
tional Electrotechnical Commission (IEC), leakage currents, pho-
tovoltaic (PV) power systems, protection, safety. NSURING safety in photovoltaic (PV) installations is an
NOMENCLATURE
E important issue, which must first be resolved if this tech-
nology is ever to be applied on a larger scale. PV installations
CLEK Leakage capacitance of a PV generator. should have the following types of protection: 1) protection
CLEKm Leakage capacitance of a PV module. against electric shock; 2) fire protection; and 3) lightning and
F Parameter equal to Rp /Rs . surge protection. Our research study specifically targets protec-
iH (t) Transient body current. tion against electric shock. Electric shock protection is crucial
Id First fault current between live conductor and due to the increasing number of potential electrical hazards in
exposed conductive part. PV installations as a result of their size and proximity to popu-
IH (p) Peak maximum value of the discharge of a ca- lation centers.
pacitor on the human body. Nevertheless, despite its importance, electric shock protec-
IL Steady-state touch current limit. tion in PV generators (PVGs) has not been widely addressed.
ILEK Leakage current of a PV generator. In the 1980s, Key and Menicucci [1] described the practical
I∆ n Rated residual operating current. problems that initially arose in the application of the National
Ran Specified response value. Electrical Code to PVGs. In the 1990s, the personal safety levels
RA Ground electrode resistance of the equipment of grounded and ungrounded PVGs were compared [2]. Subse-
grounding. quent studies proposed double insulation or extra-low voltage
RHB Resistance of the human body. (LV) as a means of protection [3], [4]. Wiesner et al. [5] sug-
RISO Insulation resistance of a PV generator. gested the use of insulation monitoring devices (IMDs). Finally,
RISO PER Safety threshold of the RISO in permanent Vidal et al. [6] proposed the automatic disconnection of the
regimen. electricity supply in ungrounded PVGs. Generally speaking,
RISO TR Safety threshold of the RISO in transient however, field experience in this area is limited, and protective
regimen. guidelines and provisions are not uniform.
Rp Parallel insulation resistance of a PV module. Electric shock protection is possible only if requirements are
Rs Series insulation resistance of a PV module. met at both system and equipment levels.
UL Conventional touch voltage limit. At the system level, protection against electric shock in con-
UOCm Open-circuit voltage of a PV module. ventional ac LV systems is regulated by the electrotechnical re-
quirements defined in international standards International Elec-
Manuscript received December 28, 2007; revised July 17, 2008. First trotechnical Commission (IEC) 61140 [7] and IEC 60364-41
published January 6, 2009; current version published February 19, 2009. Paper [8]. These requirements are based on decades of scientific
no. TEC-00502-2007.
The authors are with the Department of Electrical Engineering, Polytech- progress and practical experience, and have evolved in con-
nic School, University of Jaén, Jaén 23700, Spain (e-mail: [email protected]; sonance with technical knowledge and advances.
[email protected]). In this sense, PVGs are still in the initial stages of this pro-
Color versions of one or more of the figures in this paper are available online
at http://ieeexplore.ieee.org. cess because this type of technology is relatively new, and also
Digital Object Identifier 10.1109/TEC.2008.2008865 because of their unique operational characteristics [1], [4]–[6].
0885-8969/$25.00 © 2009 IEEE
HERNÁNDEZ AND VIDAL: GUIDELINES FOR PROTECTION AGAINST ELECTRIC SHOCK IN PV GENERATORS 275

