IEC 60364-7-712:2017

Low voltage electrical installations - Part 7-712: Requirements for special installations or locations - Solar photovoltaic (PV) power supply systems

IEC 60364-7-712:2017 is now available as IEC 60364-7-712:2017 RLV which contains the International Standard and its Redline version, showing all changes of the technical content compared to the previous edition.
IEC 60364-7-712:2017 applies to the electrical installation of PV systems intended to supply all or part of an installation. The equipment of a PV installation, like any other item of equipment, is dealt with only so far as its selection and application in the installation is concerned. This new edition includes significant revisions and extensions, taking into account experience gained in the construction and operation of PV installations, and developments made in technology, since the first edition of this standard was published.

Installations électriques à basse tension - Partie 7-712: Exigences applicables aux installations ou emplacements spéciaux - Installations d'énergie solaire photovoltaïque (PV)

IEC 60364-7-712:2017 est disponible sous forme de IEC 60364-7-712:2017 RLV qui contient la Norme internationale et sa version Redline, illustrant les modifications du contenu technique depuis l'édition précédente.
L'IEC 60364-7-712:2017 s'applique à l'installation électrique de systèmes PV conçus pour alimenter tout ou partie d'une installation. Les équipements d'une installation PV, ainsi que tout autre élément, ne sont traités que du point de vue de leur choix et mise en œuvre dans l'installation. Cette nouvelle édition a été considérablement revue et étendue, pour tenir compte du retour d'expérience dans la construction et l'exploitation des installations photovoltaïques, et des développements technologiques depuis la parution de la première édition de cette norme.

General Information

• Status: Published
• Publication Date: 09-Apr-2017
• ICS: 27.160 - Solar energy engineering
• ICS: 29.020 - Electrical engineering in general
• ICS: 91.140.50 - Electricity supply systems
• Technical Committee: TC 64 - Electrical installations and protection against electric shock
• Drafting Committee: JWG 32 - TC 64/JWG 32
• Current Stage: PPUB - Publication issued
• Start Date: 10-Mar-2017
• Completion Date: 10-Apr-2017

Relations

• Revises: IEC 60364-7-712:2002 - Electrical installations of buildings - Part 7-712: Requirements for special installations or locations - Solar photovoltaic (PV) power supply systems
• Effective Date: 05-Sep-2023

Standards Content (Sample)

IEC 60364-7-712 ®
Edition 2.0 2017-04
REDLINE VERSION
INTERNATIONAL
STANDARD
colour
inside
Low voltage electrical installations of buildings –
Part 7-712: Requirements for special installations or locations – Solar
photovoltaic (PV) power supply systems

All rights reserved. Unless otherwise specified, no part of this publication may be reproduced or utilized in any form
or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying and microfilm, without permission in writing from
either IEC or IEC's member National Committee in the country of the requester. If you have any questions about IEC
copyright or have an enquiry about obtaining additional rights to this publication, please contact the address below or
your local IEC member National Committee for further information.

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3, rue de Varembé Fax: [phone]
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Switzerland www.iec.ch
About the IEC
The International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) is the leading global organization that prepares and publishes
International Standards for all electrical, electronic and related technologies.

About IEC publications
The technical content of IEC publications is kept under constant review by the IEC. Please make sure that you have the
latest edition, a corrigenda or an amendment might have been published.

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IEC 60364-7-712 ®
Edition 2.0 2017-04
REDLINE VERSION
INTERNATIONAL
STANDARD
colour
inside
Low voltage electrical installations of buildings –

Part 7-712: Requirements for special installations or locations – Solar

photovoltaic (PV) power supply systems

INTERNATIONAL
ELECTROTECHNICAL
COMMISSION
ICS 27.160; 29.020; 91.140.50 ISBN 978-2-8322-4231-5

– 2 – IEC 60364-7-712:2017 RLV © IEC 2017
CONTENTS
FOREWORD . 5
INTRODUCTION . 7
712 Solar photovoltaic (PV) power supply systems installations . 8
712.1 Scope . 8
712.2 Normative references . 9
712.3 Terms and definitions . 10
712.30 Assessment of general characteristics .
712.31 Purposes, supplies and structure . 16
712.312 Types of distribution systems .
712.4 Protection for safety . 23
712.41 Protection against electric shock . 24
712.410 Introduction . 24
712.412 Protective measure: double or reinforced insulation . 24
712.413 Fault protection .
712.414 Protective measure: extra-low-voltage provided by SELV and PELV . 25
712.42 Protection against thermal effects . 25
712.421 Protection against fire caused by electrical equipment . 25
712.43 Protection against overcurrent . 26
712.432 Nature of protective devices . 27
712.433 Protection against overload on the DC side current . 27
712.434 Protection against short-circuit currents . 31
712.44 Protection against voltage disturbances and electromagnetic disturbances . 31
712.443 Protection against transient overvoltages of atmospheric origin or due
to switching . 31
712.444 Protection Measures against electromagnetic interference (EMI) in
buildings influences . 32
712.5 Selection and erection of electrical equipment . 33
712.51 Common rules . 33
712.511 Compliance with standards . 33
712.512 Operational conditions and external influences . 33
712.513 Accessibility . 34
712.514 Identification. 35
712.515 Prevention of mutual detrimental influence . 36
712.52 Wiring systems . 37
712.521 Types of wiring systems . 37
712.522 Selection and erection of wiring systems in relation to external influences . 40
712.523 Current-carrying capacities . 41
712.524 Cross-sectional areas of conductors . 41
712.525 Voltage drop in consumers installations . 42
712.526 Electrical connections. 43
712.527 Selection and erection of wiring systems to minimize spread of fire . 44
712.528 Proximity of wiring systems to other services. 44
712.529 Selection and erection of wiring systems in relation to maintainability,
including cleaning. 44
712.53 Isolation, switching and control . 44
712.531 Devices for protection against indirect contact (fault protection)
by automatic disconnection of supply . 44

