1. Introduction
2. Design Considerations
3. Operation and Maintenance
4. Record/Documentation
5. Appendix A:Sample Checklist for Inspection and Testing of Solar PV Systems
Appendix A:Sample Checklist for Inspection and Testing of Solar PV Systems
Installation Address: ________________________________________
| (a) PV Modules | Tested by/Date (N/A if not applicable) | |
|---|---|---|
| (i) | Check for warning signs and labels and replace if necessary. | |
| (ii) | Clean the PV modules with water to remove dust, debris and other contaminants on the module surface. | |
| (iii) | Check PV modules, junction boxes, cables and connectors for damage, such as burn marks, bubble formation, cracking, broken glass, discoloration, corrosion, etc. | |
| (iv) | Check PV modules for any loose cable connections. | |
| (v) | Use infrared camera to inspect PV modules for hot spots. | |
| (vi) | Check the functioning of the bypass diodes. | |
| (vii) | Check bonding conductor conditions. | |
| (viii) | Carry out continuity test for protective conductors and/ or equipotential bondings. | |
| (ix) | Check solar irradiance and the power output from the PV module and compare the readings with calculated power output to verify the PV module performance and identify any defective modules. | |
| (b) Supporting Frames and Structures | Tested by/Date (N/A if not applicable) | |
|---|---|---|
| (i) | Check integrity of the penetration, physical connections and fixing components to make sure each PV module is securely fixed. | |
| (ii) | Check all hardware for signs of corrosion, remove rust; re-paint and replace if necessary. | |
| (iii) | Check bonding conductor conditions. | |
| (iv) | Continuity test for protective conductors and/or equipotential bondings. | |
| (c) PV Arrays | Tested by/Date (N/A if not applicable) | |
|---|---|---|
| (i) | Check for abnormal position and movement of PV arrays. | |
| (ii) | Check open-circuit voltage, operating current of a series of strings to ensure PV modules are working properly. | |
| (d) DC Side of System | Tested by/Date (N/A if not applicable) | |
|---|---|---|
| (i) | Check for warning signs and labels and replace if necessary. | |
| (ii) | Check cable for signs of cracks, defects, pulling out of connections, loose connections, overheating, arcing, short or open circuits, and earth faults. | |
| (iii) | Check position of disconnect switches and circuit breakers and fuse status. | |
| (iv) | Check surge arrester conditions and replace as per manufacturer’s recommendations. | |
| (v) | Check for corrosion, intrusion of water or insects in the combiner box. | |
| (vi) | Carry out DC circuit tests including insulation test, polarity test, and operation of protection devices or as specified in CoP. | |
| (e) Inverters | Tested by/Date (N/A if not applicable) | |
|---|---|---|
| (i) | Check for warning signs and labels and replace if necessary. | |
| (ii) | Check ventilation conditions and clean the dust of inverter cabinet. | |
| (iii) | Check for loose cable connections. | |
| (iv) | Check for abnormal operation temperature. | |
| (v) | Check functionality such as automatic disconnection upon loss of grid power supply. | |
| (vi) | Measure the input and output power to ensure the inverters are working properly. | |
| (f) AC Side of System | Tested by/Date (N/A if not applicable) | |
|---|---|---|
| (i) | Check for warning signs and labels and replace if necessary. | |
| (ii) | Check cable for signs of cracks, defects, pulling out of connections, loose connections, overheating, arcing, short or open circuits, and earth faults. | |
| (iii) | Check for corrosion, intrusion of water or insects in the distribution board. | |
| (iv) | Check position of disconnect switches and circuit breakers and fuse status. | |
| (v) | Check for any loose electrical connection including at RE meter. | |
| (vi) | Check surge arrester conditions and replace as per manufacturer’s recommendations. | |
| (vii) | Carry out AC circuit tests including insulation test, polarity test, operation of protection devices and tripping time of residual current device/residual circuit breaker with overcurrent protection (RCD/RCBO) or as specified in CoP | |
| (g) Isolation Transformer | Tested by/Date (N/A if not applicable) | |
|---|---|---|
| (i) | Check for warning signs and labels and replace if necessary. | |
| (ii) | Inspect the conditions of isolation transformers and clean the dust from heat rejection fin. | |
| (iii) | Check the primary and secondary voltage/current/power/frequency, carry out insulation test. | |
| (h) System Test | Tested by/Date (N/A if not applicable) | |
|---|---|---|
| (i) | Check the total harmonic current distortion (should not exceed 5%) and DC injection current. | |
| (ii) | Check the voltage and current waveforms by opening the isolation switch and check the anti-islanding time is sufficient in accordance with power company’s requirements. | |
| (i) Earthing Protection System | Tested by/Date (N/A if not applicable) | |
|---|---|---|
| (i) | Check for warning signs and labels and replace if necessary. | |
| (ii) | Check for loose earthing conductor connections. | |
| (iii) | Check continuity of the earthing conductors and the earth fault loop impedance of the PV system. | |
| (iv) | Check the insulation of the earthing cables to the live cables. | |
| (v) | Check the earth fault loop impedance. | |
| (j) Lightning Protection System | Tested by/Date (N/A if not applicable) | |
|---|---|---|
| (i) | Check for warning signs and labels and replace if necessary. | |
| (ii) | Check bonding conductor conditions for any loose bonding conductor connection. | |
| (iii) | Check continuity of the bonding conductors to lightning system. | |
| (k) Instrument | Tested by/Date (N/A if not applicable) | |
|---|---|---|
| (i) | Check the monitoring instruments (e.g., pyranometers, weather sensors) to make sure they are operational. | |
| (ii) | Calibrate and replace instruments, weather sensors, and meters. | |
| (l) System Monitoring | Tested by/Date (N/A if not applicable) | |
|---|---|---|
| (i) | Monitor the operation status, performance, alarms and alert parameters. | |
| (ii) | Check building management system for PV system, check hardware for signal interface and upgrade software as necessary. | |
| (iii) | Maintain a log of cumulative power delivery (kWh to date) and generate a chart of power against date. | |
| (iv) | Check the instant solar irradiation and the energy output from the PV system and compare the system efficiency with the design figure. | |
| (m) Battery System (for off-grid system) | Tested by/Date (N/A if not applicable) | |
|---|---|---|
| (i) | Check for warning signs and labels and replace if necessary. | |
| (ii) | Clean the container or enclosure. | |
| (iii) | Check the battery bank for chemical leakage, cracks, bulging, integrity of battery enclosure, and support structures. | |
| (iv) | Check all hardware for signs of corrosion and remove rust and re-paint if necessary. | |
| (v) | Check ventilation conditions of the battery room and remove the dust on the louvres. | |
| (vi) | Check all electrical connections on battery bank for loose electrical connections. | |
| (vii) | Test battery capacity. | |
| (viii) | Check the overcharging and over-discharging functions. | |
| (n) Others | Tested by/Date (N/A if not applicable) | |
|---|---|---|
| (i) | Check the watertightness of the roof. | |
| (ii) | Check for any vegetation growth or other shade items. | |
Subscribe for future updates
In order to subscribe to the newsletter or to activate e-mail notifications and content updates, you can follow few simple steps described below.It allows users to receive customized e-mail notifications when content is added or modified in EMSD.
Subscribe
x
Subscribe for future updates
We will only send you emails about the update that you subscribe to, and you can unsubscribe at any time.