As part of the Univer Project [9], we analyzed the use of general also be used as a protection level value. In what follows this
protective provisions for ac LV systems in PVGs, and found that value is referred to as the steady-state touch current limit IL .
it was difficult to apply many of these provisions to PVGs pre- In ac LV systems, these limits are well known. However, in
cisely because of the way in which they operate. It is a fact that PVGs, which are outdoor dc electrical installations, such limits
during the code-compliant design of electric shock protection have not as yet been ascertained. Thus, according to [21], the
for PVGs, various difficulties were encountered in the interpre- value for UL in PVGs should be set at 75 V due to their potential
tation of protection requirements. This led to the subsequent de- water-wet operating conditions. Similarly, according to [20], the
velopment of PV-specific electrical codes and standards, at both value for IL should be less than 135 mA. In our research study,
an international level [10], [11] and local level: USA [12], [13] we set IL at 100 mA.
and Spain [14]. It is important to highlight that on the ac side of
the PV installation, these guidelines can be applied without any III. PVG-ADAPTED PROTECTIVE PROVISIONS AGAINST
problems [4], [6]. ELECTRIC SHOCK
After analyzing these standards and reviewing previous stud-
ies [15], we made a systematic comparison of their contents. We This section describes the optimal requirements for electric
found that such standards often show marked differences, and shock protection in PVGs. These requirements are the result
worse yet, reflect a wide range of inconsistencies. Responding to of the modification, adaptation, or reelaboration of the general
the urgent need for international harmonization, the work carried requirements for ac LV systems [7], [8] as well as the more
out by the IEC Technical Committee 82 targets the harmoniza- specific requirements for PV systems [10].
tion of guidelines for PV installations, which will doubtlessly
be conducive to the wider use of this technology in the future. A. Combined Protection Against Direct and Indirect Contact
Regarding the safety of PV equipment, a recent study shows 1) Protection by Extra-Low Voltage: This enhanced protec-
how the most basic requirements are regulated by existing tive provision entails limiting the maximum operating voltage
standards or by standards currently in development: PV mod- of the PVG to a safe value (≤ UL ). The PVG must also be safely
ules [16], [17] and PV inverters [18], [19]. isolated from the grid by a safety isolating transformer. The use
This paper begins by explaining the basic premises of electric of class III equipment [7] is obligatory.
shock protection as well as its safety levels for PVGs. This is 2) Protection by Double or Reinforced Insulation: This en-
followed by an in-depth description of protective provisions for hanced protective provision is provided by the selection of suit-
PVGs. These provisions include PVG design practices as well able equipment. The construction of this equipment offers the
as hardware recommendations. We also discuss how such provi- necessary degree of safety regarding electric shock. The fol-
sions should be applied. We then describe the electrical behavior lowing types of equipment are possible: 1) class II equipment
of a 68-kWp PVG of the Univer Project [19]. The data obtained with double or reinforced insulation [7] and 2) equipment with
were analyzed with a view to studying the effectiveness of elec- a similar type of insulation, known as metal-encased class II
tric shock protection in ungrounded PVGs. Lastly, we discuss equipment [11].
the feasibility of applying an “active” means of protection, an A PVG basically consists of general-purpose electric equip-
option that was experimentally tested in our experimental PVG. ment with the exception of the PV modules. Nowadays, class II
Also analyzed are other crucial factors involved, such as the equipment or its equivalent is rarely used, except in the case of
operating capacity and effectiveness of available hardware. portable or semifixed appliances. As a result, the application of
this protective provision to PVGs is difficult or extremely ex-
II. BASIC PRINCIPLES OF ELECTRIC SHOCK PROTECTION pensive. More specifically, it is still fairly uncommon to find LV
conductors or LV switchboards and panel boards that meet class
The golden rule of electric shock protection is that hazardous II safety requirements. In contrast, class II PV modules [16] are
live parts should not be accessible, and that exposed conductive widely manufactured. Their use, which is recommended in [2]
parts (ECPs) should not be hazardous live either under normal, and [4] and obligatory in [11], is geared to eliminating insulation
or under single-fault operating conditions. failures in PVGs.
Under normal operating conditions, protection against direct However, applying this protective provision to PVGs is made
contact is required, and is provided by basic protection provi- rather difficult by the most frequent PV equipment grounding
sions. In the case of single-fault operating conditions, protection technique. Conductive equipment parts should not be bonded to
against indirect contact is likewise necessary, and is provided by ground since class II equipment becomes class I. However, PV
fault protection provisions. Fault protection can be achieved by modules are bonded to supporting structures that are normally
a further provision, which is independent of any basic provision, grounded.
or by an enhanced provision that provides both basic and fault
protection.
B. Protection Against Direct Contact (Basic Provisions)
The effects of the shock current on human beings [20] were
used as the basis for setting the requirements for electric shock Full protection against direct contact is afforded by the
protection in [8]. The conventional touch voltage limit UL is insulation of live parts or enclosures. In areas restricted to
the most frequently used parameter in this type of protection. skilled personnel, barriers or suitable clearance can offer partial
However, the current threshold of ventricular fibrillation can protection.
276 IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON ENERGY CONVERSION, VOL. 24, NO. 1, MARCH 2009

In case of the failure of basic protective provisions or user

carelessness, additional protection can be obtained with a pro-
tective device (e.g., residual current devices in ac LV systems).
Nevertheless, PVG operating characteristics, which differ from
those of an ac LV system, make it necessary to use the protec-
tive devices listed later. In any case, the characteristics of such
devices (i.e., their set points and maximum break times) should
protect users against direct contact [20]–[22].

