Photovoltaic (PV) module safety qualification - Part 2: Requirements for testing

IEC 61730-2:2016 provides the testing sequence intended to verify the safety of PV modules whose construction has been assessed by IEC 61730-1. The test sequence and pass criteria are designed to detect the potential breakdown of internal and external components of PV modules that would result in fire, electric shock, and/or personal injury. The standard defines the basic safety test requirements and additional tests that are a function of the PV module end-use applications. Test categories include general inspection, electrical shock hazard, fire hazard, mechanical stress, and environmental stress. This new edition includes the following significant technical changes with respect to the previous edition:
- the test sequences have been rearranged;
- various tests have been detailed or added.

Qualification pour la sûreté de fonctionnement des modules photovoltaïques (PV) - Partie 2: Exigences pour les essais

L'IEC 61730-2:2016 fournit la séquence d'essais destinée à vérifier la sûreté des modules PV dont la construction a été évaluée par l'IEC 61730-1. La séquence d'essais et les critères d'acceptation sont conçus pour détecter le claquage éventuel de composants internes et externes des modules PV, qui entraînerait des incendies, des chocs électriques et/ou des dommages corporels. La norme définit les exigences de base relatives aux essais de sécurité, ainsi que des essais supplémentaires qui sont fonction des applications finales du module PV. Les catégories d'essais incluent un contrôle général, les risques de chocs électriques, le risque de feu, les contraintes mécaniques et les contraintes environnementales. Cette nouvelle édition inclut les modifications techniques majeures suivantes par rapport à l'édition précédente:
- les séquences d'essai ont été réorganisées;
- certains essais ont été détaillés ou ajoutés.

General Information

Status
Published
Publication Date
17-Aug-2016
Drafting Committee
Current Stage
DELPUB - Deleted Publication
Start Date
12-Sep-2023
Completion Date
01-Mar-2019
Ref Project

Relations

Overview

IEC 61730-2:2016 - Photovoltaic (PV) module safety qualification, Part 2 - defines the testing requirements and sequence to verify the electrical and fire safety of PV modules whose construction has been assessed under IEC 61730-1. The standard’s test sequence and pass criteria are intended to detect potential breakdowns of internal and external components that could lead to fire, electric shock, or personal injury. Edition 2.0 (2016) rearranged several test sequences and added or detailed multiple tests to reflect updated safety priorities.

Key technical topics and requirements

  • Scope linkage: Applies where module construction has already been evaluated per IEC 61730-1; Part 2 provides the practical verification through testing.
  • Test categories:
    • General inspection (visual, markings, insulation thickness)
    • Electrical shock hazard (impulse voltage, dielectric withstand, wet leakage, accessibility)
    • Fire hazard (ignitability, flame propagation, fire tests)
    • Mechanical stress (static mechanical load, module breakage, screw and termination robustness)
    • Environmental stress (thermal cycling, humidity-freeze, damp heat, UV exposure, hot-spot endurance)
  • Application classes: Defines different end‑use categories (e.g., Class A, B, C) with associated test needs and severity levels.
  • Representative test procedures (described in standard): performance at STC, maximum power determination, bypass diode tests, ground continuity/equipotential bonding, impulse voltage, peel and lap-shear adhesion, robustness of terminations, and environmental conditioning.
  • Pass criteria & sampling: Specifies sampling plans, sequence of stress tests, final measurements and clear pass/fail criteria for safety-relevant failures.

Practical applications - who uses IEC 61730-2

  • PV module manufacturers - to design and qualify modules for safe field operation and to prepare product test plans.
  • Independent test laboratories - to perform standardized safety tests and generate compliance reports.
  • Certification bodies and regulators - to assess conformity for market access and safety approvals.
  • System integrators, installers and safety engineers - to understand module safety limits and to specify products for projects requiring certified safety performance.
  • R&D teams - for root-cause analysis of failures and improving module durability and safety.

Related standards

  • IEC 61730-1 - Construction requirements (complements Part 2)
  • IEC 61215 - (commonly used for PV design qualification/testing - see national/funder requirements for applicability)

By following IEC 61730-2:2016, stakeholders ensure PV modules are tested against recognized safety hazards - improving fire and shock protection and supporting reliable, certifiable photovoltaic deployments.

Standard
IEC 61730-2:2016 RLV - Photovoltaic (PV) module safety qualification - Part 2: Requirements for testing Released:8/18/2016 Isbn:9782832236048
English language
286 pages
sale 15% off
Preview
sale 15% off
Preview
Standard
IEC 61730-2:2016 - Photovoltaic (PV) module safety qualification - Part 2: Requirements for testing
English and French language
114 pages
sale 15% off
Preview
sale 15% off
Preview

Frequently Asked Questions

IEC 61730-2:2016 is a standard published by the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC). Its full title is "Photovoltaic (PV) module safety qualification - Part 2: Requirements for testing". This standard covers: IEC 61730-2:2016 provides the testing sequence intended to verify the safety of PV modules whose construction has been assessed by IEC 61730-1. The test sequence and pass criteria are designed to detect the potential breakdown of internal and external components of PV modules that would result in fire, electric shock, and/or personal injury. The standard defines the basic safety test requirements and additional tests that are a function of the PV module end-use applications. Test categories include general inspection, electrical shock hazard, fire hazard, mechanical stress, and environmental stress. This new edition includes the following significant technical changes with respect to the previous edition: - the test sequences have been rearranged; - various tests have been detailed or added.

