IEC 60904-2:2023

IEC 60904-2 ®
Edition 4.0 2023-06
COMMENTED VERSION
INTERNATIONAL
STANDARD
colour
inside
Photovoltaic devices –
Part 2: Requirements for photovoltaic reference devices
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IEC 60904-2 ®
Edition 4.0 2023-06
COMMENTED VERSION
INTERNATIONAL
STANDARD
colour
inside
Photovoltaic devices –
Part 2: Requirements for photovoltaic reference devices
INTERNATIONAL
ELECTROTECHNICAL
COMMISSION
ICS 27.160 ISBN 978-2-8322-7145-2

– 2 – IEC 60904-2:2023 CMV © IEC 2023
CONTENTS
FOREWORD .3
1 Scope .5
2 Normative references .5
3 Terms and definitions .6
4 Selection of reference device .9
4.1 General requirements .9
4.2 Additional requirements for single reference cell in a multi-cell package . 10
4.3 Additional requirements for reference modules . 10
4.4 Requirements for built-in shunt resistors. 11
5 Temperature measurement . 12
6 Electrical connections . 12
7 Calibration . 12
7.1 General requirements . 12
7.2 Calibration value(s) . 12
7.3 Spectral responsivity . 12
7.4 Temperature coefficients. 13
7.5 Linearity . 13
8 Documentation and report . 13
8.1 General . 14
8.2 Device documentation . 14
8.3 Calibration report . 14
9 Marking . 15
10 Packaging . 15
10.1 Recommended packaging for use in natural sunlight . 15
10.2 Recommended packaging for use under solar simulators . 15
10.3 Single cell package . 15
11 Care of reference devices . 16
12 Usage of reference devices . 16
13 Calibration of secondary reference devices against a primary reference cell . 17
13.1 General . 17
13.2 Natural sunlight . 17
13.3 Simulated sunlight . 18
13.4 Test procedure . 18
13.5 Additional measurements . 20
13.5.1 Spectral responsivity . 20
13.5.2 Temperature coefficient(s) . 20
13.5.3 Linearity . 20
14 Calibration of working reference device against a secondary reference device . 20
Bibliography . 22
List of comments . 23

Figure 1 – Single cell package .8
Figure 2 – Single reference cell in a multi-cell package . 10

INTERNATIONAL ELECTROTECHNICAL COMMISSION
____________
PHOTOVOLTAIC DEVICES –
Part 2: Requirements for photovoltaic reference devices

FOREWORD
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This commented version (CMV) of the official standard IEC 60904-2:2023 edition 4.0
allows the user to identify the changes made to the previous IEC 60904-2:2015
edition 3.0. Furthermore, comments from IEC TC 82 experts are provided to explain the
reasons of the most relevant changes, or to clarify any part of the content.
A vertical bar appears in the margin wherever a change has been made. Additions are in
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comment.
This publication contains the CMV and the official standard. The full list of comments is
available at the end of the CMV.

– 4 – IEC 60904-2:2023 CMV © IEC 2023
IEC 60904-2 has been prepared by IEC technical committee 82: Solar photovoltaic energy
systems. It is an International Standard.
This fourth edition cancels and replaces the third edition published in 2015. This edition
constitutes a technical revision.
This edition includes the following significant technical changes with respect to the previous
edition:
a) added calibration procedures for calibrating PV devices at maximum power by extending
the respective Clauses 12 and 13;
b) revised requirements for mandatory measurement of spectral responsivity, temperature
coefficients and linearity, depending on usage and allowing some measurements on
equivalent devices;
c) revised requirements for built-in shunt resistor;
d) added requirements for traceability of calibration explicitly.
The text of this International Standard is based on the following documents:
Draft Report on voting
82/2127/FDIS 82/2151/RVD
Full information on the voting for its approval can be found in the report on voting indicated in
the above table.
The language used for the development of this International Standard is English.
This document was drafted in accordance with ISO/IEC Directives, Part 2, and developed in
accordance with ISO/IEC Directives, Part 1 and ISO/IEC Directives, IEC Supplement, available
at www.iec.ch/members_experts/refdocs. The main document types developed by IEC are
described in greater detail at www.iec.ch/publications.
A list of all parts in the IEC 60904 series, published under the general title Photovoltaic devices,
can be found on the IEC website.
The committee has decided that the contents of this document will remain unchanged until the
stability date indicated on the IEC website under webstore.iec.ch in the data related to the
specific document. At this date, the document will be
• reconfirmed,
• withdrawn,
• replaced by a revised edition, or
• amended.
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PHOTOVOLTAIC DEVICES –
Part 2: Requirements for photovoltaic reference devices

1 Scope
This part of IEC 60904 gives requi
...