C. Protection Against Indirect Contact (Fault Provisions)

The automatic disconnection of supply should be the general
fault protective provision applied to any PVG. Supplementary
insulation can also be used. However, for PVGs, IEC 60364-
7-712 [10] forbids protection by nonconducting locations and
earth-free local equipotential bonding.
1) Protection by Supplementary Insulation: This provision Fig. 1. Functional units of the protective device against electric shock in a
consists of a supplementary insulation to prevent any possible grounded PVG: monitoring device plus shutdown system of the PVG.
failure in the basic insulation.
2) Automatic Disconnection of Supply: This provision pre-
vents a hazardous touch voltage in the PVG in case of failure in In the ac LV system, an insulation fault originates a high
the basic insulation. Protection is ultimately provided by coordi- short-circuit current through the protective conductors, which
nating the type of grounding system of the PVG, the properties signifies that ECPs can attain a hazardous potential. The pro-
of its protective equipotential bonding, the tripping character- posal regarding protection only relates maximum allowed dis-
istics of protective devices, and the characteristics of class I connection times to each nominal system voltage since a solid
equipment. fault provides enough current to operate overcurrent protective
The types of grounding system in a PVG, according to devices.
[10]–[13] and [23], can be: 1) an ungrounded PVG (ungrounded In the PVG, an insulation fault causes a short-circuit current
live parts and grounded ECPs) and 2) a grounded PVG (live parts similar to the nominal current. Thus, the potential attained in
and ECPs grounded by means of a single ground electrode). A ECPs is normally nonhazardous. For example, the usual low
PVG with live parts and ECPs grounded in independent ground value of the protective conductor impedance (e.g., impedance
electrodes is not advisable for reasons of personal safety (see ≤1.2 mΩ/m if its section ≥16 mm2 ) together with short con-
Section VIII), or lightning and surge protection [24]. nection distances to ground (usually ≤30 m) requires very high
As a general rule, the following requirements should be com- short-circuit currents (∼=1650 A) to reach a hazardous touch
plied with in this protective provision. voltage (>UL ). Therefore, no requirements for protective de-
1) In case of fault between a live part and an ECP or protective vices are often necessary. The only possible requirement is a
conductor, a protective device must avoid a hazardous maximum time equal to 5 s to disable the PVG.
touch voltage by disconnection. However, equipment safety requirements may demand the
2) Depending on the grounding system, ECPs must be prop- immediate disablement of the PVG. Depending on its position
erly connected to the designed protective equipotential (see Fig. 1), an insulation fault may lead to a PV inverter com-
bonding system. This system includes a ground electrode, mutation fault.
protective conductors, and potential protective screening. b) Specifications for an ungrounded PVG:
Single-point connection between ground electrode and 1) Live parts of the PVG must be isolated from ground.
equipotential bonding is recommended in [11]–[13]. 2) ECPs must be collectively bonded by protective conduc-
The requirements for ac LV systems, which have been adapted tors to a ground electrode and the following conditions
for PVGs are the following. satisfied:
a) Specifications for a grounded PVG: RA Id ≤ UL . (1)
1) All ECPs must be connected to the system grounding
(henceforth, PVG grounding) by protective conductors. 3) In the event of a first solid fault to ECP or ground, the
The best point for ground connection is the dc input ter- fault current is low. This condition is neither dangerous
minal of the PV inverter as suggested in [11]–[13]. for people nor harmful to the PVG if (1) is fulfilled. Thus,
2) Preferably, negative live conductors must be grounded disconnection is not imperative.
[11]–[13], [20]. PVGs with their center tap grounded are 4) The use of an IMD [25] is highly recommended, as men-
also allowed. tioned in [2], [6], and [26]. Such a device warns of the ap-
The other requirements stated in IEC 60364-4-41 [8] for the ac pearance of a first fault, thus allowing its rapid localization
LV system are not applicable to PVGs because of the difference and repair. This significantly improves PVG operability,
between short-circuit currents in both systems. due to preventive maintenance.
HERNÁNDEZ AND VIDAL: GUIDELINES FOR PROTECTION AGAINST ELECTRIC SHOCK IN PV GENERATORS 277

5) After the first fault, the protection requirements in the

event of a second fault are those previously defined for the
grounded PVG.

