Renewable Energy

The International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) has released new editions of IEC 61215, standards for “Terrestrial photovoltaic (PV) modules – Design qualification and type approval.” Part 1 deals with test requirements, Part 1 handles special requirements for testing of crystalline silicon photovoltaic (PV) modules, and Part 2 describes test procedures.

  • IEC 61215-1-1:2016 lays down requirements for the design qualification and type approval of terrestrial photovoltaic modules suitable for long-term operation in general open air climates, as defined in IEC 60721-2-1. This standard is intended to apply to all crystalline silicon terrestrial flat plate modules. The object of this test sequence is to determine the electrical and thermal characteristics of the module and to show, as far as possible within reasonable constraints of cost and time, that the module is capable of withstanding prolonged exposure in climates described in the scope. This standard defines PV technology dependent modifications to the testing procedures and requirements per IEC 61215-1:2016 and IEC 61215-2:2016.
  • IEC 61215-2:2016 is intended to apply to all terrestrial flat plate module materials such as crystalline silicon module types as well as thin-film modules. The objective of this test sequence is to determine the electrical and thermal characteristics of the module and to show, as far as possible within reasonable constraints of cost and time, that the module is capable of withstanding prolonged exposure in general open-air climates. The actual lifetime expectancy of modules so qualified will depend on their design, their environment and the conditions under which they are operated. 

Important changes compared to previous edition

The revised IEC 61215 has changed the certification procedure to comply with the actual requirements of the industry. The new IEC 61730, the standard for Solar PV module safety, provides minimum design requirements to assure the safety of the product during its operation.

With the new standard the manufacturer needs to test the modules for each possibile power of the whole product family – the lowest power as well as the highest power. That is only one of the many updated aspects of the new certification:

  • Pmax, Isc, Voc are confirmed by lab measurements.
  • NOCT becomes NMOT (Nominal Module Operating Temperature).
  • Changed criteria for the 1500 V certification.
  • New impulse voltage test level at 16kV: to verify the capability of the module insulation to withstand atmospheric over-voltages.
  • Mechanical load with safety factor of 1.5x
  • New Ignitability test.
  • Increased insulation requirements.
  • Thermal cycling with updated current flow.
  • Maximum reference temperatures for all module components.
  • Verification that the materials used in the module will not show creep or lose adhesion during high operational temperatures in the field.
  • Terminations can withstand stresses caused by assembly or handling operations.
  • Hot-spot endurance test.

The new standards applies requirements according to state of the art PV module technologies and therefore give increased guarantees to the end customers and obligate the manufacturers to continually improve the performance, safety  and reliability of their products.

PV Module Testings:-

FASPL global knowledge, expertise and partner with state-of-the-art testing facilities for solar technology to ensure manufacturers develop better solar products that are marketable worldwide. As a market leader we offer not only testing and certification but are able to serve the entire value chain of the photovoltaic industry. Our PV module certification services are in line with International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) standards and include below tests:-

  • IEC 61215:2016( Part-1 & Part-2 ) & IEC 61730:2016 (Part-1 & Part-2 ) – (for Global Approval) Including fire test, as per IEC 61730- Fire Class C.
  • IEC 61701 – Edition 2.0 2011-12: Salt mist corrosion testing with Severity-6 of photovoltaic (PV) modules.
  • IEC 62716 –2013-12: Ammonia testing of photovoltaic (PV) modules.
  • IEC 62804 – PID testing of photovoltaic (PV) modules.
  • IEC 62759-1:2015- Transportation testing.
  • IEC 60068-2-68 – Environmental Testing (Sand & Dust test).
  • PAN file & Power rating measurements according to IEC61853-1 with test report.
  • Power measurements to standard test conditions (STC).
  • Performance to nominal operating cell temperature (NOCT).
  • Measurement of temperature coefficients.
  • Climatic tests (such as damp-heat, thermal cycling and humidity-freeze).
  • Ultra violet (UV) preconditioning tests.
  • Hot spot endurance tests.
  • Mechanical load tests.
  • Push tests.
  • Hail impact tests.
  • Electrical safety tests.
  • Wet leakage current tests.
  • Insulation tests.
  • Performance at low irradiance.
  • Ground continuity tests.
  • Outdoor exposure tests
  • Impulse voltage tests.
  • Electroluminescence test and IR testing.
  • Factory inspections.

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