712.532 Devices for protection against thermal effects . 47
712.533 Devices for protection against overcurrent . 48
712.534 Devices for protection against transient overvoltages . 49
712.536 Isolation and switching . 51
712.54 Earthing arrangements and protective conductors and protective bonding
conductors . 52
712.542 Earthing arrangements . 52
712.55 Other equipment. 53
712.6 Inspection and testing . 54
Annex A (informative) PV installation information . 57
Annex B (normative) Calculation of U and I . 61
OC MAX SC MAX
Annex C (informative) Examples of signs . 63
Annex D (informative) Blocking diode . 64
Annex E (informative) Arc fault detection and interruption in PV arrays . 68
Annex F (informative) List of notes concerning certain countries . 70
Bibliography . 71

Figure 712.1 – PV installation – General schema – One array .
Figure 712.1 – General functional configuration of a PV installation . 16
Figure 712.2 – PV installation – Example with several arrays .
Figure 712.2 – PV array diagram – single string case . 17
Figure 712.3 – PV array diagram – multiple parallel string case . 18
Figure 712.4 – PV array diagram – multiple parallel string case with array divided into
subarrays . 19
Figure 712.5 – PV array using a PCE with multiple MPPT DC inputs . 20
Figure 712.6 – PV array using a PCE with multiple DC inputs internally connected to a
common DC bus . 21
Figure 712.7 – Example of a PV array diagram where strings are grouped under one
overload protective device per group . 29
Figure 712.8 – Example of an indication showing the presence of a photovoltaic
installation on a building . 35
Figure 712.9 – Examples of cables with reinforced protection . 39
Figure 712.10 – PV string wiring with minimum loop area . 40
Figure A.712.1 – Single string PV array . 57
Figure A.712.2 – Parallel connected multi-string PV array . 58
Figure A.712.3 – Unearthed PV array connected to the AC side via a PCE with
transformer . 59
Figure A.712.4 – Unearthed PV array connected to the AC side via a PCE without a
transformer . 59
Figure A.721.5 – Earthed PV array connected to the AC side via a PCE with
transformer . 59
Figure A.712.6 –Earthed PV array connected to the AC side via a PCE without a
transformer, the transformer being separate . 60
Figure C.712.1 – Example of sign required on PV array combiner boxes (712.514.102) . 63
Figure C.712.2 – Example of switchboard sign for identification of PV on a building . 63
Figure D.712.1 – Effect of blocking diode at short circuit in PV string . 65

– 4 – IEC 60364-7-712:2017 RLV © IEC 2017
Figure D.712.2 – Effect of blocking diode where there is an insulation fault on a PV
installation with earthing on the DC negative side . 66
Figure D.712.3 – Effect of blocking diode where there is a fault on a PV installation
with earthing on the DC positive side . 66
Figure E.712.1 – Examples of types of arcs in PV arrays .
...

IEC 60364-7-712 ®
Edition 2.0 2017-04
INTERNATIONAL
STANDARD
NORME
INTERNATIONALE
colour
inside
Low voltage electrical installations –
Part 7-712: Requirements for special installations or locations – Solar
photovoltaic (PV) power supply systems

Installations électriques basse tension –
Partie 7-712: Exigences applicables aux installations ou emplacements
spéciaux – Installations d'énergie solaire photovoltaïque (PV)

All rights reserved. Unless otherwise specified, no part of this publication may be reproduced or utilized in any form
or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying and microfilm, without permission in writing from
either IEC or IEC's member National Committee in the country of the requester. If you have any questions about IEC
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About the IEC
The International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) is the leading global organization that prepares and publishes
International Standards for all electrical, electronic and related technologies.

About IEC publications
The technical content of IEC publications is kept under constant review by the IEC. Please make sure that you have the
latest edition, a corrigenda or an amendment might have been published.

