SIST EN 61215:2005

SLOVENSKI SIST EN 61215:2005

STANDARD
november 2005
Prizemni fotonapetostni (PV) moduli iz kristalnega silicija – Ocena zasnove in
odobritev tipa (IEC 61215:2005)
Crystalline silicon terrestrial photovoltaic (PV) modules – Design qualification and
type approval (IEC 61215:2005)
ICS 27.160 Referenčna številka
SIST EN 61215:2005(en)
©  Standard je založil in izdal Slovenski inštitut za standardizacijo. Razmnoževanje ali kopiranje celote ali delov tega dokumenta ni dovoljeno

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EUROPEAN STANDARD EN 61215
NORME EUROPÉENNE
EUROPÄISCHE NORM May 2005

ICS 27.160 Supersedes EN 61215:1995


English version


Crystalline silicon terrestrial photovoltaic (PV) modules –
Design qualification and type approval
(IEC 61215:2005)


Modules photovoltaïques (PV) au silicium Terrestrische kristalline Silizium-
cristallin pour application terrestre - Photovoltaik-(PV)-Module –
Qualification de la conception Bauarteignung und Bauartzulassung
et homologation (IEC 61215:2005)
(CEI 61215:2005)






This European Standard was approved by CENELEC on 2005-05-01. CENELEC members are bound to
comply with the CEN/CENELEC Internal Regulations which stipulate the conditions for giving this European
Standard the status of a national standard without any alteration.

Up-to-date lists and bibliographical references concerning such national standards may be obtained on
application to the Central Secretariat or to any CENELEC member.

This European Standard exists in three official versions (English, French, German). A version in any other
language made by translation under the responsibility of a CENELEC member into its own language and
notified to the Central Secretariat has the same status as the official versions.

CENELEC members are the national electrotechnical committees of Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Czech
Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia,
Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden,
Switzerland and United Kingdom.

CENELEC
European Committee for Electrotechnical Standardization
Comité Européen de Normalisation Electrotechnique
Europäisches Komitee für Elektrotechnische Normung

Central Secretariat: rue de Stassart 35, B - 1050 Brussels


© 2005 CENELEC - All rights of exploitation in any form and by any means reserved worldwide for CENELEC members.

Ref. No. EN 61215:2005 E

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EN 61215:2005 - 2 -
Foreword
The text of document 82/376/FDIS, future edition 2 of IEC 61215, prepared by IEC TC 82, Solar
photovoltaic energy systems, was submitted to the IEC-CENELEC parallel vote and was approved by
CENELEC as EN 61215 on 2005-05-01.
This European Standard supersedes EN 61215:1995.
The following dates were fixed:
– latest date by which the EN has to be implemented
at national level by publication of an identical
national standard or by endorsement (dop) 2006-02-01
– latest date by which the national standards conflicting
with the EN have to be withdrawn (dow) 2008-05-01
Annex ZA has been added by CENELEC.
__________
Endorsement notice
The text of the International Standard IEC 61215:2005 was approved by CENELEC as a European
Standard without any modification.
__________

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- 3 - EN 61215:2005
Annex ZA
(normative)

Normative references to international publications
with their corresponding European publications
The following referenced documents are indispensable for the application of this document. For dated
references, only the edition cited applies. For undated references, the latest edition of the referenced
document (including any amendments) applies.
NOTE Where an international publication has been modified by common modifications, indicated by (mod), the relevant
EN/HD applies.
Publication Year Title EN/HD Year
1)
IEC 60068-1 1988 Environmental testing EN 60068-1 1994
Part 1: General and guidance

IEC 60068-2-21 1999 Part 2-21: Tests - Test U: Robustness of EN 60068-2-21 1999
terminations and integral mounting
devices

IEC 60068-2-78 2001 Part 2-78: Tests - Test Cab: Damp heat, EN 60068-2-78 2001
steady state

IEC 60410 1973 Sampling plans and procedures for - -
inspection by attributes

2)
IEC 60721-2-1 1982 Classification of environmental conditions HD 478.2.1 S1 1989
Part 2: Environmental conditions
appearing in nature - Temperature and
humidity

IEC 60891 1987 Procedures for temperature and
irradiance corrections to measured I-V
characteristics of crystalline silicon
photovoltaic devices
+ A1 1992 EN 60891 1994

IEC 60904-1 1987 Photovoltaic devices EN 60904-1 1993
Part 1: Measurement of photovoltaic
current-voltage characteristics
IEC 60904-2 1989 Part 2: Requirements for reference solar EN 60904-2 1993
cells

IEC 60904-3 1989 Part 3: Measurement principles for EN 60904-3 1993
terrestrial photovoltaic (PV) solar devices
with reference spectral irradiance data

IEC 60904-6 1994 Part 6: Requirements for reference solar EN 60904-6 1994
modules


1)
EN 60068-1 includes corrigendum October 1988 + A1:1992 to IEC 60068-1.
2)
HD 478.2.1 includes A1:1987 to IEC 60721-2-1.