IV. APPLICATION OF THE PROTECTIVE PROVISIONS IN A PVG

The electric shock protective provisions for PVGs, according
to [7] and [8], should be applied as follows:

Direct contact (basic protective provisions):

1) protection by basic insulation of live parts;
2) protection by extra-LV;
3) protection by reinforced insulation of live parts.
Indirect contact (fault protective provisions):
1) protection by extra-LV;
2) protection by reinforced insulation of live parts;
3) protection by supplementary insulation of live parts;
4) protection by automatic disconnection of supply. Fig. 2. Functional units of the protective device against electric shock in an
Since protective provisions 1–4 guarantee personal safety ungrounded PVG: monitoring device plus shutdown system of the PVG.
through PVG design (preventive provisions), these provisions
are regarded as “passive.” In contrast, provision 5 is considered
to be “active” because personal safety depends on devices that a grounded PVG is advisable in the case of areas with little
operate when risk scenarios appear. This risk is monitored by traffic and nonspecialized maintenance personnel.
means of the control variable measured by the devices. This combination of provisions requires the installation of
The choice of electric shock protection is determined by PVG various types of protective device, which have been itemized
size, location accessibility, skill level of maintenance team, cost in terms of the type of PVG grounding involved. The specific
of protective hardware, and PVG availability. These aspects as detection levels of the devices and their most frequent location
well as others [24] should also be considered in the definition of are also shown.
lightning and surge protection (other important safety issues). 1) Elements of the Electric Shock Protection Device: Since
Consequently, it is necessary to agree on a safety design. When the procedure used for the automatic disconnection of the sup-
it is only a question of personal safety, the following options are ply in the ac LV system is not valid for PVGs [6], an alternative
possible. shutdown procedure must be used. (See section VII for a de-
scription.) This also makes it necessary to use other devices for
electric shock protection in both systems.
A. Protection by Extra-LV (Protective Provision 2)
In the ac LV system, this device contains two functional
This enhanced provision is advisable for small PV power units [27]: a detection/evaluation unit of the control variable and
applications with an operating voltage limit value of UL . a unit with an interruption function. A switching device performs
this interruption function. However, in PVGs, this function must
B. Protection by Double or Reinforced Insulation of Live Parts be carried out by the shutdown system. Accordingly, this type
(Protective Provisions 1 + 4 or 3) of protection device consists of a combination of devices, each
with its own function, though all work together (Figs. 1 and
This enhanced provision is restricted to PV power applica-
2). In other words, this device has a detection/evaluation unit
tions under the effective supervision of trained and experienced
(monitoring device), which, in turn, triggers another device that
personnel (restricted access area).
disables the PVG (shutdown system). This combination pro-
vides a sufficient level of personal protection [8], [27].
C. Protection by Basic Insulation Plus Automatic Disconnec- 2) Protective Device in a Grounded PVG: The device that
tion of Supply (Protective Provisions 1 + 5) continuously detects/evaluates the fault/leakage current between
This combination of provisions is advisable for hazardous PV live parts and ECPs or ground is a residual current monitor
power applications with operating voltages higher than UL . The (RCM) [28], which is sensitive to dc currents, i.e., type B [29].
applications may be: 1) intermediate installations (residential, This monitoring device is installed in the grounding conductor
commercial, and industrial) with voltages of less than 600 V [12] of the PVG (see Fig. 1). The RCM triggers the shutdown system
and 2) multimegawatt power plants with higher voltages. In when the current exceeds its set point (see Fig. 8).
group 1), access to the installations is usually permitted and the The installation of this device complies with the “active”
maintenance team is composed of nonspecialized personnel. In protective provision formulated in Section III-C2(a). The RCM
group 2), access is always restricted to skilled or highly trained set point (I∆ n ) must be consistent with the maximum leak-
personnel in central plants. age current of the PVG (ILEK M AX ) under any meteorological
The ungrounded PVG (the safer option) is recommended for condition without insulation faults. In order to avoid unwanted
crowded sites and installations with easy accessibility, whereas tripping, the next set point should be chosen according to its
278 IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON ENERGY CONVERSION, VOL. 24, NO. 1, MARCH 2009

tripping current range (0.5, . . . , 2I∆ n ) [28], [29]

