PV module breakdown

[Morgan keith]

Has anyone got any ideas what may be a simple way for a customer to determine whether a PV module has broken down in an installation of around 50kWp? I'm aware that this will infuence an entire string, but is there an easy way to determine this?

Cheers

 

[edexlab]

If you've got an array of any scale over 10kw then surely a monitoring system would be part and parcel of the job, (we've had them for jobs smaller than this also)

 

[Morgan keith]

The only monitoring sytem we currently deal with monitor the entire system rather than individual strings? Do you have a link of the kinds of system you would advise? Cheers edexlab!

 

[SolarCity]

Wouldn't a module breakdown cause total failure of the string?

 

[edexlab]

sorry the monitoring I'm talking about would only indicate problems with string inverters not individual strings/modules
although I'm not sure if SMA webbox has any capability for this , I'm sure it will have via the fault signalling relay you can add ,I'll have to read up a bit more on this!

As for one module causing total failure of the string, the bypass diodes would do their job allowing the rest to operate as normal, so as long as there is no problem with the actual cables from the module

 

[SolarCity]

Are you sure that's right? Surely as they're a series circuit then the whole string will go down?

Incidentally, is it possible for the panel to go down yet still be 'in circuit'? I'm assuming it isn't.