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EN 61215:2005 - 4 -
Publication Year Title EN/HD Year
IEC 60904-7 1998 Part 7: Computation of spectral mismatch EN 60904-7 1998
error introduced in the testing of a
photovoltaic device

IEC 60904-9 1995 Part 9: Solar simulator performance - -
requirements

IEC 60904-10 1998 Part 10: Methods of linearity EN 60904-10 1998
measurement

3)
IEC 61853 - Performance testing and energy rating of - -
terrestrial photovoltaic (PV) modules

ISO/IEC 17025 1999 General requirements for the competence EN ISO/IEC 2000
of testing and calibration laboratories 17025





3)
Under consideration.

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IEC 61215
Edition 2.0 2005-04
INTERNATIONAL
STANDARD
NORME
INTERNATIONALE
Crystalline silicon terrestrial photovoltaic (PV) modules – Design qualification
and type approval
Modules photovoltaïques (PV) au silicium cristallin pour application terrestre –
Qualification de la conception et homologation
INTERNATIONAL
ELECTROTECHNICAL
COMMISSION
COMMISSION
ELECTROTECHNIQUE
PRICE CODE
INTERNATIONALE
CODE PRIX X
ISBN 2-8318-7963-9
ICS 27.160

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61215 ¤ IEC:2005 –– 3 2 – – 61215 © IEC:2005
CONTENTS
FOREWORD.4
1 Scope and object. 6
2 Normative references . 6
3 Sampling . 7
4 Marking . 7
5 Testing . 8
6 Pass criteria . 8
7 Major visual defects. 8
8 Report . 9
9 Modifications .12
10 Test procedures .12
10.1 Visual inspection .12
10.2 Maximum power determination .12
10.3 Insulation test .13
10.4 Measurement of temperature coefficients .14
10.5 Measurement of nominal operating cell temperature (NOCT) .17
10.6 Performance at STC and NOCT.25
10.7 Performance at low irradiance .26
10.8 Outdoor exposure test .27
10.9 Hot-spot endurance test .28
10.10 UV preconditioning test.33
10.11 Thermal cycling test.34
10.12 Humidity-freeze test.36
10.13 Damp-heat test .37
10.14 Robustness of terminations test.38
10.15 Wet leakage current test.39
10.16 Mechanical load test.40
10.17 Hail test .41
10.18 Bypass diode thermal test.44
Annex A (informative) Changes in this second edition with respect to the first edition
of IEC 61215.46
Figure 1 – Qualification test sequence .10
Figure 2 – NOCT correction factor .23
Figure 3 – Reference plate.24
Figure 4 – NOCT measurement by reference plate method .24
Figure 5 – Wind correction factor .25
Figure 6 – Hot-spot effect in Type A cell .28
Figure 7 – Reverse characteristics.29
Figure 8 – Hot-spot effect in type B cell .29
Figure 9 – Case SP: Series-parallel connection .30

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61215 © IEC:200561215 ¤ IEC:2005 –– 5 3 – –
Figure 10 – Case SPS: series-parallel-series connection .31
Figure 11 – Thermal cycling test .35
Figure 12 – Humidity-freeze cycle.37
Figure 13 – Hail-test equipment .42
Figure 14 – Impact locations illustrated.44
Table 1 – Summary of test levels .11
Table2–Ice-ballmassesand testvelocities .42
Table3–Impactlocations .43

