Coming up on this week's news, a breakthrough report names the real reasons behind the shock  rise in solar panel fires. Experts warn of an industry time bomb after 95% of EV chargers  are installed without a risk assessment. And Awaab's law on ventilation comes into force. We  check out the kit to get you compliant. Welcome to Electrical News Weekly in association with  Sungrow. Making every watt count literally since 1997. Whether you're listening in the van on site  or down at the wholesale counter. I'm Joe Robinson and I've been through the best of the electrical  industry news to save you the trouble. We're being lit by Flex 7 with their lightning fast pre-wired  modular lighting connection system that keeps your installation times razor sharp. And if you think  you've spotted the two words I've been challenged to slip into this week's show, comment with them  below for the chance to win a prize. And while you're there, click the links in the show notes to  check out what our sponsors offer. A breakthrough report has revealed the reasons behind the shock  rise in solar panel fires. It follows a freedom of information request which shows that firefighters  in the UK are dealing with a solar panel blaze almost every 2 days. Even more concerning,  the vast majority are in residential buildings. In fact, the number of fires is rising faster than  the rate of installations, which indicates that something fundamental is going wrong. Property  insurance firm QBE is so alarmed by the pernicious trend that it commissioned its own probe into the  problem. Its report states that the majority of fires actually originate in the inverter,  which it calls the hardest working component in any solar panel system. Inverters are, says QBE,  prone to failure if installed incorrectly or poorly maintained. They generate significant heat,  meaning poor ventilation, dust buildup, or blocked cooling systems can quickly elevate  fire risks. The inverter is closely followed by the solar panels themselves as the source  of a fire. Next up is the DC strings and then the battery pack. Improper installation is a frequent  cause with loose connections, damaged cables, or faulty wiring leading to arc faults. Other  factors include bad components, a high current, and environmental factors such as moisture,  extreme weather, and dirt or foliage on the panels. The findings come as the UK sees  record levels of solar panel installations. As of last August, there were 1.8 million solar panels  installed across the country. Adrian Simmons of QBE said the rapid pace of deployment is caused  for concern in terms of risk. He says property owners need to carry out formal risk assessments,  engage certified installers, and ensure regular inspections and cleaning. He says  a growing concern is the rapid adoption of lithium batteries in new solar jobs. Most domestic systems  now include battery storage. These introduce additional fire risks when units are installed  in lofts, airing cupboards, or upper floor spaces that are difficult to access in an emergency.  Loft installs are not compliant with the regs. Combined with limited inspection and cleaning,  these installations increase the likelihood and potential severity of fires. QBE expects that  as lithium ion battery use expands, battery packs could soon become a leading source of  fires linked to solar panel systems. Simmons says extreme weather could make things worse. Roofs and  panels should be inspected after high winds, as even a minor dislodgement or debris can increase  fire risk. Installs are designed to withstand speeds of up to 120 mph, but recent storms such  as storm Ashley have exceeded that. High winds can lift panels and expose cabling, while hail,  dust, and prolonged heat can damage surfaces and insulation. Electricians should apply a  1 in100year criteria at the design stage. They should also check that fireman switches and arc  fault detection systems are correctly installed and working. Finally, they should avoid mounting  solar panels on combustible roofs or ensure proper separation and fire resistant barriers. Our latest  live stream took a deep dive into the whole area of solar fires, how to prevent them, and how to  deal with them if they break out. We gathered some of the UK's top experts, including former deputy  commissioner of the London Fire Brigade, Richard Mills, Spike Armstrong of ThermoCable, and Alex  Keene of PVSTOP. It is definitely worth a watch. I've put the link in the show notes. Solar panels  aren't the only renewable installations causing concern this week. EV charger projects have also  hit the headlines. That's because experts have warned that 95% of chargers have been installed  without any risk assessment being conducted. consultants EV Exbox say that if you install a  plug-in point somewhere that wasn't designed for it then you must conduct an assessment  in the event of a fire or off gasing from a battery pack the risk assessment will be the  first document that the insurers the HSE or the environment agency will ask for in the eyes of the  insurer if a site owner or operator provides the design brief to the electrical contractor then any  property losses or personal injury claims arising from the positioning of the charger would lie with  them however any changes made by the contractor would bring them into the claim they would join  the site owner in any legal action. Insurers may take the view that putting an EV charger close to  business critical areas or combustible material is negligent. If the insurers weren't told about  the sighting of the charger, then any resulting claim could be turned down. Most of the time,  the risk lies with the vehicle, not the charger. But where you place the charger can change that  risk balance. EV Exbox says that it has seen charge points put next to fuel tanks and gas  mains. Its inspectors have even seen them block escape routes as well as placed in basements with  no clear means of escape. Particularly sensitive locations include petrol stations, car parks,  residential basements, airports, and transport hubs. The company says if you've installed a  charger without a risk assessment, it's still possible to do one retrospectively. I've put  a link in the show notes to a special deep dive on risk assessments for EV chargers. Now,  question. Do you brand your van or do you stay under the radar? The issue is back on the trade's  agenda after new research shows that branding your vehicle can make it a target for tool thieves.  