Featured in Full picture on quality – 04-2022

PV connector myths and a call to action

Solar connectors are easily overlooked when PV systems operate as expected. But when they fail, they can cause fires that jeopardize safety and property. SunPower’s recent $30 million PV connector replacement announcement is only the latest entry in a long list of connector safety issues. And while some events are well-documented, many remain confidential. Todd Karin of testing experts PVEL, and David Penalva of technical advisory Heliovolta, recently teamed up to create a guide to protect PV plants from connector failure, and shared some of their key points with pv magazine.

By

pv magazine

07 Apr 2022

Image: PVEL

Asset owners can prevent catastrophic connector failures with regular field inspections. But while important, these inspections do not address the fundamental cause of most connector failures: improper installation. The solar industry must improve the training of its construction workforce to prevent connector failures in the future. Heliovolta has observed serious connector issues at more than …

This article is part of pv+

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