GB2495939A

GB2495939A - Solar panel alarm system

Info

Publication number: GB2495939A
Application number: GB1118437.1A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Michael Lee Lowes
Original assignee: LOWES STEWART DEVELOPMENTS Ltd
Current assignee: LOWES STEWART DEVELOPMENTS Ltd
Priority date: 2011-10-25
Filing date: 2011-10-25
Publication date: 2013-05-01
Also published as: GB201118437D0

Abstract

A solar panel security system is provided having at least one sensor 36 arranged to detect theft / removal of a solar panel (10,fig.1) from an installation. The sensor 36 issues an output signal in response to removal of a solar panel (10,fig.1) to an electronic controller 44. The electronic controller 44 responds to the output signal from the sensor 36 by issuing a wireless alarm signal for alerting a user. The sensor may comprise a switch securable to a mounting profile for mounting the solar panel or a switch securable to the solar panel. The wireless signal may be an SMS message. The solar panel may comprise multiple photovoltaic cells.

Description

SOLAR PANEL SECURITY SYSTEM

The present invention is concerned with a solar panel security system and with a solar panel installation.

The provision of solar panels on buildings is increasingly common in the UK and elsewhere, Solar panels can take a. variety of forms, including for example panei.s (also known as modules) used to heat water for domestic use. Most commonly they take the form of electricity generators such as photovoltaics (PV): The UK market for PY has been stimulated by a new UK Government Feed4n-Tariff. PV installations supply electricity frr domestic use andior feed electricity to the mains id. Solar panels are conarnoniy mounted on a building's roof although they can be sited elsewhere. They represent a substantial investment and are an attractive target for thieves. Being accessible from the building's exterior they are typically not protected by a conventional burglar alarm or security system.

in accordance with the present invention, there is a solar pand security system comprising a sensor and an electronic controller, the sensor being adapted and/or arranged to detect removal of a solar panel from an installation and to issue a corresponding output signal in response, the electronic controller being adapted and/or arranged to receive said output signal from the sensor and in response to issue a wireless signal for alerting a user.

The sensor may be formed as a switch securable to a mounting profile for mounting the solar panel.

I

The sensor may be formed as a switch securabk to the solar panel.

Preferably the wireless signal issued by the electronic controller is in suitable form for receipt and relay by a telephone network, particularly but not exclusively a mobile (cellular) telephone network, it may for example take the form of an audio message or an SMS message for a mobile network.

In a particularly preferred embodiment, there is a solar panel instaIlation comprising a solar panel security system of the above-described type arid a plurality of solar panels. The solar panel installation may be mounted on a building, remote-sited frame or tracking deviceS.A tracking device is a power driven support for the solar panel that follows the trajectory of the Sun.

The solar panels may be arranged in at least one row mounted on at least one elongate mounting profile, sensors being provided to solar panels at ends of said row(s).

The installation may comprise an array having multiple rows of solar cells, with sensors being provided at corners of said array. Preferably, said sensors are provided only at said corners.

In another embodiment, the sensors are provided to solar panels at the perimeter of the array.

Specific embodiments of the present invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 represents, somewhat schematically, an array of solar panels mounted upon a roof, Figure 2 is a. side and partly sectional view of a system used to mount the solar panels; Figure 3 is a sectional view of a solar panel positioned above a proffle; Figure 4 corresponds to Figure 3 but shows a different profile; Figure $ is a detailed view of a corner panel of the array of Figure 1, th.e corner panel being shown partially transparent; and Figure 6 is a schematic illustration of major components of a security system embodying the present invention, The security system to he described below is fbr use in relation to solar panels and a typica' soar panel installation will he described first of all. in Figure 1 an array of solar panels 10 is mounted on a roof 12 of a building. Each pand IQis seen to include multiple individual photovohaic cells 14 in this example. The instaRation comprises muhiple rows of the solar panels 10, each row being mounted to the roof through a respective pair of mounting profiles 16.

Figures 2 and 3 show details of a mounting profile 16, which in this example is formed of metal, and more specifically aluminium. A downwardly facing channel 19 of the profile 16 receives heads 18 of mounting bolts 20 and a parallel upwardly facing channel 21 receives heads 23 of fixing hoRs 22. The mounting bolts 20 pass, in this example, through hriles drilled in roof tiles 24, and are screwed into bores in thc building's roof thisses 2$, providing a strong and stable mounting A first locking nut 30 acts against a cup washer 25 and a second locking nut 32 bears upon a lower face of the mounting profile 16 to keep it in place. The upwardly facing channel 21 has an undercut mouth 34 with whose underside the heads 22a of fixing bolts 22 engage. An end clamp 23 embraces the panel 10.

The profile 16a can take a range of different shapes. Figure 4 shows one further example. The profile 16a seen in this drawing has upwardly and downwardly facing channels 21a, 19a but whereas these are sid.e by side in the Figure 3 version, the profile in Figure 4 has them one above the other.

