DIN EN 62305-3 Beiblatt 5:2014-02

The number of photovoltaic systems has significantly increased in recent years. The municipalities and other public institutions, enterprises, but also private people provide their roof areas for the erection and therewith demonstrate the importance of regenerative energy sources. Due to official regulations, structures from this area often require protection against lightning as a measure of preventative fire protection and/or personal protection. Lightning protection is also required in order to protect the sensitive technical infrastructure of a structure. The protective function of a lightning protection system shall not be affected by the mounting of a photovoltaic power supply system. This supplement contains additional information for lightning protection of buildings with photovoltaic power supply systems which have been prepared by experts from the areas lightning protection and photovoltaics. The correct selection of the lightning protection system is of particular importance. The supplement deals with the protection of photovoltaic power supply systems against damaging effects of lightning impacts and overvoltages of atmospheric origin. If lightning and/or overvoltage protection is required or shall be erected; the supplement describes requirements or measures in order to maintain the safety, function or availability of the photovoltaic power supply systems. The responsible committee is K 251 "Blitzschutzanlagen und Blitzschutzbauteile" ("Lightning protection systems and lightning protection components") of the DKE (German Commission for Electrical, Electronic and Information Technologies) at DIN and VDE.