Can wireless smoke alarms be installed to photovoltaic systems

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In reading the installation instructions for wireless smoke alarms, I came across this:


"Warning: This alarm cannot be operated on power derived from a square wave, modified square wave or modified sine wave inverter. These types of inverters are sometimes used to supply power to the structure in off grid installations, such as solar or wind derived power sources. These power sources porduce high peak voltages that will damage the alarm."


I am wondering how this relates to the installation of Photo Voltaic jobs that we are seeing installed today...each month, there are more and more of these installs and I wonder how it affects the existing wireless systems.
 

don_resqcapt19

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Location
Illinois
Occupation
retired electrician
Assuming that most of the installations are using grid tie inverters and are not stand alone or off-grid systems, I don't think there will be any issue.
 

rick hart

Senior Member
Location
Dallas Texas
When there is a power failure the grid connected power supply must shut down so, no smoke alarm. But they are talking off grid power supplies.
Maybe since there is no voltage regualtion from the utility source the voltage could wander around a bit and cause problems...just guessing though. Most off grid site appliances are DC, not AC anyway.

What puzzles me is the square wave/ high peak voltage comment. It seems to me that the normal peak voltage of a mechanical AC alternator would provide a higehr peak voltage than an electronic inverter would.
 

iwire

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Location
Massachusetts
What about when there is a power outage?

Grid tied PV systems, at least any I have worked with go offline when the utility fails. It could be the sunniest day of the year but if the utility is down you get no power.

There may be some grid tied PV systems that can drop off the grid and still provide power but I have not learned about them yet.
 
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