Due to the large and potentially! agile nature of the panda, their smooth slippery surface and the roof angle at which they are installed, the only practical way to remove the panels 10 from their mountings is to begin by removing panels (see Figure 1) at the ends of their respective rows, and more specifically by removing the panels 1 Oa which are at corners of the panel array.

In accordance with the present invention, the corner panels I Oa of the panel array are provided with sensors 36 arranged to detect their removal. In the present embodiment the sensors take the fbrrn of marine grade microswitches whose positions are indicated in Figure 1. They are secured to the mounting profiles through mountings 50 and arranged so that their state (ON/OFF) will he changed upon removal of a respective solar pand 1 Oa. Figure 5 shows a corner panel I Oa.

The corner panel i0a in Figure 5 is shown ghosted, revealing a sensor 36 and its mounting 50 attached to the profile 16. The microswitch 36 makes contact with the back of the corner panel I Oa, Looking now at Figure 6, the sensors 36 in this embodiment are hard wired using wires 38 attached to the profile (and therefore concealed) where they then enter the roof with the solar panel array eabhng, to a wiring centre 40 having output wiring 42 to carry a signal indicative of the system's status. That is, the signal is altered upon detection of removal of any of the monitored solar panels lOa. An electronic control module ("ECM") 44 receives this signal and responds appropriately. The ECM 44 may for example he mounted in the building's loft space. It may he driven by a mains power supply 46, as indicated in Figure 6, but preferably also has a battery back-up supply in order that loss of mains power wifl not render the system ineffective.

According to the present exemplary embodiment, the ECM 44 incorporates means for sending a signal wirdessly to individuals or to remote systems. making it unnecessary to lead wiring from the roof'ioft installation to systems (eg. a separate burglar alanu) elsewhere in the building. More specifically, the present embodiment has a GSM dialler unit tbr sending audible or text messages using a mobile (cellular) telephone network to any of a number of pre-programmed numbers. Known dialler units can automatically phone up to 3 land-line or mobile telephone numbers and can send SMS messages. In this way, for example, a property owner, caretaker, site agent and/or security company can be alerted to a theft in pro&ess. For owners or agents with responsibility for multiple premises. the message can incorporate information identifying the specific premises, eg. an address or house number. In the case of frail or infirm owners, a message can be sent to a designated third party receiver who would then protect them from anxiety / concern. The ECM is adapted to detect when wiring 38 and/or 42 is cut and to issue a message in that case, to prevent thieves from deactivating the security system in this manner.

The system may also have the ability to be linked to an audible alarm in order to protect the array if the owner is away on holiday, for example. This can be in addition to the GSM features of the security system.

D

Claims

<claim-text>CLAIMS1. A solar panel security system comprtsing a sensor and an &ectronic controUer, the sensor being adapted arid/or arranged to detect removal of a solar panel from an installation and to issue a corresponding output signal in response, the electronic conu'oller being adapted and/or arranged to receive said output signal from the sensor and in response to issue a wireLess signal for alerting a user.</claim-text> <claim-text>2, A solar panel security system as claimed in claim 1 in which the sensor is a switch securable to a mounting profile fin mounting the solar panel.</claim-text> <claim-text>3. A solar panel security system as claimed in claim I in which the sensor is a switch securable to the solar panel.</claim-text> <claim-text>4. A solar pane] securily system as claimed in any previous claim in which the wireless signal issued by the electronic controller is a telephone sial.</claim-text> <claim-text>5. A solar panel security system as daimed in claim 4 in wnich the wireless signal is an audio message or an SMS message.</claim-text> <claim-text>6. A solar panel installation comprising a solar panel security system as claimed in any preceding daim and a plurality of solar panels.</claim-text> <claim-text>7. A solar panel instaflation as claimed in claim 6 wherein the plurality of solar cells is mounted on a building, wail, remotesited frame or tracking device.</claim-text> <claim-text>8. A solar panel installation as claimed in claim 6 or claim 7 in which at least one row of solar panels is mounted on at least one elongate mounting profile and sensors are provided to solar panels at ends of said row(s).</claim-text> <claim-text>9. A solar panel installation as claimed in any of claims 6 to 8 comprising an array having multiple rows of solar panels, wherein sensors are provided to solar panels at corners of said array.</claim-text> <claim-text>10. A solar panel installation, as claimed in any of claims 6 to 9 wherein sensors are provided to solar panels at the perimeter of the array.11, A solar panel installation as claimed in any of claims 6 to 10 wherein said solar panels each comprise multiple photovoltaic cefls.
2. A solar panel security system substantially as herein described with reference to, and as illustrated in, the accompanying drawings.1.
3. A. solar pan& installation substantially as herein described with reference to, and as illustrated in, the accompanying drawings.</claim-text>