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61215 ¤ IEC:2005 –– 7 4 – – 61215 © IEC:2005
INTERNATIONAL ELECTROTECHNICAL COMMISSION
____________
CRYSTALLINE SILICON TERRESTRIAL
PHOTOVOLTAIC (PV) MODULES –
DESIGN QUALIFICATION AND TYPE APPROVAL
FOREWORD
1) The International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) is a worldwide organization for standardization comprising
all national electrotechnical committees (IEC National Committees). The object of IEC is to promote
international co-operation on all questions concerning standardization in the electrical and electronic fields. To
this end and in addition to other activities, IEC publishes International Standards, Technical Specifications,
Technical Reports, Publicly Available Specifications (PAS) and Guides (hereafter referred to as “IEC
Publication(s)”). Their preparation is entrusted to technical committees; any IEC National Committee interested
in the subject dealt with may participate in this preparatory work. International, governmental and non-
governmental organizations liaising with the IEC also participate in this preparation. IEC collaborates closely
with the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) in accordance with conditions determined by
agreement between the two organizations.
2) The formal decisions or agreements of IEC on technical matters express, as nearly as possible, an international
consensus of opinion on the relevant subjects since each technical committee has representation from all
interested IEC National Committees.
3) IEC Publications have the form of recommendations for international use and are accepted by IEC National
Committees in that sense. While all reasonable efforts are made to ensure that the technical content of IEC
Publications is accurate, IEC cannot be held responsible for the way in which they are used or for any
misinterpretation by any end user.
4) In order to promote international uniformity, IEC National Committees undertake to apply IEC Publications
transparently to the maximum extent possible in their national and regional publications. Any divergence
between any IEC Publication and the corresponding national or regional publication shall be clearly indicated in
the latter.
5) IEC provides no marking procedure to indicate its approval and cannot be rendered responsible for any
equipment declared to be in conformity with an IEC Publication.
6) All users should ensure that they have the latest edition of this publication.
7) No liability shall attach to IEC or its directors, employees, servants or agents including individual experts and
members of its technical committees and IEC National Committees for any personal injury, property damage or
other damage of any nature whatsoever, whether direct or indirect, or for costs (including legal fees) and
expenses arising out of the publication, use of, or reliance upon, this IEC Publication or any other IEC
Publications.
8) Attention is drawn to the Normative references cited in this publication. Use of the referenced publications is
indispensable for the correct application of this publication.
9) Attention is drawn to the possibility that some of the elements of this IEC Publication may be the subject of
patent rights. IEC shall not be held responsible for identifying any or all such patent rights.
International Standard IEC 61215 has been prepared by IEC technical committee 82: Solar
photovoltaic energy systems.
This second edition cancels and replaces thew first edition published in 1993 and constitutes
a technical revision.
The main changes with respect to the previous edition (published in 1993) are detailed in
Annex A.

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61215 © IEC:200561215 ¤ IEC:2005 –– 9 5 – –
The text of this standard is based on the following documents:
FDIS Report on voting
82/376/FDIS 82/382/RVD
Full information on the voting for the approval of this standard can be found in the report on
voting indicated in the above table.
This publication has been drafted in accordance with the ISO/IEC Directives, Part 2.
The committee has decided that the contents of this publication will remain unchanged until
the maintenance result date indicated on the IEC web site 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.

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61215 ¤ IEC:2005 –– 11 6 – – 61215 © IEC:2005
CRYSTALLINE SILICON TERRESTRIAL
PHOTOVOLTAIC (PV) MODULES –
DESIGN QUALIFICATION AND TYPE APPROVAL
1 Scope and object
This International Standard lays down IEC 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. It applies only to crystalline silicon modules types.
A standard for thin-film modules has been published as IEC 61646.
This standard does not apply to modules used with concentrated sunlight.
The object of this test sequence is to determine the electrical and thermal characteristics of
the module and to show, as far as is possible within reasonable constraints of cost and
time, that the module is capable of withstanding prolonged exposure in climates described
in the scope. The actual lifetime expectancy of modules so qualified will depend on their
design, their environment and the conditions under which they are operated.
2 Normative references
The following referenced documents are indispensable for the application of this document.
For dated references, only the edition cited applies. For undated references, the latest edition
of the referenced document (including any amendments) applies.
IEC 60068-1:1988, Environmental testing – Part 1: General and guidance
IEC 60068-2-21:1999, Environmental testing – Part 2-21: Tests – Test U: Robustness of
terminations and integral mounting devices
IEC 60068-2-78:2001, Environmental testing – Part 2-78: Tests – Test Cab: Damp heat,
steady state
IEC 60410:1973, Sampling plans and procedures for inspection by attributes
IEC 60721-2-1:1982, Classification of environmental conditions – Part 2: Environmental
conditions appearing in nature – Temperature and humidity
IEC 60891:1987, Procedures for temperature and irradiance corrections to measured I-V
characteristics of crystalline silicon photovoltaic devices
Amendment 1 (1992)
IEC 60904-1:1987, Photovoltaic devices – Part 1: Measurements of photovoltaic current-
voltage characteristics
IEC 60904-2:1989, Photovoltaic devices – Part 2: Requirements for reference solar cells
IEC 60904-3:1989, Photovoltaic devices – Part 3: Measurement principles for terrestrial
photovoltaic (PV) solar devices with reference spectral irradiance data