More than half of branded van owners say they've experienced theft, attempted theft, or vandalism  linked to their signage. And despite the branding being used to boost trust and attract customers,  nearly one in five keep their vans in plain clothes. The reason to avoid theft, complaints,  or unwanted attention. Almost a third of trades people are concerned about public complaints if  reckless driving is spotted. Bracknell-based AV contractor Kevin McQuire has taken stealth mode  one step further in what may be the quintessential example of thinking outside the box. After having  his van broken into, he decided to paint it completely black and then put the words private  ambulance on the side. He says no one will break into a van with a dead body in it. Even parking  wardens don't put tickets on his windscreen. Now he's rolled the idea out to his whole fleet and  hasn't had a problem with break-ins since. Now bringing light to the darkness, Nightsearcher has  unveiled a super bright work lamp that's perfect for the short days of winter. As its name implies,  the Workstar 6500 delivers no fewer than 6,500 lumens of bright white light. That's over four  times the illumination of a traditional 100 watt incandescent lamp. It's perfect for lighting up  entire rooms, lofts, or fuse boards during first fix or fault finding when mains lighting isn't  available. It boasts an adjustable colour temperature which you can tune to your taste  from a warm 2,700 Kelvin to a super cool white 6,500 Kelvin. You could use the warm light for  comfort during long installs or the cool light for clarity when inspecting wiring. It lasts for up to  15 hours on low mode, which means it will take you through a full shift without needing a recharge.  It charges in 3 hours and boasts an impact rating of IK07 and water resistance of IPX4. It has  hands-free mounting options, including a magnetic base, hanging hooks, and tripod compatibility to  allow you to put the light exactly where needed. It can even charge your phone as a handy backup.  And right now, if you click the link in the description below, you can get an impressive  10% off the Workstar 6500 and in fact, any product from the Night Searcher website. Sounds too good  to miss to me. Recently, we introduced Sungrow to the eFIXX community. The clean power brand  has been in the industry for 28 years and has an 80 strong team in the UK. It's well known for  its residential and commercial and industrial PV inverters, battery storage systems, and EV  chargers. It's recently expanded its distribution network and is now partnering with HDM solar,  Waxman, Altenergy, and Midsummer UK. The UK team offers installation and commission advice and  support as well as free training and webinars for electricians. We unveiled the installer rewards  program, the Sungrow Power Club. Now, one keen contractor has joined and shot to the top of the  leaderboard. Dublin based James Gun, not that one, of PV panel installer Solar Clarity has completed  no fewer than 118 Sungrow installations in Ireland. He says it's the simplicity  of the system that makes it stand out. Now that Awaab's Law has come into force, we've rounded up  some products to help you stay compliant with extraction and ventilation. The law requires  social landlords to fix damp, mould, and other emergency repairs within strict new time frames.  New products can help them keep on top of their estate. Vent-axia has introduced a new variant of  the low carbon revive 7, a smart fan designed to help social housing landlords ensure the indoor  environment in their properties are not conducive to damp and mould growth, preventing necessary  intervention under new Awaab's law guidance. For the first time, landlords can see how fans are  being used and prove they're delivering effective mould prevention. This represents a new standard  in resident well-being, property protection, and Awaab's law assurance. It's filterless,  tamperproof, and silent running. And crucially, it integrates with switchee's in home devices to  provide real-time insights into air quality in the property. It detects early signs of damp, mould,  or poor air quality long before any damage occurs and then actively helps to prevent  them. Its inbuilt data monitoring system gives continuous information on humidity, temperature,  as well as fan performance and impact while improving compliance, protecting housing stock,  and enhancing tenant well-being. It'll also help you become more efficient by avoiding  unnecessary visits for repeat cases by clearly understanding the environmental conditions and  seeing how the fan is used in practice, letting you focus resources on fixing structural problems,  resident engagement, or ensuring the right fan setup for each property. Landlords can send direct  messages to tenants to help combat potential issues via the Switch device. It can be wall  or ceiling mounted and has an ingress protection rating of IPX4. Click the link in the show notes  to find out more. With the need for greater compliance in ventilation for social landlords,  the Infinity 8 filterless fan from Envirovent helps meet that requirement. It's designed to run  continuously to silently check moisture levels in the air. Crucially, it also includes an LED  data logger, which keeps track of how many hours it's been operating for, calculates energy use,  and has variable speed control to help with building regulations. The Infinity 8 comes with  the confidence of an 8-year maintenance-free and renewable warranty. For whole house ventilation,  Envirovent has an atmos PIV system which is designed to sit in the attic or atmos wall  for flats and apartments. The positive input ventilation system draws in filtered air from  outside. It then uses that to dilute and replace any moisture laden air in the property. It creates  a fresh dry atmosphere, cuts radon levels, and is particularly praised by asthma sufferers. It  comes with a 10-year warranty. Envirovent has also partnered with tech firm Vericon Systems  to allow landlords to remote monitor humidity levels in their properties to take a proactive  approach to dampen mould management. Benefits of the partnership include real-time humidity and  temperature monitoring and alerts, whole house ventilation systems, and automated compliance  reporting. It all adds up to healthier homes support with Awaab's law compliance  and reduced repair