IEC Catalogue - webstore.iec.ch/catalogue Electropedia - www.electropedia.org
The stand-alone application for consulting the entire The world's leading online dictionary of electronic and
bibliographical information on IEC International Standards, electrical terms containing 20 000 terms and definitions in
Technical Specifications, Technical Reports and other English and French, with equivalent terms in 16 additional
documents. Available for PC, Mac OS, Android Tablets and languages. Also known as the International Electrotechnical
iPad. Vocabulary (IEV) online.

IEC publications search - www.iec.ch/searchpub IEC Glossary - std.iec.ch/glossary
The advanced search enables to find IEC publications by a 65 000 electrotechnical terminology entries in English and
variety of criteria (reference number, text, technical French extracted from the Terms and Definitions clause of
committee,…). It also gives information on projects, replaced IEC publications issued since 2002. Some entries have been
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IEC 60364-7-712 ®
Edition 2.0 2017-04
INTERNATIONAL
STANDARD
NORME
INTERNATIONALE
colour
inside
Low voltage electrical installations –

Part 7-712: Requirements for special installations or locations – Solar

photovoltaic (PV) power supply systems

Installations électriques basse tension –

Partie 7-712: Exigences applicables aux installations ou emplacements

spéciaux – Installations d'énergie solaire photovoltaïque (PV)

INTERNATIONAL
ELECTROTECHNICAL
COMMISSION
COMMISSION
ELECTROTECHNIQUE
INTERNATIONALE
ICS 27.160; 29.020; 91.140.50 ISBN 978-2-8322-4006-9

– 2 – IEC 60364-7-712:2017 © IEC 2017
CONTENTS
FOREWORD . 5
INTRODUCTION . 7
712 Solar photovoltaic (PV) power supply installations . 8
712.1 Scope . 8
712.2 Normative references . 9
712.3 Terms and definitions . 10
712.31 Purposes, supplies and structure . 15
712.4 Protection for safety . 22
712.41 Protection against electric shock . 22
712.410 Introduction . 22
712.412 Protective measure: double or reinforced insulation . 23
712.414 Protective measure: extra-low-voltage provided by SELV and PELV . 23
712.42 Protection against thermal effects . 23
712.421 Protection against fire caused by electrical equipment . 23
712.43 Protection against overcurrent . 24
712.432 Nature of protective devices . 25
712.433 Protection against overload current . 25
712.434 Protection against short-circuit currents . 29
712.44 Protection against voltage disturbances and electromagnetic
disturbances . 29
712.443 Protection against transient overvoltages of atmospheric origin or due to
switching . 29
712.444 Measures against electromagnetic influences . 30
712.5 Selection and erection of electrical equipment. 30
712.51 Common rules . 30
712.511 Compliance with standards . 31
712.512 Operational conditions and external influences . 31
712.513 Accessibility . 32
712.514 Identification . 32
712.515 Prevention of mutual detrimental influence . 34
712.52 Wiring systems . 35
712.521 Types of wiring systems . 35
712.522 Selection and erection of wiring systems in relation to external
influences . 37
712.523 Current-carrying capacities . 38
712.524 Cross-sectional areas of conductors . 38
712.525 Voltage drop in consumers installations . 39
712.526 Electrical connections . 40
712.527 Selection and erection of wiring systems to minimize spread of fire . 41
712.528 Proximity of wiring systems to other services . 41
712.529 Selection and erection of wiring systems in relation to maintainability,
including cleaning . 41
712.53 Isolation, switching and control . 41
712.531 Devices for protection against indirect contact (fault protection) by
automatic disconnection of supply . 41
712.532 Devices for protection against thermal effects . 44
712.533 Devices for protection against overcurrent . 45

712.534 Devices for protection against transient overvoltages . 46
712.536 Isolation and switching . 48
712.54 Earthing arrangements and protective conductors . 49
712.542 Earthing arrangements . 49
712.55 Other equipment . 50
712.6 Inspection and testing . 50
Annex A (informative) PV installation information . 51
Annex B (normative) Calculation of U and I . 54
OC MAX SC MAX
Annex C (informative) Examples of signs . 56
Annex D (informative) Blocking diode . 57
Annex E (informative) Arc fault detection and interruption in PV arrays . 61
Annex F (informative) List of notes concerning certain countries . 62
Bibliography . 63

Figure 712.1 – General functional configuration of a PV installation . 15
Figure 712.2 – PV array diagram – single string case . 16
Figure 712.3 – PV array diagram – multiple parallel string case . 17
Figure 712.4 – PV array diagram – multiple parallel string case with array divided into
subarrays . 18
Figure 712.5 – PV array using a PCE with multiple MPPT DC inputs . 19
Figure 712.6 – PV array using a PCE with multiple DC inputs internally connected to a
common DC bus . 20
Figure 712.7 – Example of a PV array diagram where strings are grouped under one
overload protective device per group .
...