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61215 © IEC:200561215 ¤ IEC:2005 –– 13 7 – –
IEC 60904-6:1994, Photovoltaic devices – Part 6: Requirements for reference solar modules
IEC 60904-7:1998, Photovoltaic devices – Part 7: Computation of spectral mismatch error
introduced in the testing of a photovoltaic device
IEC 60904-9:1995, Photovoltaic devices – Part 9: Solar simulator performance requirements
IEC 60904-10:1998, Photovoltaic devices – Part 10: Methods of linearity measurements
1
IEC 61853: Performance testing and energy rating of terrestrial photovoltaic (PV) modules
ISO/IEC 17025:1999, General requirements for competence of testing and calibration
laboratories.
3 Sampling
Eight modules for qualification testing (plus spares as desired) shall be taken at random from
a production batch or batches, in accordance with the procedure given in IEC 60410. The
modules shall have been manufactured from specified materials and components in
accordance with the relevant drawings and process sheets and have been subjected to the
manufacturer's normal inspection, quality control and production acceptance procedures. The
modules shall be complete in every detail and shall be accompanied by the manufacturer's
handling, mounting and connection instructions, including the maximum permissible system
voltage.
If the bypass diodes are not accessible in the standard modules, a special sample can be
prepared for the bypass diode thermal test (10.18). The bypass diode should be mounted
physically as it would be in a standard module, with a thermal sensor placed on the diode as
required in 10.18.2. This sample does not have to go through the other tests in the
sequence depicted in Figure 1.
When the modules to be tested are prototypes of a new design and not from production, this
fact shall be noted in the test report (see Clause 8).
4 Marking
Each module shall carry the following clear and indelible markings:
– name, monogram or symbol of manufacturer;
– type or model number;
– serial number;
– polarity of terminals or leads (colour coding is permissible);
– maximum system voltage for which the module is suitable.
The date and place of manufacture shall be marked on the module or be traceable from the
serial number.
___________
1
Under consideration.

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61215 ¤ IEC:2005 –– 15 8 – – 61215 © IEC:2005
5 Testing
Before beginning the testing, all modules, including the control, shall be exposed to sunlight
–2 –2
(either real or simulated) to an irradiation level of 5 kWh⋅m to 5,5 kWh⋅m while open-
circuited.
The modules shall be divided into groups and subjected to the qualification test sequences
in Figure 1, carried out in the order laid down. Each box refers to the corresponding
subclause in this standard. Test procedures and severities, including initial and final
measurements where necessary, are detailed in Clause 10.
NOTE 1 Where the final measurements for one test serve as the initial measurements for the next test in the
sequence, they need not be repeated. In these cases, the initial measurements are omitted from the test.
In carrying out the tests, the tester shall strictly observe the manufacturer's handling,
mounting and connection instructions. Tests given in 10.4, 10.5, 10.6 and 10.7 may be
omitted if future IEC 61853 has been or is scheduled to be run on this module type.
Test conditions are summarized in Table 1.
NOTE 2 The test levels in Table 1 are the minimum levels required for qualification. If the laboratory and the
module manufacturer agree, the tests may be performed with increased severities.
6 Pass criteria
A module design shall be judged to have passed the qualification tests, and therefore to be
IEC type approved, if each test sample meets all the following criteria:
a) the degradation of maximum output power does not exceed the prescribed limit after each
test nor 8 % after each test sequence;
b) no sample has exhibited any open circuit during the tests;
c) there is no visual evidence of a major defect, as defined in Clause 7;
d) the insulation test requirements are met after the tests;
e) the wet leakage current test requirements are met at the beginning and the end of each
sequence and after the damp heat test;
f) specific requirements of the individual tests are met.
If two or more modules do not meet these test criteria, the design shall be deemed not to
have met the qualification requirements. Should one module fail any test, another two
modules meeting the requirements of Clause 3 shall be subjected to the whole of the relevant
test sequence from the beginning. If one or both of these modules also fail, the design shall
be deemed not to have met the qualification requirements. If, however, both modules pass the
test sequence, the design shall be judged to have met the qualification requirements.
7 Major visual defects
For the purposes of design qualification and type approval, the following are considered to be
major visual defects:
a) broken, cracked, or torn external surfaces, including superstrates, substrates, frames and
junction boxes;

