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US 2012/0268149 A1Published application
Electrical test apparatus for a photovoltaic component
AssigneeFirst Solar, Inc.
InventorsPat Buehler, David Kahle, Matthew J. Mattin, Kevin Niebel
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The present invention relates to electrical test apparatuses for photovoltaic modules and methods of testing photovoltaic modules.
Claims20
An electrical test apparatus for photovoltaic modules, comprising:
- an enclosure configured to hold a photovoltaic module in a solution;
- a lid attached to the enclosure;
- a leakage current sensor positioned within the enclosure and connected to a computer;
- a conductivity sensor positioned within the enclosure and connected to the computer;
- a temperature sensor positioned within the enclosure and connected to the computer;
- and
- a temperature control system substantially within the enclosure and connected to the computer, wherein the computer administers a test of the photovoltaic module using data acquired from the leakage current, the conductivity sensor and the temperature sensor.
4 more elements
A method of testing a photovoltaic module, comprising:
- connecting a conductor within a photovoltaic module to a power source;
- submersing the photovoltaic module in a solution contained in an electrical test apparatus comprising:
- an enclosure;
- a lid attached to the enclosure;
- a leakage current sensor positioned within the enclosure and connected to a computer, wherein the leakage current sensor measures leakage current between a photovoltaic module within the enclosure and an electrical ground within the enclosure;
- a conductivity sensor positioned within the enclosure and connected to the computer, wherein the conductivity sensor measures conductivity of a solution within the enclosure;
- a temperature sensor positioned within the enclosure and connected to the computer, wherein the temperature sensor measures temperature of the solution;
- and
- a temperature control system substantially within the enclosure, wherein the enclosure is configured to hold the solution and photovoltaic module;
- setting a target solution temperature within a graphical user interface associated with the computer;
- applying high voltage from the power source to the conductor within the photovoltaic module;
- and
- storing leakage current data in a database.
10 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.