IEC 62446-1:2016/AMD1:2018

Amendment 1 - Photovoltaic (PV) systems - Requirements for testing, documentation and maintenance - Part 1: Grid connected systems - Documentation, commissioning tests and inspection

Amendement 1 - Systèmes photovoltaïques (PV) - Exigences pour les essais, la documentation et la maintenance - Partie 1: Systèmes connectés au réseau électrique - Documentation, essais de mise en service et examen

General Information

• Status: Published
• Publication Date: 09-Aug-2018
• ICS: 01 - GENERALITIES. TERMINOLOGY. STANDARDIZATION. DOCUMENTATION
• ICS: 27.160 - Solar energy engineering
• Technical Committee: TC 82 - Solar photovoltaic energy systems
• Drafting Committee: WG 3 - TC 82/WG 3
• Current Stage: PPUB - Publication issued
• Start Date: 29-Jun-2018
• Completion Date: 10-Aug-2018

Relations

• Amends: IEC 62446-1:2016 - Photovoltaic (PV) systems - Requirements for testing, documentation and maintenance - Part 1: Grid connected systems - Documentation, commissioning tests and inspection
• Effective Date: 05-Sep-2023

Standards Content (Sample)

IEC 62446-1 ®
Edition 1.0 2018-08
INTERNATIONAL
STANDARD
NORME
INTERNATIONALE
AM ENDMENT 1
AM ENDEMENT 1
Photovoltaic (PV) systems – Requirements for testing, documentation and
maintenance –
Part 1: Grid connected systems – Documentation, commissioning tests and
inspection
Systèmes photovoltaïques (PV) – Exigences pour les essais, la documentation
et la maintenance –
Partie 1: Systèmes connectés au réseau électrique – Documentation, essais de
mise en service et examen
IEC 62446-1:2016-01/AMD1:2018-08(en-fr)

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IEC 62446-1 ®
Edition 1.0 2018-08
INTERNATIONAL
STANDARD
NORME
INTERNATIONALE
AM ENDMENT 1
AM ENDEMENT 1
Photovoltaic (PV) systems – Requirements for testing, documentation and

maintenance –
Part 1: Grid connected systems – Documentation, commissioning tests and

inspection
Systèmes photovoltaïques (PV) – Exigences pour les essais, la documentation

et la maintenance –
Partie 1: Systèmes connectés au réseau électrique – Documentation, essais de

mise en service et examen
INTERNATIONAL
ELECTROTECHNICAL
COMMISSION
COMMISSION
ELECTROTECHNIQUE
INTERNATIONALE
ICS 27.160 ISBN 978-2-8322-5786-9

– 2 – IEC 62446-1:2016/AMD1:2018
© IEC 2018
FOREWORD
This amendment has been prepared by the IEC technical committee 82: Solar photovoltaic
energy systems.
The text of this standard is based on the following documents:
FDIS Report on voting
82/1415/FDIS 82/1426/RVD
Full information on the voting for the approval of this amendment can be found in the report
on voting indicated in the above table.
The committee has decided that the contents of this amendment and the base publication will
remain unchanged until the stability date indicated on the IEC website under
"http://webstore.iec.ch" in the data related to the specific publication. At this date, the
publication will be
• reconfirmed,
• withdrawn,
• replaced by a revised edition, or
• amended.
_____________
2 Normative references
Replace the following standard:
IEC TS 62548:2013, Photovoltaic (PV) arrays – Design requirements
By:
IEC 62548:2016, Photovoltaic (PV) arrays – Design requirements
Add the following new note after IEC 62548:
NOTE In some countries IEC 60364-7-712 is preferred over IEC 62548. Both standards are expected to provide
similar results.
Add the following new normative reference:
IEC 60891:2009, Photovoltaic devices – Procedures for temperature and irradiance
corrections to measured I-V characteristics
3 Terms and definitions
Add the following new terms:
© IEC 2018
3.17
string wiring harness
prefabricated cable assembly that aggregates the output of multiple PV string conductors
along a single main cable
Note 1 to entry: The harness may or may not include fusing on the individual string conductors. The wiring
harness typically does not include a disconnect device in line.
Note 2 to entry: An IEC standard for string wiring harnesses is under development.
3.18
Harness Sub Array
HSA
group of PV strings connected in parallel using a string wiring harness
Note 1 to entry: For the purposes of this document, the HSA shall have a combined I of no greater than
SC-STC
30 A and combine no more than 10 PV strings.
Note 2 to entry: In some subclauses of this document, HSA tests are presented as an alternative to individual
string tests. The 30 A and 10 string limits defined herein set the limit where a HSA test is considered a safe and
valid alternative to individual string tests.
Note 3 to entry: This note applies to the French language only.
4.9 Test results and commissioning data
Replace the existing text of this subclause by the following new text:
Copies of all test and commissioning data shall be provided. As a minimum, these shall
include the results from the verification tests detailed in Clauses 5 to 9 of this document (see
also model forms in Annexes A to C).