IEC 61730-2:2016 provides the testing sequence intended to verify the safety of PV modules whose construction has been assessed by IEC 61730-1. The test sequence and pass criteria are designed to detect the potential breakdown of internal and external components of PV modules that would result in fire, electric shock, and/or personal injury. The standard defines the basic safety test requirements and additional tests that are a function of the PV module end-use applications. Test categories include general inspection, electrical shock hazard, fire hazard, mechanical stress, and environmental stress. This new edition includes the following significant technical changes with respect to the previous edition: - the test sequences have been rearranged; - various tests have been detailed or added.

IEC 61730-2:2016 is classified under the following ICS (International Classification for Standards) categories: 27.160 - Solar energy engineering. The ICS classification helps identify the subject area and facilitates finding related standards.

IEC 61730-2:2016 has the following relationships with other standards: It is inter standard links to IEC 61730-2:2004, IEC 61730-2:2004/AMD1:2011, IEC 61730-2:2023. Understanding these relationships helps ensure you are using the most current and applicable version of the standard.

You can purchase IEC 61730-2:2016 directly from iTeh Standards. The document is available in PDF format and is delivered instantly after payment. Add the standard to your cart and complete the secure checkout process. iTeh Standards is an authorized distributor of IEC standards.

Standards Content (Sample)


IEC 61730-2 ®
Edition 2.0 2016-08
REDLINE VERSION
INTERNATIONAL
STANDARD
colour
inside
Photovoltaic (PV) module safety qualification –
Part 2: Requirements for testing

All rights reserved. Unless otherwise specified, no part of this publication may be reproduced or utilized in any form

or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying and microfilm, without permission in writing from

either IEC or IEC's member National Committee in the country of the requester. If you have any questions about IEC
copyright or have an enquiry about obtaining additional rights to this publication, please contact the address below or

your local IEC member National Committee for further information.

IEC Central Office Tel.: +41 22 919 02 11
3, rue de Varembé Fax: +41 22 919 03 00

CH-1211 Geneva 20 info@iec.ch
Switzerland www.iec.ch
About the IEC
The International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) is the leading global organization that prepares and publishes
International Standards for all electrical, electronic and related technologies.

About IEC publications
The technical content of IEC publications is kept under constant review by the IEC. Please make sure that you have the
latest edition, a corrigenda or an amendment might have been published.

IEC Catalogue - webstore.iec.ch/catalogue Electropedia - www.electropedia.org
The stand-alone application for consulting the entire The world's leading online dictionary of electronic and
bibliographical information on IEC International Standards, electrical terms containing 20 000 terms and definitions in
Technical Specifications, Technical Reports and other English and French, with equivalent terms in 15 additional
documents. Available for PC, Mac OS, Android Tablets and languages. Also known as the International Electrotechnical
iPad. Vocabulary (IEV) online.

IEC publications search - www.iec.ch/searchpub IEC Glossary - std.iec.ch/glossary
The advanced search enables to find IEC publications by a 65 000 electrotechnical terminology entries in English and
variety of criteria (reference number, text, technical French extracted from the Terms and Definitions clause of
committee,…). It also gives information on projects, replaced IEC publications issued since 2002. Some entries have been
and withdrawn publications. collected from earlier publications of IEC TC 37, 77, 86 and

CISPR.
IEC Just Published - webstore.iec.ch/justpublished
Stay up to date on all new IEC publications. Just Published IEC Customer Service Centre - webstore.iec.ch/csc
details all new publications released. Available online and If you wish to give us your feedback on this publication or
also once a month by email. need further assistance, please contact the Customer Service
Centre: csc@iec.ch.
IEC 61730-2 ®
Edition 2.0 2016-08
REDLINE VERSION
INTERNATIONAL
STANDARD
colour
inside
Photovoltaic (PV) module safety qualification –

Part 2: Requirements for testing

INTERNATIONAL
ELECTROTECHNICAL
COMMISSION
ICS 27.160 ISBN 978-2-8322-3604-8

– 2 – IEC 61730-2:2016 RLV © IEC 2016

CONTENTS
FOREWORD. 6

1 Scope and object . 9

2 Normative references . 9

3 Application classes .

3.1 General .

3.2 Class A: General access, hazardous voltage, hazardous power applications .

3.3 Class B: Restricted access, hazardous voltage, hazardous power

applications .
3.4 Class C: Limited voltage, limited power applications .
3 Terms and definitions . 12
4 Test categories . 12
4.1 General . 12
4.2 Preconditioning Environmental stress tests . 12
4.3 General inspection . 13
4.4 Electrical shock hazard tests . 13
4.5 Fire hazard tests . 13
4.6 Mechanical stress tests . 14
4.7 Component tests .
5 Application Classes and their necessary test procedures . 14
6 Sampling . 16
7 Test report . 16
8 Testing . 17
9 Pass criteria . 20
10 Test procedures . 20
10.1 General . 20
10.2 Visual inspection MST 01 . 20
10.2.1 Purpose . 20
10.2.2 Procedure . 20
10.2.3 Pass criteria . 20
10.3 Performance at STC MST 02 . 22
10.3.1 Purpose . 22