0.5I∆ n ≥ ILEK M AX . (2)
The value of the RCM set point must always be as small as
possible to cover all potential insulation faults. The fault current
(see Fig. 1) ranges from zero (point 1) to the short-circuit current
of the PVG (point 2).
Additional protection against direct contact is obtained when
the RCM set point permits adequate protection of this contact
[20]. Thus, this set point must always be lower than 0.5 IL
(50 mA), in accordance with the previously mentioned tripping
conditions.
Fig. 3. Equivalent electric circuit model of an ungrounded PVG with a direct
3) Protective Device in an Ungrounded PVG: The device contact.
that detects/evaluates the insulation resistance between live parts
and ground is an IMD. This monitoring device is set up between
the negative terminal and ground (see Fig. 2). The IMD triggers
the shutdown system when the resistance falls below its set point
(see Fig. 8).
The installation of this device complies with the “active”
protective provision formulated in Section III-C2(b). The IMD
set point (Ran ) must be consistent with the minimum insulation
resistance of the PVG (RISO M IN ) under any meteorological
condition without insulation faults. In order to avoid unwanted
tripping, the next set point should be chosen according to its
allowed relative percentage error [25]
Fig. 4. Theoretical and experimental transient body current as compared to
1.5Ran ≤ RISO M IN . (3) the time in case of direct contact in a real 68-kWp PVG.
Additional protection against direct contact is provided when
the IMD set point allows this contact to be adequately protected minimum values of Rs and Rp of a PV module. Therefore, when
[22]. This set point is obtained by means of the equations in determining the transient behavior of the electrical circuit, the
Section V. fault resistance is regarded as negligible, and point A is bonded
solidly to the ground. For example, a 106-Wp PV module has
V. DIRECT CONTACT IN AN UNGROUNDED PVG Rs > 0.01 GΩ and Rp > 0.1 GΩ [30].
A. Theoretical Study According to this hypothesis, the theoretical transient body
current iH (t) is determined by using a classical approach to
1) Transient Body Current: The PVG insulation is character- transient analysis in this first-order RC circuit
ized by a leakage impedance spread throughout the dc grid, with

resistance RISO and capacity CLEK components. Under normal ∼ UOC PVG F RISO −t/τ
iH (t) = 1+ e .
operating conditions, the range of values for every component 2 (RISO + RHB ) (RISO + (1 + F )RHB )
consists of units of megohm and tens of microfarad, respectively. (4)
For instance, RISO ∈ [0.12, 4.6] MΩ and CLEK ∈ [0.7, 42] µF The discharge time constant τ is given by
in a real 68-kWp PVG [30]. (Rs Rp )
The energy stored in the leakage capacitance of a PVG can τ = CLEAK m . (5)
(Rs + Rp )
significantly contribute to electric shock risk. Thus, a direct
contact may trigger a capacitor discharge throughout the body Equation (4) has been experimentally validated. Thus, Fig. 4
due to the energy redistribution of the capacities. We evaluated shows the theoretical transient body current, obtained from (4),
this transient body current (see Fig. 3) in order to find out the together with the real measurement (simulated contact) in a
protection level associated with the ungrounded configuration. 68-kWp PVG [9], operating under medium–low insulation con-
Fig. 3 shows the equivalent electric circuit model used to eval- ditions. The goodness of fit validates the equation proposed for
uate the transient body current in the event of direct contact with the transient body current in the case of direct contact.
the positive terminal of a PVG. We have modeled the electrical 2) Insulation Threshold to Protect Direct Contact: The ef-
behavior of the PVG insulation using the module model in [30]. fectiveness of the protection against direct contact in an un-
The PVG insulation is evenly distributed. grounded PVG depends on its insulation resistance. High values
The most hazardous contact occurs when there is zero contact reduce the transient and permanent body current, and conse-
resistance between feet and ground and a minimum resistance quently, the risk of electric shock.
value of the human body RHB M IN (≈650 Ω [20]). In this case, In transient regimes, the safety threshold of the insulation
the fault resistance value is much lower than the individual resistance RISO TR is obtained by taking into account the effects
HERNÁNDEZ AND VIDAL: GUIDELINES FOR PROTECTION AGAINST ELECTRIC SHOCK IN PV GENERATORS 279

