Solar Power

IEC 62892:2019 defines a test sequence that extends the thermal cycling test of IEC 61215-2. It is intended to differentiate PV modules with improved durability to thermal cycling and evaluate modules for deployment in locations most susceptible to thermal cycling type stress. This document is based on the ability for 95 % of the modules represented by the samples submitted for this test to pass an equivalency of 500 thermal cycles, as defined in IEC 61215‑2:2016, 4.11.3, with a maximum power degradation of less than 5 %. Provisions are also provided to reduce overall test time by increasing the maximum cycle temperature and/or the number of modules submitted for test. The test procedure in this document was developed based on analysis of the stress on tin-lead solder bonds on crystalline silicon solar cells in a glass superstrate type package. Changes to lead-free solder have an effect on the acceleration factors but not enough to change the overall results of this test. Monolithic type modules with integral cell interconnection do not suffer from this specific type of stress but there are still electrical connections within the module, for example between the integrated cell circuit and the module bus bars, that may be subject to wear out from thermal cycling. Flexible modules (without glass) are not stressed in the same way as those with glass superstrates or substrates, therefore use of the equivalency factor employed in this document may not be applicable to these modules.

IEC 62891:2020 provides a procedure for the measurement of the efficiency of the maximum power point tracking (MPPT) of inverters used in grid-connected photovoltaic (PV) systems. Both the static and dynamic MPPT efficiency are considered. Based on the static MPPT efficiency calculated in this document and steady state conversion efficiency determined in IEC 61683 the overall efficiency can be calculated. The dynamic MPPT efficiency is indicated separately.

IEC 62852:2014+A1:2020 applies to connectors for use in the d.c. circuits of photovoltaic systems according to class II of IEC 61140:2001 with rated voltages up to 1 500 V d.c. and rated currents up to 125 A per contact. It applies to connectors without breaking capacity but which might be engaged and disengaged under voltage. This consolidated version consists of the first edition (2014) and its amendment 1 (2020). Therefore, no need to order amendment in addition to this publication.

IEC 62817:2014+A1:2017 is a design qualification standard applicable to solar trackers for photovoltaic systems, but may be used for trackers in other solar applications. The standard defines test procedures for both key components and for the complete tracker system. In some cases, test procedures describe methods to measure and/or calculate parameters to be reported in the defined tracker specification sheet. In other cases, the test procedure results in a pass/fail criterion. This standard ensures the user of the said tracker that parameters reported in the specification sheet were measured by consistent and accepted industry procedures. The tests with pass/fail criteria are engineered with the purpose of separating tracker designs that are likely to have early failures from those designs that are sound and suitable for use as specified by the manufacturer. This consolidated version consists of the first edition (2014) and its amendment 1 (2017). Therefore, no need to order amendment in addition to this publication.

IEC 62805-2:2017 specifies methods for measuring the transmittance and reflectance of glass used in photovoltaic (PV) modules and provides instructions on how to calculate the effective hemispherical transmittance and reflectance of this glass. This document is applicable to PV glasses used in PV modules, including ultra-clear patterned glass, anti-reflective coated (AR) glass, transparent conductive oxide coated (TCO) glass and other kinds of PV glass used in PV modules. These test methods are designed to provide reproducible data appropriate for comparison of results among laboratories or at different times by the same laboratory and for comparison of data obtained on different PV glasses.

IEC 62805-1:2017 specifies a method for measurement and calculation of the total haze and the spectral distribution of haze of glass used in photovoltaic (PV) modules. This document is applicable to glass used in PV modules, including transparent conductive oxide coated (TCO) glass and other kinds of glass used in PV modules.

IEC 62790:2020 RLV contains both the official IEC International Standard and its Redline version. The Redline version is available in English only and provides you with a quick and easy way to compare all the changes between the official IEC Standard and its previous edition. IEC 62790:2020 describes safety requirements, constructional requirements and tests for junction boxes up to 1 500 V DC for use on photovoltaic modules in accordance with class II of IEC 61140:2016. This document applies also to enclosures mounted on PV-modules containing electronic circuits for converting, controlling, monitoring or similar operations. Additional requirements concerning the relevant operations are applied under consideration of the environmental conditions of the PV-modules. This document does not apply to the electronic circuits of these devices, for which other IEC standards apply. This second edition cancels and replaces the first edition published in 2014. This edition includes the following significant technical changes with respect to the previous edition: - Modifications in normative references and terms and definitions; - Improvement of declaration of categories for junction boxes in 4.1; - Clarification for ambient temperature in 4.1; - Addition of requirement to provide information concerning RTE/RTI or TI in 4.2; - Reference to IEC 62930 instead of EN 50618 in 4.6; - Addition of "Functional insulation" in Table 1; - Addition of "Distance through cemented joints" in Table 3; - Correction of procedure of process to categorize material groups (deletion of PTI) in 4.15.2.3; - Requirement for approval of RTE/RTI or TI for insulation parts in 4.16.1 and 4.16.2; - Change of requirements concerning electrochemical potential in 4.17.2; - Clarification for IP-test in 5.3.4.2; - Addition of test voltage for cemented joints in 5.3.6 and 5.3.16; - Addition of detailled description on how to prepare the test sample for the thermal cycle test in 5.3.9.1; - New test procedure for bypass diode thermal test (5.3.18) in accordance with MQT 18.1 of IEC 61215-2:2016; - New test procedure for reverse overload current test in 5.3.23; - New Figure 1 for thermal cycle test.

IEC 62788-6-2:2020 provides methods for measuring the steady-state water vapour transmission rate (WVTR), water vapour permeability (P), diffusivity (D), solubility (S), and moisture breakthrough time (Ƭ10) (defined as the time to reach 10 % of the steady state WVTR) for polymeric materials such as encapsulants, edge seals, frontsheets and backsheets. These measurements can be made at selected temperatures and humidity levels as deemed appropriate for evaluation of their performance in PV modules. Measurement is accomplished by inspection of the transient WVTR curve and by fitting it to a theoretical Fickian model. This document is best applied to monolithic films. If multilayer films are used, the D and S values are only apparent values, but the steady-state values can still be measured.

IEC 62788-5-1:2020 provides procedures for standardized test methods for evaluating the properties of materials designed to be used as edge seals. When modules are constructed with impermeable (or extremely low permeability) front- and backsheets designed to protect moisture-sensitive photovoltaic (PV) materials, there is still the possibility for moisture to get in from the sides. The test methods described in this document are intended to be used to standardize the way edge seals are evaluated. Only some of these tests are applied for IEC 61215 and IEC 61730, and that status depends on the specific design.

IEC 62788-1-7:2020 is designed as a more rigorous qualification test, using accelerated UV exposure at elevated temperature to determine whether polymeric encapsulants can suffer loss of optical transmittance. IEC 61215-2 already includes a UV preconditioning test (MQT 10), however, the parameters for that test only represent a limited level of exposure (~weeks of UV dose). This test procedure is intended for representative coupon specimens, applying stress at a greater intensity (designed relative to Phoenix, AZ), using a radiation spectrum that is more similar to the terrestrial solar spectrum, and using a duration of exposure that is more relevant to the PV application (i.e., equivalent to several years of outdoor exposure). This test quantifies the degradation rate of encapsulants so that the risk of the materials losing optical transmittance during operation in the terrestrial environments can be managed. The quantitative correlation between climate (or location of use), a specific application (utility installation, residential-installation, roof-mount, rack-mount, use of a tracker, the system electrical configuration and its operation), and the test can be established for each specific encapsulant material, but is beyond the scope of this document.