10.3.2 Procedure . 22
10.3.3 Pass criteria . 22
10.4 Maximum power determination MST 03 . 22
10.4.1 Purpose . 22
10.4.2 Procedure . 23
10.4.3 Pass criteria . 23
10.5 Insulation thickness test MST 04 . 23
10.5.1 Purpose . 23
10.5.2 Procedure . 23
10.5.3 Pass criteria . 23
10.6 Durability of markings MST 05 . 24
10.7 Sharp edge test MST 06 . 24
10.8 Bypass diode functionality test MST 07 . 24
10.9 Accessibility test MST 11 . 24

10.9.1 Purpose . 24

10.9.2 Apparatus . 24

10.9.3 Procedure . 24

10.9.4 Final measurements . 25

10.9.5 Pass criteria . 25

10.10 Cut susceptibility test MST 12 . 25

10.10.1 Purpose . 25

10.10.2 Apparatus . 25

10.10.3 Procedure . 25

10.10.4 Final measurements . 25

10.10.5 Pass criteria . 26
10.11 Ground Continuity test of equipotential bonding MST 13 . 27
10.11.1 Purpose . 27
10.11.2 Apparatus . 28
10.11.3 Procedure . 28
10.11.4 Final measurements . 28
10.11.5 Pass criteria . 28
10.12 Impulse voltage test MST 14 . 28
10.12.1 Purpose . 28
10.12.2 Apparatus . 28
10.12.3 Procedure . 29
10.12.4 Final measurement . 30
10.12.5 Pass criteria . 30
10.13 Dielectric withstand Insulation test MST 16 . 31
10.13.1 Purpose . 31
10.13.2 Procedure . 31
10.13.3 Pass criteria . 31
10.14 Wet leakage current test MST 17 . 31
10.15 Temperature test MST 21 . 31
10.15.1 Purpose . 31
10.15.2 Outdoor method . 33
10.15.3 Solar simulator method . 35
10.15.4 Pass criteria . 36
10.16 Hot-spot endurance test MST 22 . 36
10.17 Fire test MST 23 . 36

10.17.1 Purpose . 36
10.18 Ignitability test MST 24 . 37
10.18.1 Purpose . 37
10.18.2 Apparatus . 38
10.18.3 Test specimen . 38
10.18.4 Conditioning . 39
10.18.5 Procedure . 39
10.18.6 Duration of test . 40
10.18.7 Observations . 40
10.18.8 Pass criteria . 40
10.19 Bypass diode thermal test MST 25 . 40
10.20 Reverse current overload test MST 26 . 40
10.20.1 Purpose . 40
10.20.2 Procedure . 41

– 4 – IEC 61730-2:2016 RLV © IEC 2016

10.20.3 Pass criteria . 41

10.21 Module breakage test MST 32 . 42

10.21.1 Purpose . 42

10.21.2 Apparatus . 42

10.21.3 Procedure . 42

10.21.4 Pass criteria . 43

10.22 Screw connections test MST 33 . 49

10.22.1 Test for general screw connections MST 33a . 49

10.22.2 Test for locking screws MST 33b . 50

10.23 Static mechanical load test MST 34 . 51

10.24 Peel test MST 35 . 51
10.24.1 Purpose . 51
10.24.2 Sample requirements . 51
10.24.3 Apparatus . 52
10.24.4 Procedure . 52
10.24.5 Pass criteria . 54
10.25 Lap shear strength test MST 36 . 55
10.25.1 Purpose . 55
10.25.2 Test samples . 55
10.25.3 Apparatus . 56
10.25.4 Procedure . 56
10.25.5 Pass criteria . 57
10.26 Materials creep test MST 37 . 58
10.26.1 Purpose . 58
10.26.2 Apparatus . 58
10.26.3 Procedure . 58
10.26.4 Final measurements . 58
10.26.5 Pass criteria . 58
10.27 Robustness of terminations test MST 42 . 58
10.28 Thermal cycling test MST 51 . 59
10.29 Humidity freeze test MST 52 . 59
10.30 Damp heat test MST 53 . 59
10.31 UV test MST 54 . 59
10.32 Cold conditioning MST 55 . 59
10.32.1 Purpose . 59

10.32.2 Apparatus . 59
10.32.3 Procedure . 59
10.32.4 Pass criteria . 60
10.33 Dry heat conditioning MST 56 . 60
10.33.1 Purpose . 60
10.33.2 Apparatus . 60
10.33.3 Procedure . 60
10.33.4 Pass criteria . 60
11 Component tests .
11.1 Partial discharge-test MST 15 .
11.2 Conduit bending test MST 33 .
11.3 Terminal box knockout tests MST 44 .
Annex A (informative) Recommendations for testing of PV modules from production . 61
A.1 General . 61

A.2 Module output power . 61

A.3 Wet insulation test . 61

A.4 Visual inspection . 62

A.5 Bypass diodes . 62

A.6 Continuity test of equipotential bonding . 62

Annex B (normative informative) Fire tests, spread-of-flame and burning-brand tests

for PV modules . 63

B.1 General . 68

B.2 Fire test for PV modules based on ENV 1187. 68

B.2.1 General . 68

B.2.2 External fire exposure to roofs . 68
B.2.3 Classification according to ISO 13501-5 . 69
B.3 Fire test for PV modules based on ANSI/UL 1703 . 70
Bibliography .

