PV Best Practice

Grid-connected PV installation Best practice guidelines

AuSES PV Installation Best Practice Workshop

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Why best practice? AS/NZS mandate minimum requirements  Best practices go above and beyond and include non-technical aspects  Improve the quality/reputation of the PV industry  Some best practices may be included in new versions of AS/NZS 

AuSES PV Installation Best Practice Workshop

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Before installation Visit customer’s site before preparing quote, don’t use satellite imagery  Watch out for shading 

◦ Solar Pathfinder, SunEye, mobile phone apps, visual estimate 

Plan cable routes, inverter location, panel layout ◦ Minimize effect of shading

AuSES PV Installation Best Practice Workshop

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Before installation Watch out for meter box upgrades  Give a firm quote, no hidden costs  Give a timeline to installation and stick to it  Assist with regulatory approvals 

◦ Grid connection, planning, RECs

AuSES PV Installation Best Practice Workshop

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Before installation 

Give an accurate estimated energy yield (in writing) ◦ PVSyst ◦ RETScreen ◦ Manual calculations using BOM or NASA or the ASRDH

AuSES PV Installation Best Practice Workshop

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Before installation

Inclination

Azimuth -90°

-60°

-30°

0°

30°

60°

90°

0°

90%

90%

90%

90%

90%

90%

90%

15°

88%

93%

96%

98%

96%

93%

88%

30°

83%

92%

98%

100%

98%

92%

83%

45°

77%

88%

95%

97%

95%

88%

77%

60°

69%

80%

87%

90%

87%

80%

69%

75°

60%

70%

77%

78%

77%

70%

60%

90°

51%

59%

63%

63%

63%

59%

51%

AuSES PV Installation Best Practice Workshop

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Health and Safety

AuSES PV Installation Best Practice Workshop

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Health and Safety

AuSES PV Installation Best Practice Workshop

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PV modules

AuSES PV Installation Best Practice Workshop

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PV modules

AuSES PV Installation Best Practice Workshop

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PV modules

AuSES PV Installation Best Practice Workshop

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PV modules

AuSES PV Installation Best Practice Workshop

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A note on fuses Overcurrent protection may be required when multiple stings are connected in parallel  AS/NZS 5033:2005 provides sizing requirements for overcurrent protection  AS/NZS 5033:2005 does not provide mandatory trip times for protection 

AuSES PV Installation Best Practice Workshop

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A note on fuses 

IEC 61730.2 tests modules to withstand 135% of the maximum series fuse rating for 2 hours



=> size overcurrent protection so that it does not trip under normal operation, but trips within 2 hours of an overcurrent situation. Look at fuse/MCB manufacturer’s datasheets. AuSES PV Installation Best Practice Workshop

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A note on fuses

AuSES PV Installation Best Practice Workshop

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Polarized DC circuit breakers Pay attention to the direction of current  Generally speaking, the PV array goes in the terminals marked + and –  Check wiring with manufacturer 

AuSES PV Installation Best Practice Workshop

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DC cabling

AuSES PV Installation Best Practice Workshop

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DC cabling

AuSES PV Installation Best Practice Workshop

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DC cabling

AuSES PV Installation Best Practice Workshop

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DC cabling

AuSES PV Installation Best Practice Workshop

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DC cabling

AuSES PV Installation Best Practice Workshop

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Inverters - good

AuSES PV Installation Best Practice Workshop

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Inverters - good

AuSES PV Installation Best Practice Workshop

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Inverters - better

AuSES PV Installation Best Practice Workshop

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Inverters - best

AuSES PV Installation Best Practice Workshop

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Inverters - best

AuSES PV Installation Best Practice Workshop

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Labelling and documentation

AuSES PV Installation Best Practice Workshop

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Labelling and documentation

AuSES PV Installation Best Practice Workshop

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Labelling and documentation 

Documentation should be given to customer after installation is complete: ◦ Overall working of system ◦ Data sheets and handbooks (PV modules, inverters, mounting rails) ◦ List of equipment supplied, with serial numbers ◦ Wiring diagrams and string layout

AuSES PV Installation Best Practice Workshop

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Labelling and documentation ◦ Commissioning sheet and installation checklist ◦ Expected annual yield ◦ Warranty certificates and manufacturer’s contact details ◦ Maintenance procedures, shutdown procedure, alarms installed and action required.

AuSES PV Installation Best Practice Workshop

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Thank you

AuSES PV Installation Best Practice Workshop

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