Consumer Goods and Retail Pre-Qualification Testing
Pre-qualification testing is a fast and efficient customized testing service from SGS that ensures your prototype PV modules and PV systems will stand up to the qualification and design verification.
Standards in the solar industry are constantly being reviewed by industry working groups. Improved test requirements eventually lead to more efficient PV modules, but it means that when you develop a prototype module you need to be sure it will stand up to IEC test standards.
With SGS, pre-qualification testing offers everything you need to assess your new modules ahead of the IEC qualification test procedure. You can use pre-qualification when you need to:
- Be sure the data on your modules is correct
- Take full advantage of our independent lab reports, for example for external communications for investors
- Ensure your prototype module will pass standard test procedures
Our pre-qualification assesses your modules before and after exposure to different types of stress. We do this by a visual inspection, testing of insulation and measurement of performance. The test sequences that we carry out include:
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Long-term testing
Each sample has to pass a combined test sequence for Damp Heat 1500h, Humidity Freeze 20 days, Temperature Cycle 200 cycles, bypass diode test -
Long-term testing plus
Some samples have to pass plug-in tests such as UV, hot spot, hail and mechanical load -
Double or triple climate simulations
Damp heat 3000h, TC 600, HF 30 -
Mechanical load testing
5400 Pa, shock, seismic testing, wind tunnel -
Electrical safety and fire testing
acc. to IEC, UL and ASTM standards -
Temperature behavior
Such as hot spot testing of module batches and infrared (IR) pictures - Electroluminescence (EL) testing
Our global knowledge, expertise and state-of-the-art facilities for solar technology ensure manufacturers develop better solar products that are marketable worldwide. As a market leader we offer not only testing and certification but are able to serve the entire value chain of the photovoltaic industry.
With our testing services you can be sure of a reliable and accurate service. We are flexible to your needs and can offer you quick turnaround times.
Contact SGS to find out how our pre-qualification testing can benefit your business.