Figure 1 – Test sequences . 19
Figure 2 – Assessment of bubbles in edge seals for cemented joints . 22
Figure 3 – Cut susceptibility test . 27
Figure 4 – Waveform of the impulse voltage following IEC 60060-1 . 29
Figure 5 – Impactor . 44
Figure 6 – Impact test frame 1 . 45
Figure 7 – Test fixture assembly .
Figure 7 – Impact test frame 2 . 46
Figure 8 – Sample preparation of cemented joints ≤ 10 mm using a release sheet . 52
Figure 9 – PV module with positions for peel samples on frontsheet or backsheet . 53
Figure 10 – Typical peel-off measurement curves . 54
Figure 11 – Lap shear test sample for proving cemented joint . 56
Figure 12 – Lap-shear test flow . 57
Figure A.1 – Test apparatus for fire test .
Figure A.2 – Burning brand construction .
Figure B.1 – Example of test set-up for fire test . 69

Table 1 – Preconditioning Environmental stress tests . 12
Table 2 – General inspection test. 13
Table 3 – Electrical shock hazard tests . 13
Table 4 – Fire hazard tests . 14
Table 5 – Mechanical stress tests . 14
Table 6 – Component tests .
Table 6 – Required tests, depending on the application Class. 15
Table 7 – Torque tests on screws per IEC 60598-1:2014, Table 4.1 . 50
Table 8 – Impulse voltage versus maximum system voltage .
Table 9 – Component temperature limits .
Table 10 – Bending loads .

– 6 – IEC 61730-2:2016 RLV © IEC 2016

INTERNATIONAL ELECTROTECHNICAL COMMISSION

____________
PHOTOVOLTAIC (PV) MODULE SAFETY QUALIFICATION –

Part 2: Requirements for testing

FOREWORD
1) The International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) is a worldwide organization for standardization comprising
all national electrotechnical committees (IEC National Committees). The object of IEC is to promote
international co-operation on all questions concerning standardization in the electrical and electronic fields. To
this end and in addition to other activities, IEC publishes International Standards, Technical Specifications,
Technical Reports, Publicly Available Specifications (PAS) and Guides (hereafter referred to as “IEC
Publication(s)”). Their preparation is entrusted to technical committees; any IEC National Committee interested
in the subject dealt with may participate in this preparatory work. International, governmental and non-
governmental organizations liaising with the IEC also participate in this preparation. IEC collaborates closely
with the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) in accordance with conditions determined by
agreement between the two organizations.
2) The formal decisions or agreements of IEC on technical matters express, as nearly as possible, an international
consensus of opinion on the relevant subjects since each technical committee has representation from all
interested IEC National Committees.
3) IEC Publications have the form of recommendations for international use and are accepted by IEC National
Committees in that sense. While all reasonable efforts are made to ensure that the technical content of IEC
Publications is accurate, IEC cannot be held responsible for the way in which they are used or for any
misinterpretation by any end user.
4) In order to promote international uniformity, IEC National Committees undertake to apply IEC Publications
transparently to the maximum extent possible in their national and regional publications. Any divergence
between any IEC Publication and the corresponding national or regional publication shall be clearly indicated in
the latter.
5) IEC itself does not provide any attestation of conformity. Independent certification bodies provide conformity
assessment services and, in some areas, access to IEC marks of conformity. IEC is not responsible for any
services carried out by independent certification bodies.
6) All users should ensure that they have the latest edition of this publication.
7) No liability shall attach to IEC or its directors, employees, servants or agents including individual experts and
members of its technical committees and IEC National Committees for any personal injury, property damage or
other damage of any nature whatsoever, whether direct or indirect, or for costs (including legal fees) and
expenses arising out of the publication, use of, or reliance upon, this IEC Publication or any other IEC
Publications.
8) Attention is drawn to the Normative references cited in this publication. Use of the referenced publications is
indispensable for the correct application of this publication.
9) Attention is drawn to the possibility that some of the elements of this IEC Publication may be the subject of
patent rights. IEC shall not be held responsible for identifying any or all such patent rights.

This redline version of the official IEC Standard allows the user to identify the changes
made to the previous edition. A vertical bar appears in the margin wherever a change
has been made. Additions are in green text, deletions are in strikethrough red text.

International Standard IEC 61730-2 has been prepared by IEC technical committee 82: Solar
photovoltaic energy systems.
This second edition cancels and replaces the first edition of IEC 61730-2, issued in 2004 and
its amendment 1 (2011), and constitutes a technical revision.

This edition includes the following significant technical changes with respect to the previous
edition:
a) Rearrange test sequences.
b) MST 01: Visual inspection: added nameplate requirement and modified pass criteria.

c) Added sharp edge test MST 06.
d) Added insulation thickness test MST 04.
e) MST 11: Accessibility test: defined force for test finger.
f) MST 12: Cut susceptibility test: defined blade radius for cut test.
g) MST 14: removed preconditioning requirement TC200 from Figure 1.
h) MST 15: Partial discharge test removed.
i) Renamed dielectric breakdown test MST 16 to insulation test.
j) MST 21: Temperature test: rewritten test procedure; removed short circuit mode; allow
alternative indoor test method.
k) MST 23: Fire test: subclause rewritten; fire test requirements related to national building
codes; moved optional test description to informative annex.
l) Added ignitability test MST 24.
m) MST 26: Reverse current overload test: changed specification of wooden board.
n) MST 32: Module breakage test: defined new dimensions of impactor to allow other filling
compounds; consider variety of mounting techniques for glass breakage test; reduced
impact height to only 300 mm; corrected diameter of opening according to referenced
2 2
standard (65 cm instead of 6,5 cm ).
o) Added screw connection test MST 33.
p) Added peel test MST 35 for proof of cemented joints.
q) Added lap shear strength test MST 36 for proof of cemented joints.
r) Added materials creep test MST 37.
s) Added PV module test sequence with moisture and UV to stress polymers to Figure 1. The
new UV sequence was added as a response to the Kyoto meeting, where it was decided to
add a coupon test and a PV module test sequence. As it is not possible to perform the

