Industry-Led Policies to Reduce PV Connector Fires

Snarky Solar Guy
Jun 19
3 min read

The solar industry has long been plagued by "substandard" installation practices - not the word I would use, but let's keep this PG-13! PV connectors are the number one cause of PV-related fires. If we don’t clean our own house, regulators (i.e., government oversight) will do it for us, and they won’t be kind or precise about it. Unfortunately, “pretty please with sugar on top” incentivization does not always resonate in our industry, so we will probably need to use a more punitive approach. The military lives by this doctrine, and I know firsthand that it gets results, but it is not the kindest or gentlest approach. But I'm fine with that!

Consequences:

If we keep letting half-trained crews perform half-assed crimp connectors like they're snapping together Happy Meal toys, here's what's coming:

Mandatory utility sign-off on all terminations (huge delays)
UL or AHJ-mandated third-party field inspections
Bans on rooftop DC if fires continue to make headlines
Lawsuits that force insurers to blacklist solar altogether

So, not be one who bitches about something without providing a solution, here is a (military-style bulleted) list of practical, enforceable policies the industry can adopt to reduce PV connector-related fires before bureaucrats arrive with a sledgehammer. This is not a pretty situation to be in, and I can already hear the pushback, so if you have any better ideas, I am all ears.

1. Enforce Connector Brand Compatibility

Policy: Only mate connectors from the same manufacturer and series. NEC 690.33(C) is the existing requirement.
Enforcement: Require photo documentation at inspection or commissioning, showing connector branding and mating.
Background: Most fires trace back to incompatible mating, even between connectors that "look" the same.
Greg's Axiom: Just because they click doesn't mean they are compatible.

2. Mandatory Connector Torque Verification

Policy: All field-made connections must be torqued to spec using a calibrated torque tool, and torque values logged.
Enforcement: Random torque audits by third-party QA inspectors.
Background: Loose crimps and hand-tightened connectors cause high-resistance joints that burn.

3. Ban Field-Crimped Connectors in Favor of Factory-Assembled Leads

Policy: Use only factory-terminated leads or pre-crimped whips from certified suppliers.
Exceptions: Only qualified personnel using UL-listed tooling with proof of training may crimp in the field.
Background: Field crimps = inconsistent (and sometimes shitty) quality.
Factory crimps = automated precision.

4. Connector Inspection at Commissioning

Policy: Every combiner, homerun, and inverter input is visually and thermally inspected at commissioning.
Tools: Require IR camera inspection to detect hot connectors before energizing the system.
Background: A thermal signature doesn’t lie, and it catches time bombs before they go off.

5. Industry Credentialing and Accountability

Policy: Only NABCEP-certified or equivalent personnel are authorized to terminate DC connectors.
Enforcement: Certification ID tied to installation records. If it burns, we know who's responsible.
Background: Raise the bar. Make people own their work.

6. Create a National Connector Failure Database

Policy: Track connector fire incidents by product type, installer, and method.
Managed by: SEIA or a neutral third party.
Background: Data drives standards. We can’t fix what we can’t track.

7. Mandatory QA Program Participation for Installers >500kW/year

Policy: Any EPC exceeding 500kW per year must be part of a third-party QA or performance monitoring program.
Managed by: There are a few options, but this would require a separate document.
Background: Scale amplifies sloppiness. Bigger EPCs require oversight, or their failures will continue to taint the entire well.