of the capacitor discharge on the human body [22]. The threshold

of ventricular fibrillation of this discharge is used as the safety
limit for human protection. Thus, the maximum peak value of
this discharge IH (p) must be lower than 1.22 A. In the adjustment
of this threshold, the discharge duration (≈3τ ) is higher than
10 ms. In PVGs, however, the resulting duration is always longer
(see following section). Once the threshold IH (p) is set, RISO TR
is obtained from (4). Nevertheless, (4) is previously adapted
to the highest risk case for people, which is insulation that is
oriented toward the terminal opposite contact and a minimum
value of RHB where
  UOC PVG M AX
iH t = 0+ = = IH (p) ≤ 1.22. Fig. 5. Graph of discharge time constant τ (in seconds) as compared to relative
RHB M IN + RISO /(1 + F ) humidity along two isotherms of 12 ◦ C and 17 ± 1 ◦ C.
(6)
Therefore, RISO TR is given by


UOC PVG M AX
RISO TR ≥ (1 + F ) − RHB M IN . (7)
1.22
In a permanent regime, when the energy redistribution stored
in the leakage capacitance is carried out, the safety threshold of
the insulation resistance RISO PER is defined by [6]
RISO PER ≥ 10UOC PVG M AX − RHB M IN . (8)
In order to protect the transient and permanent regime, the
highest threshold is always chosen. Usually, RISO PER deter-
mines this threshold. However, given the high values of the F
Fig. 6. Graph of F parameter (time) in relation to ambient temperature, in
parameter in the following section, if the PVG voltage is more three separate ranges of constant relative humidity: 40%, 60%, and 80% ± 2%.
or less higher than 850 V, the threshold is set by RISO TR .

B. Transient Body Current Variation Due to Meteorology

The insulation of a PVG depends on meteorological vari-
ables such as relative humidity and ambient temperature [30].
Hence, the transient body current also depends on these vari-
ables according to (4). This section studies the influence of
these meteorological variables on the remaining parameters re-
lated to the transient body current, namely, the F parameter
and the discharge time constant τ . At the very least, knowledge
of the quantitative variation of the previous parameters is es-
sential since they determine the safety threshold necessary for
protection from direct contact in the transient regimen.
The methodology used to study the behavior of these param-
eters is twofold. In our first analysis, we used transient body
current tests in a real 68-kWp PVG [9]. The second analysis
consisted of insulation tests on several PV modules in our high-
voltage laboratory. Fig. 7. View of the climate chamber with a 53-Wp PV module and the insu-
lation tester.
First, on various days from August 2001 until March 2007,
the transient body current simulated was measured along with
the following meteorological variables: relative humidity and current). The discharge time constant τ is always higher than
ambient temperature. Fig. 5 shows the discharge time constant 1 s.
as a function of the relative humidity along two isotherms. Fig. 6 The results obtained are directly related to the PV module
shows the F parameter at a constant relative humidity versus used, according to its Rs , Rp , and CLEKm . For this reason,
temperature. we decided to extend our study to other PV modules. We thus
Figs. 5 and 6 show that the meteorological variables have a performed insulation measures on several PV modules in the
significant influence on the parameters analyzed. In our con- temperature and humidity chamber of our high-voltage labora-
tinental climate, the F parameter reaches values up to 100 in tory (see Fig. 7). Tests were performed under all likely mete-
the worst set of safety conditions (maximum transient body orological conditions. The transient response of the insulation
280 IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON ENERGY CONVERSION, VOL. 24, NO. 1, MARCH 2009

two separate ground electrodes are used in order to eliminate

the risk of indirect contact, a very low resistance value of the
grounding equipment is required. This value is rarely reached in
most installations. Therefore, this configuration is the one that
is the least safe.
Protection against direct contact is provided by the previously
mentioned protective devices in grounded and ungrounded con-
figurations. However, there is a difference between both con-
figurations. In grounded configurations, the protective device
performs after contact occurs, whereas in the ungrounded one,
the device performs before contact, thus avoiding a painful elec-
tric shock.