ISO UV test on PV modules (no affordable equipment available) it was decided to rely on
already available PV module test equipment. R&D work has shown that cycling UV and HF
are best to age polymers in PV modules.
t) Added new sequence for Pollution Degree (PD) testing (sequence B1).
u) Added annex: Recommendations for testing of PV modules from production.
The text of this standard is based on the following documents:
FDIS Report on voting
82/1129/FDIS 82/1147/RVD
Full information on the voting for the approval of this standard can be found in the report on
voting indicated in the above table.

– 8 – IEC 61730-2:2016 RLV © IEC 2016

This publication has been drafted in accordance with the ISO/IEC Directives, Part 2.

The committee has decided that the contents of this publication will remain unchanged until
the stability date indicated on the IEC website under "http://webstore.iec.ch" in the data
related to the specific publication. At this date, the publication will be

• reconfirmed,
• withdrawn,
• replaced by a revised edition, or

• amended.
IMPORTANT – The 'colour inside' logo on the cover page of this publication indicates
that it contains colours which are considered to be useful for the correct
understanding of its contents. Users should therefore print this document using a
colour printer.
PHOTOVOLTAIC (PV) MODULE SAFETY QUALIFICATION –

Part 2: Requirements for testing

1 Scope and object
This part of IEC 61730 describes the testing requirements for photovoltaic (PV) modules in

order to provide safe electrical and mechanical operation during their expected lifetime.
Specific topics are provided to assess the prevention of electrical shock, fire hazards, and
personal injury due to mechanical and environmental stresses. IEC 61730-1 pertains to the
particular requirements of construction. This part of IEC 61730 outlines the requirements of
testing.
This standard attempts to define the basic requirements for various application classes of
photovoltaic modules, but it cannot be considered to encompass all national or regional
building codes. The specific requirements for marine and vehicle applications are not covered.
This standard is not applicable to modules with integrated AC inverters (AC modules).
This standard is designed so that its test sequence can co-ordinate with those of IEC 61215
or IEC 61646, so that a single set of samples may be used to perform both the safety and
performance evaluation of a photovoltaic module design.
The test-sequences of this standard are arranged in an optimal way so that tests of
IEC 61215 or IEC 61646 can be used as basic preconditioning tests.
The scope of IEC 61730-1 is also applicable to this part of IEC 61730. While IEC 61730-1
outlines the requirements of construction, this part of the standard lists the tests a PV module
is required to fulfill for safety qualification. IEC 61730-2 is applied for safety qualification only
in conjunction with IEC 61730-1.
NOTE 1 The sequence of tests required in this standard may not test for all possible safety
aspects associated with the use of PV modules in all possible applications. This standard
utilizes the best sequence of tests available at the time of its writing. There are some issues –
such as the potential danger of electric shock posed by a broken PV module in a high voltage
system – that should be addressed by the systems design, location, restrictions on access
and maintenance procedures.
The objective of this standard is to provide the testing sequence intended to verify the safety

of PV modules whose construction has been assessed by IEC 61730-1. The test sequence
and pass criteria are designed to detect the potential breakdown of internal and external
components of PV modules that would result in fire, electric shock, and/or personal injury.
The standard defines the basic safety test requirements and additional tests that are a
function of the PV module end-use applications. Test categories include general inspection,
electrical shock hazard, fire hazard, mechanical stress, and environmental stress.
NOTE 2 The additional testing requirements outlined in relevant ISO standards, or the national
or local codes which govern the installation and use of these PV modules in their intended
locations, should be considered in addition to the requirements contained within this standard.
2 Normative references
The following documents, in whole or in part, are normatively referenced in this document and
are indispensable for its application. For dated references, only the edition cited applies. For

– 10 – IEC 61730-2:2016 RLV © IEC 2016

undated references, the latest edition of the referenced document (including any

amendments) applies.
IEC 60060-1, High-voltage test techniques – Part 1: General definitions and test requirements

IEC 60068-1, Environmental testing – Part1: General and guidance

IEC 60068-2-1, Environmental testing – Part 2-1: Tests – Test A: Cold

IEC 60410, Sampling plans and procedures for inspection by attributes

IEC 60068-2-2, Environmental testing – Part 2-2: Tests – Test B: Dry heat
IEC 60068-3-5, Environmental testing – Part 3-5: Supporting documentation and guidance;
Confirmation of the performance of temperature chambers
IEC 60598-1:2014, Luminaires – Part 1: General requirements and tests
IEC 60664-1:1992 2007, Insulation co-ordination for equipment within low-voltage systems –
Part 1: Principles, requirements and tests
Amendment 2 (2002)
IEC 60695-2-10, Fire hazard testing – Part 2-10: Glowing/hot-wire based test methods –
Glow-wire apparatus and common test procedure
IEC 60904-2, Photovoltaic devices – Part 2: Requirements for photovoltaic reference solar
cells devices
IEC 60904-6, Photovoltaic devices – Part 6: Requirements for reference solar modules
IEC 60904-9, Photovoltaic devices – Part 9: Solar simulator performance requirements
IEC 60950-1:2005, Information technology equipment – Safety – Part 1: General requirements
IEC 61010-1, Safety requirements for electrical equipment for measurement, control and
laboratory use – Part 1: General requirements
IEC 61032:1997, Protection of persons and equipment by enclosures – Probes for verification

