Updated 2025-12-08
The firefighter switch is a contactor that breaks the DC grid in the event of a fire, for example.
A fireman switch makes it possible to de-energize the wiring between solar panels and inverters from an emergency shutdown button. This allows firefighters to work without the risk of injury from live conductors.
Manual switch/emergency shutdown should be clearly marked and placed inside the door to the open.
For instructions on installing the fireman switch, see manual under Downloads.
NOTE
Only trained electricians may install Ferroamp products.
There is currently no legal requirement in Sweden for a fireman switch to be installed in a solar cell installation, but the fire and rescue service recommends safety-enhancing measures to ensure that fire personnel can work in buildings with solar panels.
Sometimes it may be included in the construction documents that fireman switches must be included, so always check with the client what has been decided at each installation.
In a Ferroamp system with several mains connections (Powershare), the fireman switch needs to be placed on each mains connection in order for the DC network to be de-energized between the properties in the event of a refusal.
Fireman switches can be placed on both the AC and DC sides of the Energyhub. The time it takes for the DC network to discharge is shorter if you break on the DC side than on the AC side, so it is our recommendation to place the fireman switch on the DC cabling.
On the DC side, the fireman switch will be placed as close to the EnergyHub as possible, thus placing it between the EnergyHub and the rest of the DC grid.
With a fireman switch installed on the AC side, the AC supply to the EnergyHub will be de-energized, the EnergyHub will shut down and then discharge the DC grid.
Similar to a normal shutdown via the switch, in this case it will take about 10-15 minutes before the EnergyHub has discharged its cone banks and the DC grid becomes de-energized.
With a DC fireman switch, the firefighter switch cuts the supply between the EnergyHub and the DC distribution box. This causes the DC grid to become de-energized, which contributes to SSOs and ESOs shutting down.
For powershare installations, we recommend placing fireman r switches on each connection to the power grid, as it is not enough to break at an EnergyHub for the DC grid to be de-energized.
The fireman switches developed by Ferroamp have an IP65 rating and can be placed outdoors.
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