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61215 © IEC:200561215 ¤ IEC:2005 –– 17 9 – –
b) bent or misaligned external surfaces, including superstrates, substrates, frames and
junction boxes to the extent that the installation and/or operation of the module would be
impaired.
c) a crack in a cell the propagation of which could remove more than 10 % of that cell's area
from the electrical circuit of the module;
d) bubbles or delaminations forming a continuous path between any part of the electrical
circuit and the edge of the module;
e) loss of mechanical integrity, to the extent that the installation and/or operation of the
module would be impaired.
8 Report
Following type approval, a certified report of the qualification tests, with measured
performance characteristics and details of any failures and re-tests, shall be prepared by the
test agency in accordance with ISO/IEC 17025. The report shall contain the detail
specification for the module. Each certificate or test report shall include at least the following
information:
a) a title;
b) name and address of the test laboratory and location where the tests were carried out;
c) unique identification of the certification or report and of each page;
d) name and address of client, where appropriate;
e) description and identification of the item tested;
f) characterization and condition of the test item;
g) date of receipt of test item and date(s) of test, where appropriate;
h) identification of test method used;
i) reference to sampling procedure, where relevant;
j) any deviations from, additions to or exclusions from the test method, and any other
information relevant to a specific tests, such as environmental conditions;
k) measurements, examinations and derived results supported by tables, graphs, sketches
and photographs as appropriate including temperature coefficients of short-circuit current,
open-circuit voltage and peak power, NOCT, power at NOCT, STC and low irradiance,
spectrum of the lamp used for the UV pre-screening test, maximum power loss observed
after all of the tests, and any failures observed;
l) a statement of the estimated uncertainty of the test results (where relevant);
m) a signature and title, or equivalent identification of the person(s) accepting responsibility
for the content of the certificate or report, and the date of issue;
n) where relevant, a statement to the effect that the results relate only to the items tested;
o) a statement that the certificate or report shall not be reproduced except in full, without the
written approval of the laboratory.
A copy of this report shall be kept by the manufacturer for reference purposes.

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61215 ¤ IEC:2005 –– 19 10 – – 61215 © IEC:2005
8 Modules
Preconditioning
-2
5 kWh·m
10.1
Visual inspection
10.2
Maximum power
determination
10.3
Insulation test
10.15
Wet leakage current test
1 Module 1 Module 2 Modules 2 Modules 2 Modules
10.10
10.14 10.11
10.13
UV Preconditioning test
Measurement of Thermal cycling test
Damp heat test
-2
15 kWh·m
temperature coefficients 200 cycles 1000 h
(see note 1) -40 °C to + 85 °C
85 °C
85 % RH
10.11
Thermal cycling test
10.5
50 cycles
NOCT
10.15
-40 °C to + 85 °C
(see note 2)
Wet leakage current
test
10.6
10.12
Performance
Humidity freeze test
1 Module 1 Module
at STC and NOCT (1)
10 cycles
-40 °C to + 85°C
85 % RH
Control
10.7 10.16
10.17
Performance Mechanical
Hail test
at low irradiance (1) load test
1 Module
1 Module
10.8
Outdoor exposure test
10.14
-2
60 kWh·m
Robustness of
terminations test
10.18
Bypass diode
thermal test
(see note 3)
10.9
Hot-spot
endurance test
Repeat test
10.15
Wet leakage current test
IEC  584/05
NOTE 1 May be omitted if IEC 61853 has been performed.
NOTE 2 In the case of modules not designed for open-rack mounting, the NOCT may be replaced by the
equilibrium mean solar cell junction temperature in the standard
Figure 1 – Qualification test sequence

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61215 © IEC:200561215 ¤ IEC:2005 –– 21 11 – –
Table 1 – Summary of test levels
Test Title Test conditions
10.1 Visual inspection See detailed inspection list in 10.1.2
10.2 Maximum power determination See IEC 60904-1
10.3 Insulation test Dielectric withstand at 1 000 V d.c. + twice the maximum
systems voltage for 1 min.
2
For modules with an area of less than 0,1 m the insulation
resistance shall be not less than 400 MΩ. For modules with
2,
an area larger than 0,1 m the measured insulation
resistance times the area of the module shall be not less
2
than 40 MΩ⋅m measured at 500 V or maximum systems
voltage, whichever is greater
10.4 Measurement of temperature See details in 10.4
coefficients (see note 1)
See IEC 60904-10 for guidance.
. –2
10.5 Measurement of NOCT Total solar irradiance: 800 W m
(see note 1)
Ambient temperature: 20 °C
. –1
Wind speed: 1 m s
10.6 Performance at STC and NOCT Cell temperature: 25 °C and NOCT
(see note 1)
. –2
Irradiance: 1000 and 800 W m with IEC 60904-3 reference
solar spe
...