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Protecting solar panel installations

Procter & Gamble (P&G) is a global company, and in South Africa, the company manufactures household names like Pampers diapers and Always sanitary products. With a strong focus on safety, sustainability, and innovation, P&G; continually seeks innovative solutions to protect its people, facilities, and surrounding communities.

Modern manufacturing sites, especially those with solar panel installations, face a unique fire safety challenge: detecting fires on rooftops. These areas are often out of direct line of sight, making early fire detection difficult. As a result, rooftop fires are typically only detected once visible from the ground or alarms are triggered; by then, the fire is usually well into its advanced stages. This delay increases the risk of significant damage, endangers staff, and disrupts operations.

P&G’s South African plant, with its large rooftop and extensive solar infrastructure, required a reliable and rapid-response fire detection solution capable of identifying threats in these hard-to-monitor areas.

Vulcan Integrated Solutions partnered with Technoswitch and installed Protectowire’s Confirmed Temperature Initiation (CTI) Series Linear Heat Detection (LHD) system, specifically designed for harsh environments.

The system comprises the CTI-X Series LHD, a fixed-temperature heat-sensing cable specifically designed for use in harsh and challenging environments. Unlike traditional detectors that rely on smoke or flame, CTI detects based on precise temperature thresholds, ensuring earlier detection and significantly reducing false alarms. The CTM-530 monitoring module continuously monitors the system and integrates with most fire panels. The module also features an integrated alarm point location to assist responders in determining the exact location of the hotspot. Both products are UL-listed and FM-approved for compliance with international fire safety standards.

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