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Non combustible backing board

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Santa Fe Big Sky

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I have seen plenty of builds where the entire charger, shunt, breakers, inverters, etc are laid out on a piece of plywood. Probably ok but I really would rather attach everything to a non combustible non conducting backer board. Any suggestions on what to use? I’ve seen some of the pros using a black plastic looking board but can’t find anything describing.

thanks
 
Most installers I know just paint the plywood black. This might be the plastic look you are referring to. Latex paints are not very flammable and therefore give you some fire resistance. The plastics are very expensive. You could also use a fire retardant intumescent paint but the paint is expensive.

I would personally choose laminating a piece of aluminum to a piece of plywood before using plastics. Just don't forget to ground the aluminum.
 
I just use plywood or OSB on my garage walls because it is easier to attach sub panels and small devices to it. I do give it a coat of grey latex paint to give it an industrial look. Most electrical boxes do a pretty good job of containing sparks. I usually put shunts and buss bars in an electrical box or metal cabinet so no wires or conductors are exposed.
 
My first van I used an old speed limit street sign. Hard aluminum difficult to cut to dimension, but it drilled and hole saw was easy enough.
 
You can get sheets of G10 it isn't cheap. I used 1/4" as my backboard when I was using a mobile setup. I'm a knifemaker so I have G10 in abundance.?
 
grey PVC is often used for such panel, but it is flammable.
Cement board is cool, but hard to find a flat one, difficult to cut and drill, but that's really the best.
 
That one goes over my head. What are school zone solar panels?
 
Hardibacker board is certainly fire proof. But it's a b1tch to work with. No matter what you do, it's going to create dust, forever. It sucks to drill in and sucks to cut. But it's the greatest thing in the world for under my tile!

Consider using Glasliner FRP Class A fire-retardant wall liner panels. I haven't used the Class A panels, only the Class C panels that you can get at Home Depot. The Class C panels are what you see in bathrooms and kitchens. I cut the FRP material with a circular saw, drill into it easily and it adheres with an FRP specific glue.
 
HRTKD said:
You forgot to use the sarcasm font. :)
Click to expand...
It is amazing the variety of things I have learned on this forum that will not only improve my technical knowledge but my every day communication with family and friends. (y) (I couldn't find the serious emoticon or font)
 
Santa Fe Big Sky said:
Did you happen to use school zone solar panels with that?
Click to expand...
Sorry my wife says my sense of humor is lost on most people, especially her. I always thought a funny gag cover for Mother Earth Mews would be “How to build an off grid backwoods solar cabin for free using school zone solar powered signs”.

anyway back to the subject at hand. I bought a HDPE cutting board to use as a mounting board. Though it would look nice, easy to cut and drill, very strong and only $7. But then after researching it a bit I found out while the plastic is fairly heat resistant it will burn and if so will continue to burn on its own. So now I’ve ordered some PVC sheet with similar workability but will not burn. More like the stuff electrical boxes are made of. We will see.
 
Ampster said:
It is amazing the variety of things I have learned on this forum that will not only improve my technical knowledge but my every day communication with family and friends. (y) (I couldn't find the serious emoticon or font)
Click to expand...

Ah, for actual talking you need the finger quotes.

tenor.gif
 
Oh good one. I didn't even think about solar lighted signs. I have seen them but not many around me. But, nope just a common 45 MPH from the state road, so it is 24 inch square.
 
There is a metal company in downtown Denver that keeps a good sized inventory of scraps and cast-offs. I picked up a 18"x8' piece of diamond plate aluminum last year that was perfect for replacing a torn skirt on my RV trailer. They even made the length-wise cut for me and put a 90° bend at the end. I did pay for both of those add-on services. But they did a far better job than I could have. It really was outstanding! They had a lot of aluminum plate in the "scrap" yard.

Altitude Steel in Denver. Their website is minimal. You wouldn't find out much about them from it. Fortunately, a co-worker took me with him when he was buying items from the scrap yard by the pound.
 
Not inexpensive but here are fiberglass panels that are fire retardant. 1/4 in thick, 24" x 24" in black is $128. A thinner sheet could be epoxied to plywood.
(ePlastics.com)
 
Can't see any epoxy or other plastic product as "fire retardant"
 
Per their website:

G9 G10 FR4 GLASS EPOXY SHEET

G10 and FR4 glass cloth reinforced epoxy natural is typically a yellowish to light green color. The most versatile all-around laminate grades are continuous glass woven fabric impregnated with an epoxy resin binder. Epoxy resins are among the most versatile and widely used plastics in the electronics field, primarily because water absorption is virtually nil, rendering it an outstanding insulator.

Beyond its electrical insulating properties, epoxy resins exhibit great dimensional stability (shrinkage is usually less than 1 percent) and superior adhesive properties. G10/FR4 has extremely high mechanical strength, good dielectric loss properties, and good electric strength properties, both wet and dry.

The main difference between NEMA Grades G10 and FR4 is that FR4 is a fire retardant grade of G10. Therefore, FR4 can be safely substituted where G10 is called for, while G10 can never be substituted where FR4 is called for. G10 and FR4 Certifies to Mil-I-24768/27 GEE-F.
--
From a couple of minutes of research Mil-I-24768 further points to ASTM D 229 (link)
1597171512916.png
I couldn't see if the FR4 laminate is considered Class 0 or Class 1. This is not my field of expertise but it seems to indicate that it can withstand an 860 deg C. arc for at least 10 minutes before catching fire. It appears that the test may be on 1/2 in thick material.
 
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