Amendment 4 of AS/NZS 4417.2:2012 was published on June 30 2017.
Amendment 4 introduced nine additions to the prescribed electrical equipment categories – one of these additions was DC isolators. Appendix B of AS/NZS 4417.2 outlines the the additions which took effect on 30 June 2018. It is an offence under section 57 of the Electricity Safety Act (the Act) to supply Level 3 or prescribed electrical equipment without being approved by Energy Safe Victoria (ESV), another electrical safety state regulator or JAS-ANZ accredited third party certifier. There is currently a limited number of DC isolators that have been approved. Section 57 of the Act does not provide ESV with an exemption power. ESV will instead take an educational approach to the supply of unapproved DC isolators into the Victorian market, provided installers make every effort to source and install approved DC isolators and suppliers of DC isolators are in a genuine process of obtaining approval of their product.What does this mean for LEIs?
LEIs can still inspect a solar installation where the installer has used an unapproved DC isolator, and sign off the system as being compliant. LEIs should satisfy themselves that the installer has made every effort to source and install approved DC isolators. As more approved DC isolators become available in the market, it is expected that installers only utilise these products. If you have any queries or require any further information, please do not hesitate to contact our technical line on (03) 9203 9700, select option 2.Reviewed 18 January 2023