It is well known that environmental testing required by IEC standards cannot provide sufficient verification support for photovoltaic modules installed and under operating. For example, Photovoltaic modules installed and operating in tropical climate are not only affected by high temperature and high humidity, but also subject to high ultraviolet radiation. While in the IEC standard test, the damp heat test and the ultraviolet test are two independent tests, unable to truly simulate the outdoor situation where high-temperature, high-humidity and the high-UV coexist at the same time.
Suntech PV Product Inspection & Test Center and VDE jointly developed the high temperature, high humidity and high UV test program, in which a moduleis not only tested at the temperature of 85 ℃ and relative humidity of 85% for 1000 hours, but also goes through the UV exposure of a cumulative 120 KWH/m2 in the process of the damp heat test. Therefore, the test program can better simulate the actual environment characterized by tropical humid climate.
The test results indicates that the power attenuation of Suntech’s module fully meets the 5% attenuation as required by the standard of IEC 61215. The moduleis of excellent resistance to high temperature, high humidity and high UV, and it is the superior module capable of reliability performances. Suntech, who always focus on the principle of “quality first”, strives for excellence in the quality of solar module. With heavy input in productreliability, the company is engaged in in-depth testing and research with an aim to provide customers with more secure and reliable products and services.