The IEC 62446 series covers various aspects of photovoltaic (PV) systems. Requirements for testing, documentation, and maintenance.
PD IEC/TS 62446-3 is the third of the parts of the series that defines outdoor thermographic (infrared) inspection of PV modules and plants in operation. The inspection can include cables, contacts, fuses, switches, inverters, and batteries. This inspection supports the preventive maintenance for fire protection, the availability of the system for power production, and the inspection of the quality of the PV modules.
Included in PD IEC/TS 62446-3 are the requirements for the measurement equipment, ambient conditions, inspection procedure, inspection report, personnel qualification, and a matrix for thermal abnormalities as a guideline for the inspection.
PD IEC/TS 62446-3 on PV systems is applicable to:
Why should you use PD IEC/TS 62446-3-Outdoor infrared thermography for PV systems?
Thermography is a non-contact, safe measurement method for locating "hot spots" in solar panels, circuits, and other peripherals. Thermal imaging aids in the detection of mismatched panels in which high-performance systems are hampered by lower-performance modules and overheated connections.
PD IEC/TS 62446-3 provides you with guidance on precise outdoor thermographic inspection of PV systems and assemblies and provides inspection guidance not only for the PV panels but also for electric components of PV modules.
Guidance in PD IEC/TS 62446-3 can help you improve the quality and performance of PV modules by providing inspection requirements on the quality of the PV systems, preventive maintenance for fire protection, and power production system availability.
IEC TS 62446-3:2017