What is IEC TS 63126 about?
IEC TS 63126 specifies additional testing requirements for photovoltaic modules deployed in conditions that result in higher module temperatures that are beyond the scope of IEC 61215-1 and IEC 61730-1, as well as the associated component standards, IEC 62790, and IEC 62852. The testing conditions specified in IEC 61215-2 and IEC 61730-2 assume that these standards are applicable for module deployment where the 98th percentile temperature (T98th), that is, the temperature that a module would be expected to equal or exceed for 175,2 hours per year, is less than 70 °C.
IEC TS 63126 defines two temperature regimes, temperature level 1 and temperature level 2, which were intended with deployment in situations where the T98th is less than or equal to 80 °C for temperature level 1 and less than or equal to 90 °C for temperature level 2.
Who is IEC TS 63126 for?
IEC TS 63126 on photovoltaic PV modules is applicable to:
- Telecommunication repeater stations
- Photovoltaic modules manufacturers
- Photovoltaic power system manufacturers
- Navigational aids
- Aerospace
- Cottages and remote residences
- Parks in remote regions
- Supplying occasional power
Why should you use IEC TS 63126?
It is important for photovoltaic modules to comply with standard requirements if they are subjected to significantly higher temperatures than normal.
IEC TS 63126 provides modified testing conditions for photovoltaic PV modules that will be deployed in climates that have a higher environmental air temperature than 40 °C and/or for module installation methods that restrict cooling, resulting in higher operational temperatures than anticipated in the originating standards.
IEC TS 63126 is meant to be used as a first step in defining high-temperature environment use requirements. It is not always cost-effective for module materials to meet IEC TS 63126 level 1 or level 2 criteria unless the module temperature is predicted to surpass 70 °C at the 98th percentile. Module materials capable of temperature level 1 or temperature level 2 are expected to impose higher expectations of endurance and cost than normal modules.