IEC 61140, Protection against electric shock – Common aspects for installation and
equipment
IEC 61215:2004 (all parts), Crystalline silicon Terrestrial photovoltaic (PV) modules – Design
qualification and type approval
IEC 61215-2, Terrestrial photovoltaic (PV) modules – Design qualification and type approval –
Part 2: Test procedures
IEC 61646:1996, Thin-film Terrestrial photovoltaic (PV) modules – Design qualification and
type approval
IEC 61730-1:2004 2016, Photovoltaic (PV) module safety qualification – Part 1: Requirements
for construction
IEC 62790, Junction boxes for photovoltaic modules – Safety requirements and tests

ISO/IEC 17025, General requirements for the competence of testing and calibration

laboratories
ISO 813, Rubber, vulcanized or thermoplastic – Determination of adhesion to a rigid substrate

– 90 degree peel method
ISO 4046-4, Paper, board, pulps and related terms – Vocabulary – Part 4: Paper and board

grades and converted products
ISO 4587:2003, Adhesives – Determination of tensile lap-shear strength of rigid-to-rigid

bonded assemblies
ISO 5893, Rubber and plastics test equipment – Tensile, flexural and compression types
(constant rate of traverse) – Specification
ISO 8124-1, Safety of toys – Part 1: Safety aspects related to mechanical and physical
properties
ISO 11925-2:2010, Reaction to fire tests – Ignitability of products subjected to direct
impingement of flame – Part 2: Single-flame source test
ISO 23529, Rubber – General procedures for preparing and conditioning test pieces for
physical test methods
ANSI/UL 514C, Non-metallic outlet boxes, flush device boxes and covers
ANSI/UL 790, Tests for Fire Resistance of Roof Covering Materials
ANSI/UL 1703, Flat – Plate Photovoltaic Modules and Panels
ANSI Z97.1:2009, American National Standard – Safety Glazing Materials Used in Buildings
– Safety Performance Specifications and Methods of Test
ANSI/UL 1703:2015, Flat-plate photovoltaic modules and panels
3 Application classes
3.1 General
Photovoltaic modules may be installed in many different applications. Therefore, it is
important to evaluate the potential hazards associated with those applications and to evaluate
the construction of the module accordingly.
Relevant safety requirements and necessary tests shall be performed to verify the
conformance to the requirements of that application class. This clause defines those
application classes and construction qualities required for each class.
Application classes for PV-modules are defined as follows:
3.2 Class A: General access, hazardous voltage, hazardous power applications
Modules rated for use in this application class may be used in systems operating at greater
than 50 V DC or 240 W, where general contact access is anticipated. Modules qualified for
safety through IEC 61730-1 and this part of IEC 61730 within this application class are
considered to meet the requirements for safety class II.

– 12 – IEC 61730-2:2016 RLV © IEC 2016

3.3 Class B: Restricted access, hazardous voltage, hazardous power applications

Modules rated for use in this application class are restricted to systems protected from public

access by fences, location, etc. Modules evaluated within this application class provide

protection by basic insulation, are considered to meet the requirements for safety class 0.

3.4 Class C: Limited voltage, limited power applications

Modules rated for use in this application class are restricted to systems operating at less than

50 V DC and 240 W, where general contact access is anticipated. Modules qualified for safety

through IEC 61730-1 and this part of IEC 61730 within this application class are considered to

meet the requirements for safety class III.

NOTE Safety classes are defined within IEC 61140.
3 Terms and definitions
The Clause of Part 1 applies.
4 Test categories
4.1 General
The hazards described in the following subclause might influence the lifetime and the safety
of PV modules. In accordance with these hazards, test procedures and criteria are described.
The specific tests to which a PV module will be subjected will depend on the end-use
application for which the minimum tests are specified in Clause 5.
NOTE PV module safety tests are labelled MST.
Tables 1 to 5 show the origin of the required tests. For some tests the third column lists the
origin of the tests for information only; the appropriate test requirements are given in 10.1
through 10.32. The rest of the other tests are based on or are identical to the module
qualification tests MQT defined in the IEC 61215 series/IEC 61646. References to the
relevant Clauses tests are given in the last two columns. Some of the IEC 61215/IEC 61646-
based tests were modified for IEC 61730-2 and are included in 10.1 through 10.32.
4.2 Preconditioning Environmental stress tests
Table 1 – Preconditioning Environmental stress tests

Test Title Referenced According to Based on
standards
IEC 61215-2 IEC 61646
MST 51 Thermal cycling (TC50 or TC200) – 10.11 MQT 11 10.11
MST 52 Humidity freeze (HF10) – 10.12 MQT 12 10.12
MST 53 Damp heat (DH1000) – 10.13 MQT 13 10.13
MST 54 UV preconditioning test – 10.10 MQT 10 10.10
MST 55 Cold conditioning IEC 60068-2-1 –
MST 56 Dry hot conditioning IEC 60068-2-2 –

4.3 General inspection
Table 2 – General inspection test

Test Title Referenced According to Based on
standards
IEC 61215-2 IEC 61646
MST 01 Visual inspection – 10.1 MQT 01 10.1

MST 02 Performance at STC – MQT 6.1

MST 03 Maximum power determination – MQT 02

MST 04 Insulation thickness – –

MST 05 Durability of markings IEC 60950-1 –
MST 06 Sharp edge test ISO 8124-1 –
MST 07 Bypass diod
...