costs. Best of all, to help you comply with the requirements of Awaab's law,  the company has produced an accessible guide to what you need to do. It's a downloadable ebook  and we'd recommend it as a simple way to get your head around your obligations. I've popped a link  to that in the show notes. Now to a product that's completely unique in its design and  versatility. The Aquair heat interface unit is a water-to-air space heater that's designed to  replace a warm air heater that's reached the end of its life. It uses the existing warm air ducting  and vents of the previous heater. It works with a modern and efficient combi boiler which heats the  water. Then an air circulation fan transfers that heat around the property to keep it toasty in the  winter months. There's no radiators to install and no disruption. Aquair units are available in  ratings of up to 36 kW. And it even comes with an optional clean flow filter. On a warm air system,  the air within the dwelling passes across the air filters around six times per hour, which presents  the perfect opportunity to electronically clean the air in order to remove smaller particles  such as pollen, mould, and tobacco smoke, which a standard filter will not absorb. With the optional  clean flow electronic air filter fitted, the occupant not only benefits from a new and improved  heating system, but also cleaner air, which helps to reduce and eliminate respiratory issues  affected by older heating systems. The Clean Flow filter is ideal for houses with pets, smokers, and  people suffering from asthma and other bronchial conditions. Now, it's that great moment where we  get to celebrate the sterling work being done by the next generation. Our learner of the week slot  is brought to you by Eltako, German manufacturer of premium actuators, sensors, and energy meters  for smart homes. And our learner this week has an international flavour. She's Denise Ngum of  South Shields Marine School who's graduated as a third electrical technical officer. That's the  ship equivalent of a junior electrical engineer. Denise is originally from Cameroon, so she wasn't  fully prepared for the cold when she arrived in South Shields. She had to go out and buy warm  clothes for the first time in her life. Denise also found the regional accents of teachers hard  to follow. Her solution was to film each lecture and watch it again and again until she understood  it. Denise now looks after the electrical circuits on board a hospital ship run by the Mercy Ships's  charity which provides life-changing surgeries. Congratulations Denise on being the eFIXX learner  of the week in association with Eltako. And now to the lighter side of the electrical news. Yes,  it's time for a tea break with Quickwire and its range of incredibly rapid electrical connectors.  An American firm has developed special smart spectacles for electricians and other trades  people. The Zuper Glass is voice activated and lets you capture photos or record video, perform  inspections, and communicate safely while keeping your hands free. The glasses are integrated with  Zuper's mobile app, syncing in real time to Zuper's software platform, which handles work,  order management, dispatching, scheduling, proposals, payments, customer communications,  and more. Zuper CEO Anand Subbaraj said he developed the glasses for professionals whose  hands are full, whose focus matters, and whose safety comes first. I might just have to get a  pair of these. Just call me Joe 90. All the best with that reference, Gen Z. That's the lighter  side of the news in our Teabreak with Quickwire and their range of incredibly rapid electrical  connectors. Click the link in the description to check them out for yourself. And now,  in a special moment for Gary and myself, a former learner of ours has won an award. Corby based  DNA Power Solutions has been recognised with the customer service excellence award 2025. A big win  for this growing renewables firm. The award was presented by Joseph Valente and and Ant Middleton,  making it a moment to remember for director David Nemoth and his team. Congratulations,  David. We always knew you were going places. Now, just before we get to your favourite bit  of the show where I reveal last week's challenge words and winners, we want to thank our premium  partners. We couldn't make the news without you. First up, empowering their customers  to harness power through light with their intelligent energy solutions, solar technology,  and advanced lighting systems. It's Ledvance. And with over 5,000 product lines, from heating,  lighting, ventilation to wiring accessories, if you need it, they've got it. It's electrical  distributor CED Group. And the best thing to come out of Yorkshire since stainless steel,  the home of EV Ultra and other groundbreaking and quality products is Doncaster cables. And finally,  one of our favourite new innovations here at eFIXX. Don't just fix it when you can chumpfix  it. Rock solid fixings in flimsier materials. Click the links in the show notes to find out more  about these great brands. If you think you know the words I've smuggled into this week's show,  pop your guess into the comments. We'll take all the correct guesses and select one at  random to be the winner of an eFIXX goodie bag prize. Answers submitted after about  lunchtime on the Thursday after release will not be entered into the draw. Now,  let's reveal the winners of last week's challenge word competition. Last week's words were marmalade  and jamboree. And the first person to come out of her electronic hat was serial winner Jason FKM5Q.  You're getting up there with Mark just mark for a number of wins there, Jason. We might have to  introduce a new rule soon, limiting people to a mere 50 wins or something. Anyway, well done to  you and make sure you click the get involved link in the show notes to claim your prize. This week,  we've been lit by Flex 7 with their lightning fast pre-wired modular lighting connection system that  keeps your installation times razor sharp. Don't forget to click the links in the show  notes to find out more. Thanks for listening to this episode of Electrical News Weekly in  association with Sungrow, making every watt count, literally since 1997. Make sure you  subscribe to receive the next update. Thanks for listening and until next time, have a great week,  stay safe out there, and remember, there's no such thing as a torque calibrated arm