Fig. 8. Block diagram of the monitoring device and shutdown system of the VIII. FEASIBILITY OF APPLICATION OF THE “ACTIVE”
PVG. PROTECTIVE PROVISION IN A PVG
The design of an effective protection system against electric
shock in PVGs of hazardous voltage must include a “passive”
protective provision. However, an “active” protective provision
is the only type that can avoid the effects of potential electri-
cal accidents (e.g., carelessness of users, unexpected insulation
failures, etc.).
The feasibility of applying an “active” protective provision
in PVGs involves checking the operating capacity of the hard-
ware available in the market and its effectiveness. Operating
capacity means that the set point of the protective device must
be consistent with the variation of its control variable due to
meteorological conditions. Effectiveness signifies that the PVG
Fig. 9. IMD and shutdown system of the PVG in a real 68-kWp PVG. is disabled within the specified response time to prevent the oc-
currence of hazardous touch voltage, in case of direct contact or
insulation failure.
measurement [30] allowed us to determine the corresponding The following tests and measurements were carried out on a
F parameter and the discharge time constant τ . These new re- real PVG (68 kWp, 580 V) [9] to test the feasibility of applying
sults only showed slight behavioral differences in relation to the this type of protective provision.
results in Figs. 4 and 5. 1) Measurement of the leakage current (grounded configura-
tion) and insulation resistance (ungrounded configuration)
VI. PVG SHUTDOWN SYSTEM DESIGN over a period of six years in all possible meteorological
The shutdown system of the PVG (Figs. 8 and 9) short circuits conditions. The results of the first two years were pre-
and bonds to ground the live conductors at the inverter dc input. sented in [30].
This guarantees that the voltage is switched off in the entire field 2) Measurement of the response time for PVG disablement
of PV modules, thus eliminating the risk of electric shock [6]. in a grounded and ungrounded configuration.
However, the inverter should first be separated from the dc side As already explained, protection against indirect contact is
so as not to damage the inverter. not usually necessary in grounded PVGs. It is not necessary in
ungrounded PVGs either if (1) is fulfilled. Thus, the “active” pro-
VII. COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF ELECTRIC SHOCK RISK IN A tective provision provides additional protection not only against
PVG, DEPENDING ON THE TYPE OF GROUNDING SYSTEM direct contact, but also against indirect contact.
An ungrounded PVG offers full protection against electric
shock (direct and indirect contact) whenever the insulation re- A. Measurement of the Leakage Current
sistance of the PVG is above a certain safety threshold. How- (Insulation Resistance) to Ground in a Real PVG
ever, an insulation failure to ground/ECP equals the risk level The field data collected confirm the operating capacity of
of a PVG with a grounded configuration. the protective device against electric shock in grounded and
As previously mentioned, a grounded PVG with a single ungrounded PVGs.
ground electrode (for the equipment and PVG grounding) elim- In the case of a grounded PVG, the value of the RCM set point
inates the risk of indirect contact. A low resistance value of must be 50 mA for additional protection against direct contact.
this ground electrode is not necessary since it has no influence According to (2), this set point was also consistent with the
on the risk. In the rare event of a ground fault, a low value is ILEK M AX measured in our experimental PVG (3.7 mA) under
required to protect against indirect contact [6]. However, when all possible meteorological conditions. This provided additional
HERNÁNDEZ AND VIDAL: GUIDELINES FOR PROTECTION AGAINST ELECTRIC SHOCK IN PV GENERATORS 281

