IMO announced that it has independently achieved UL PVRSS listing for its FireRaptor Rapid Shutdown Device with the SMA Sunny Boy range of solar inverters from 3 kW to 7.7 kW and also the SMA TRIPOWER range of solar inverters from 33 kW to 62 kW under UL1741 guidelines.

The FireRaptor also meets UL’s new AFCI compatibility requirements under PVRSS listing with the SMA Sunny Boy and TRIPOWER inverter ranges which further supplements IMO’s current UL listed FireRaptor offering for NEC 2017 and NEC 2020 compliance.

“We are delighted with achieving the FireRaptor’s latest UL listing with the SMA Sunny Boy and TRIPOWER inverters. Our ongoing efforts to achieve UL PVRSS listing with a range of inverter products is ensuring greater system safety whilst enabling the continued growth of the industry in the face of progressive NEC regulatory requirements,” said IMO’s general manager Joe Covington.

The FireRaptor is designed to be installed at solar panel level and provides safety shutdown of the DC supply to ZERO volts in case of emergency. Shutdown is initiated in three ways — manual operation by way of an emergency shutdown switch (which can be conveniently located at ground level for easy access), AC Supply Cut-Off or a Temperature Rise Trigger.

The FireRaptor operates in the same way as a disconnect switch, making the FireRaptor compatible with all string inverters, and does not affect their operation or performance in any way. Additionally, the FireRaptor has been designed for fail-safe operation ensuring that once operated, subsequent damage to the FireRaptor (e.g. by fire) will not compromise the solar panel isolation and shutdown status. Indeed, the FireRaptor has been tested to destruction by TUV in Germany, maintaining full zero volt isolation throughout the test procedure.

News item from IMO Automation