5 Verification
Replace “IEC TS 62548:2013” by “IEC 62548:2016” throughout this clause.

5.2.8 DC system – Selection and erection of electrical equipment
e) Delete the first sentence of the note.

5.3.3 Test regimes for systems with module level electronics
Add the following new note at end of this subclause:
NOTE Typically I-V curve testing and electroluminescence inspection are not possible for those systems. Module
level data can be used to find performance problems on module level instead.

5.3.4 Category 1 test regime – All systems
Replace:
d) String open circuit voltage test.
e) String circuit current test (short circuit or operational).

– 4 – IEC 62446-1:2016/AMD1:2018
© IEC 2018
By:
d) String or HSA open circuit voltage test.
e) String or HSA circuit current test (short circuit or operational).
Delete Note 2.
5.3.5 Category 2 test regime
Replace:
a) String I-V curve test.
By:
a) String or HSA I-V curve test.

6.3 PV string combiner box test
Replace:
While it is possible to do a polarity test with a digital multimeter, when checking a large
number of circuits, the appearance of the "-" symbol can be relatively easy to overlook. As an
alternative, the following test sequence indicates a reverse connection through a substantially
different voltage reading.
By:
Polarity of PV strings may be tested by a digital multimeter between positive and negative, or
between one of the poles and ground, and checking that all the measured values are
consistently positive or negative.
Sometimes when checking a large number of circuits, the appearance of the "-" symbol can
be relatively easy to overlook, so the alternative method detailed below may also be used,
and should only be used where the meter being used for tests has a range of at least twice
V .
oc
6.5.2.1 General
Replace the existing text by the following:
6.5.2.1.1 Overview
The short circuit current of each PV string or HSA should be measured using suitable test
apparatus. The making / interruption of string or HSA short circuit currents is potentially
hazardous and a suitable test procedure, such as that described in 6.5.2.2, should be
followed.
The measured values should be compared with either the value from an adjacent identical
string or from a calculated expected value.
In general, the measured value should be within  10 % of the expected value. Where the
difference is > 10 %, a visual appraisal of the sunlight conditions may be used to consider the

© IEC 2018
validity of the current readings; the string should also be investigated for any obvious issues
such as shading, damage or installation defects.
NOTE The use of an irradiance meter or visual appraisal of the sunlight conditions is included herein solely as a
means of determining if the measured current is within the band expected. As noted in 6.5.1, the short circuit
current test is intended to detect faults rather than give any indication of system performance. System performance
measurements are deemed to be part of a Category 2 test regime and are best achieved by performing an I-V
curve test.
6.5.2.1.2 Comparison to calculated value
An expected value can be obtained from the module manufacturer’s power curves (selecting
the appropriate curve for the irradiation conditions at the time of the test); or calculated from
manufacturer’s data (normalizing the current at 1 000 W/m to the measured irradiance – see
also IEC 60891:2009).
The measured value should typically be within ± 10 % of the calculated value.
6.5.2.1.3 Comparison to adjacent string
For systems with multiple identical strings (strings with same number and type of modules),
measurements of currents in individual strings can be compared between each other.
Where there are stable irradiance conditions, the currents in the identical strings should be
the same (typically within ± 10 % of the average string current).
For non-stable irradiance, where the irradiance levels change rapidly due to clouds, etc., it is
possible that variations between expected levels and between strings will vary more than
10 %. Under such conditions, the following methods may be adopted:
• Testing may be delayed. When irradiance conditions are stable, either short circuit current
testing may be performed on the strings again, or alternatively operational testing as per
6.5.3.
• Tests may be done using multiple meters, with one meter on a reference string. The two
readings will be taken simultaneously, and would be expected to be within ± 10 % of each
other.
6.5.3 PV String – Operational test
Replace the existing text by the following:
With the system switched on and in normal operation mode (inverters maximum power point
tracking), the current from each PV string or HSA should be measured. This is done using a
sui
...