protection against indirect contact. This value is one of the The effectiveness of the hardware was also checked in our
highest expected values in PVGs of a similar size because of the experimental PVG by means of various simulations in which
high operating voltage (≈600 V) of our experimental PVG. the response time was measured. First, we simulated extreme
In the case of the ungrounded PVG, (1) is fulfilled. According risk situations of direct contact [6] in a grounded configura-
to (8), the value of the IMD set point should be 5.15 kΩ to obtain tion. A 650-kΩ resistance was used as the most unfavorable
additional protection against direct contact. This value is higher RHB [20]. The results obtained showed suitable response times
than the value obtained by (7) in this PVG. According to (3), this for PVG disablement, which prevented the occurrence of haz-
set point was also compatible with the RISO M IN measured in our ardous electric shock in all dangerous simulations [20]. Finally,
experimental PVG (100 kΩ) under all possible meteorological in an ungrounded configuration, failure simulations, both of the
conditions. Thus, additional protection against indirect contact evenly distributed and localized variety, were also carried out.
was also obtained. The value of the fault resistance considered was less than the
Generally speaking, if during the planning stage of a large IMD set point. The results showed that response times for PVG
PVG, it is divided into several PV arrays, with their correspond- disablement were less than 15 s because of the optimal charac-
ing protective devices, these devices should function perfectly teristics of our IMD.
well without any problems when the PVG is operating.
IX. CONCLUSION
B. Measurement of the Response Time to Disable a Real PVG The code-compliant design of electric shock protection in a
real PVG has greatly facilitated the application of the standard
In the case of a direct contact or a hazardous insulation failure,
IEC 60364 in PVGs. The lessons learned through experience
the PVG must be disabled. The time to disable the PVG can be
produced protective provisions and their adaptation to PVGs. A
defined as the sum of the response time of its monitoring device
previous analysis of this standard revealed that: 1) some of the
and its shutdown system. This section describes the standard
provisions proposed could be directly applied to PVGs without
requirements pertaining to the response time of the monitoring
modification since there is no difference between ac LV circuits
devices and shutdown system. Finally, it presents measurements
and dc PV circuits; 2) other provisions needed to be specifically
that prove the effectiveness of the hardware.
adapted to PV operating characteristics; and 3) others were not
In grounded PVGs, the RCM standard [28] establishes a re-
applicable.
sponse time similar to that of the protective device against di-
The creation of an adapted list of guidelines and practices
rect contact in ac LV systems [27]. In ungrounded PVGs, the
gives PV engineers more freedom when choosing a suitable
IMD standard [25] establishes a response time that can vary,
protection option. Thus, for safety design, protection against
depending on the system leakage capacitance (<100 s if this
electric shock can either be based on “passive” provisions or
capacitance is equal to 1 µF). However, different manufacturers
“passive” as well as “active” provisions with two potential PVG
guarantee up to 200 s for a higher capacitance (≤100 µF). This
grounding. This flexibility means that such protection can be
is the most frequent case in PVGs [30].
adapted to the particular conditions of every PVG (e.g., size, ac-
The response time of the shutdown system is less than 0.1 s,
cessibility, skill of maintenance teams, importance of economic
based on the requirements in standards [31] and [32]. This time
cost, etc.) and to every country (domestic market and local de-
includes the consecutive operation of the circuit breaker (C1)
sign practices). Nevertheless, in the context of the requirements
and the circuit breakers/contactors (C2) (see Fig. 8). Therefore,
analyzed in this paper, each protection option was found to be
the disablement of the PVG only adds up to 0.1 s in relation to
effective. Furthermore, the elaboration of more codes, guide-
the response time of its corresponding monitoring device.
lines, and standards will doubtlessly foment a wider use of this
These standard requirements prove the effectiveness of
technology.
the hardware targeting protection against direct contacts in
This paper presented a theoretical and experimental study of
grounded and ungrounded PVGs. Thus, in grounded PVGs,
the electrical behavior of a PVG and its electrical shock pro-
the operating characteristics of the protective device (RCM plus
tection system. It described the theoretical premises necessary
shutdown system) are compatible with the requirements in [20]
to obtain additional protection against direct contact in an un-
for protection against direct contacts in dc installations. This
grounded PVG.
means that hazardous electric shock is prevented whenever the
Finally, the feasibility of applying an “active” protective pro-
body current is less than 0.35 A (most cases). In ungrounded
vision was experimentally tested in a real PVG, thus verifying
PVGs, the disablement of the PVG occurs 200.1 s after a fault.
the operating capacity and effectiveness of the hardware avail-
In this short time period, just after a failure, the probability of
able on the market.
direct contact is very low, and so, total effectiveness is almost
achieved.
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