Photovoltaic inverter inspection qualification standards

Do PV inverters need safety standards?

Applied safety standards for PV inverters provide a rudimentary level of reliability testing, insofar as they relate to safety. Considering the lack of generally accepted reliability standards, some apply draft standards in development and portions of standards from other industries.

Why are international standards important in the photovoltaic industry?

ABSTRACT: International standards play an important role in the Photovoltaic industry. Since PV is such a global industry it is critical that PV products be measured and qualified the same way everywhere in the world. IEC TC82 has developed and published a number of module and component measurement and qualification standards.

Do photovoltaic modules need a certification test protocol?

A certification test protocol that delivers an accurate and credible estimate of component and system performance is needed. Even with current component qualification information, photovoltaic module performance data must be modified to account for actual conditions.

Are PV modules adapted for use in inverters safe?

Some tests applied to PV modules adapted for use in inverters are for mechanisms in PV modules, without a clear analog mechanism in inverters. Applied safety standards for PV inverters provide a rudimentary level of reliability testing, insofar as they relate to safety.

Are standardized tests needed to ensure reliability of PV inverters?

Accepted standardized tests are lacking to ensure reliability of inverters for the PV industry. This section discusses the status of tests used or being developed to gauge reliability, including design qualification tests.

What are the requirements for a power inverter?

Inverter should meet the requirements specified in IEEE Std. 929-2000 or other national standard or the interconnecting utility requirements. Phase current imbalance should be less than 5% measured at 50% and 100% rating. Unbalanced phase currents may cause overheating of the utility transformer.