IEC 61730-2 ®
Edition 2.0 2016-08
INTERNATIONAL
STANDARD
NORME
INTERNATIONALE
colour
inside
Photovoltaic (PV) module safety qualification –
Part 2: Requirements for testing

Qualification pour la sûreté de fonctionnement des modules photovoltaïques
(PV) –
Partie 2: Exigences pour les essais

All rights reserved. Unless otherwise specified, no part of this publication may be reproduced or utilized in any form
or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying and microfilm, without permission in writing from
either IEC or IEC's member National Committee in the country of the requester. If you have any questions about IEC
copyright or have an enquiry about obtaining additional rights to this publication, please contact the address below or
your local IEC member National Committee for further information.

Droits de reproduction réservés. Sauf indication contraire, aucune partie de cette publication ne peut être reproduite
ni utilisée sous quelque forme que ce soit et par aucun procédé, électronique ou mécanique, y compris la photocopie
et les microfilms, sans l'accord écrit de l'IEC ou du Comité national de l'IEC du pays du demandeur. Si vous avez des
questions sur le copyright de l'IEC ou si vous désirez obtenir des droits supplémentaires sur cette publication, utilisez
les coordonnées ci-après ou contactez le Comité national de l'IEC de votre pays de résidence.

IEC Central Office Tel.: +41 22 919 02 11
3, rue de Varembé Fax: +41 22 919 03 00
CH-1211 Geneva 20 info@iec.ch
Switzerland www.iec.ch
About the IEC
The International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) is the leading global organization that prepares and publishes
International Standards for all electrical, electronic and related technologies.

About IEC publications
The technical content of IEC publications is kept under constant review by the IEC. Please make sure that you have the
latest edition, a corrigenda or an amendment might have been published.

IEC Catalogue - webstore.iec.ch/catalogue Electropedia - www.electropedia.org
The stand-alone application for consulting the entire The world's leading online dictionary of electronic and
bibliographical information on IEC International Standards, electrical terms containing 20 000 terms and definitions in
Technical Specifications, Technical Reports and other English and French, with equivalent terms in 15 additional
documents. Available for PC, Mac OS, Android Tablets and languages. Also known as the International Electrotechnical
iPad. Vocabulary (IEV) online.

IEC publications search - www.iec.ch/searchpub IEC Glossary - std.iec.ch/glossary
The advanced search enables to find IEC publications by a 65 000 electrotechnical terminology entries in English and
variety of criteria (reference number, text, technical French extracted from the Terms and Definitions clause of
committee,…). It also gives information on projects, replaced IEC publications issued since 2002. Some entries have been
and withdrawn publications. collected from earlier publications of IEC TC 37, 77, 86 and

CISPR.
IEC Just Published - webstore.iec.ch/justpublished

Stay up to date on all new IEC publications. Just Published IEC Customer Service Centre - webstore.iec.ch/csc
details all new publications released. Available online and If you wish to give us your feedback on this publication or
also once a month by email. need further assistance, please contact the Customer Service
Centre: csc@iec.ch.
A propos de l'IEC
La Commission Electrotechnique Internationale (IEC) est la première organisation mondiale qui élabore et publie des
Normes internationales pour tout ce qui a trait à l'électricité, à l'électronique et aux technologies apparentées.

A propos des publications IEC
Le contenu technique des publications IEC est constamment revu. Veuillez vous assurer que vous possédez l’édition la
plus récente, un corrigendum ou amendement peut avoir été publié.

Catalogue IEC - webstore.iec.ch/catalogue Electropedia - www.electropedia.org
Application autonome pour consulter tous les renseignements
Le premier dictionnaire en ligne de termes électroniques et
bibliographiques sur les Normes internationales,
électriques. Il contient 20 000 termes et définitions en anglais
Spécifications techniques, Rapports techniques et autres
et en français, ainsi que les termes équivalents dans 15
documents de l'IEC. Disponible pour PC, Mac OS, tablettes
langues additionnelles. Egalement appelé Vocabulaire
Android et iPad.
Electrotechnique International (IEV) en ligne.

Recherche de publications IEC - www.iec.ch/searchpub
Glossaire IEC - std.iec.ch/glossary
La recherche avancée permet de trouver des publications IEC 65 000 entrées terminologiques électrotechniques, en anglais
en utilisant différents critères (numéro de référence, texte, et en français, extraites des articles Termes et Définitions des
comité d’études,…). Elle donne aussi des informations sur les publications IEC parues depuis 2002. Plus certaines entrées
projets et les publications remplacées ou retirées. antérieures extraites des publications des CE 37, 77, 86 et

CISPR de l'IEC.
IEC Just Published - webstore.iec.ch/justpublished

Service Clients - webstore.iec.ch/csc
Restez informé sur les nouvelles publications IEC. Just
Published détaille les nouvelles publications parues. Si vous désirez nous donner des commentaires sur cette
Disponible en ligne et aussi une fois par mois par email. publication ou si vous avez des questions contactez-nous:
csc@iec.ch.
IEC 61730-2 ®
Edition 2.0 2016-08
INTERNATIONAL
STANDARD
NORME
INTERNATIONALE
colour
inside
Photovoltaic (PV) module safety qualification –

Part 2: Requirements for testing

Qualification pour la sûreté de fonctionnement des modules photovoltaïques

(PV) –
Partie 2: Exigences pour les essais

INTERNATIONAL
ELECTROTECHNICAL
COMMISSION
COMMISSION
ELECTROTECHNIQUE
INTERNATIONALE
ICS 27.160 ISBN 978-2-8322-3575-1

– 2 – IEC 61730-2:2016 © IEC 2016
CONTENTS
FOREWORD. 6
1 Scope . 8
2 Normative references . 8
3 Terms and definitions . 10
4 Test categories . 10
4.1 General . 10
4.2 Environmental stress tests . 10
4.3 General inspection . 10
4.4 Electrical shock hazard tests . 11
4.5 Fire hazard tests . 11
4.6 Mechanical stress tests . 11
5 Classes and their necessary test procedures . 12
6 Sampling . 14
7 Test report . 14
8 Testing . 15
9 Pass criteria . 17
10 Test procedures . 17
10.1 General . 17
10.2 Visual inspection MST 01 . 17
10.2.1 Purpose . 17
10.2.2 Procedure . 17
10.2.3 Pass criteria . 17
10.3 Performance at STC MST 02 . 19
10.3.1 Purpose . 19
10.3.2 Procedure . 19
10.3.3 Pass criteria . 19
10.4 Maximum power determination MST 03 . 19
10.4.1 Purpose . 19
10.4.2 Procedure . 19
10.4.3 Pass criteria . 19
10.5 Insulation thickness test MST 04 . 19
10.5.1 Purpose . 19
10.5.2 Procedure . 20
10.5.3 Pass criteria . 20
10.6 Durability of markings MST 05 . 20
10.7 Sharp edge test MST 06 . 20
10.8 Bypass diode functionality test MST 07 . 21
10.9 Accessibility test MST 11 . 21
10.9.1 Purpose . 21
10.9.2 Apparatus . 21
10.9.3 Procedure . 21
10.9.4 Final measurements . 21
10.9.5 Pass criteria . 21
10.10 Cut susceptibility test MST 12 . 21
10.10.1 Purpose . 21
10.10.2 Apparatus . 22

10.10.3 Procedure . 22
10.10.4 Final measurements . 22
10.10.5 Pass criteria . 22
10.11 Continuity test of equipotential bonding MST 13 . 23
10.11.1 Purpose . 23
10.11.2 Apparatus . 23
10.11.3 Procedure . 24
10.11.4 Final measurements . 24
10.11.5 Pass criteria . 24
10.12 Impulse voltage test MST 14 . 24
10.12.1 Purpose . 24
10.12.2 Apparatus . 24
10.12.3 Procedure . 25
10.12.4 Final measurement . 26
10.12.5 Pass criteria . 26
10.13 Insulation test MST 16 . 26
10.13.1 Purpose . 26
10.13.2 Procedure . 26
10.13.3 Pass criteria . 26
10.14 Wet leakage current test MST 17 . 26
10.15 Temperature test MST 21 . 27
10.15.1 Purpose . 27
10.15.2 Outdoor method . 27
10.15.3 Solar simulator method . 28
10.15.4 Pass criteria . 30
10.16 Hot-spot endurance test MST 22 . 30
10.17 Fire test MST 23 . 30
10.17.1 Purpose . 30
10.18 Ignitability test MST 24 . 31
10.18.1 Purpose . 31
10.18.2 Apparatus . 31
10.18.3 Test specimen . 32
10.18.4 Conditioning . 32
10.18.5 Procedure . 32
10.18.6 Duration of test . 33
10.18.7 Observations . 33
10.18.8 Pass criteria . 33
10.19 Bypass diode thermal test MST 25 . 34
10.20 Reverse current overload test MST 26 . 34
10.20.1 Purpose . 34
10.20.2 Procedure . 34
10.20.3 Pass criteria . 34
10.21 Module breakage test MST 32 . 35
10.21.1 Purpose . 35
10.21.2 Apparatus . 35
10.21.3 Procedure . 35
10.21.4 Pass criteria . 35
10.22 Screw connections test MST 33 . 38
10.22.1 Test for general screw connections MST 33a . 38

– 4 – IEC 61730-2:2016 © IEC 2016
10.22.2 Test for locking screws MST 33b . 40
10.23 Static mechanical load test MST 34 . 40
10.24 Peel test MST 35 . 40
10.24.1 Purpose . 40
10.24.2 Sample requirements . 40
10.24.3 Apparatus . 41
10.24.4 Procedure . 41
10.24.5 Pass criteria . 44
10.25 Lap shear strength test MST 36 . 44
10.25.1 Purpose . 44
10.25.2 Test samples . 44
10.25.3 Apparatus . 45
10.25.4 Procedure . 45
10.25.5 Pass criteria . 46
10.26 Materials creep test MST 37 . 47
10.26.1 Purpose . 47
10.26.2 Apparatus . 47
10.26.3 Procedure . 47
10.26.4 Final measurements . 47
10.26.5 Pass criteria . 47
10.27 Robustness of terminations test MST 42 . 47
10.28 Thermal cycling test MST 51 . 48
10.29 Humidity freeze test MST 52 . 48
10.30 Damp heat test MST 53 . 48
10.31 UV test MST 54 . 48
10.32 Cold conditioning MST 55 . 48
10.32.1 Purpose . 48
10.32.2 Apparatus . 48
10.32.3 Procedure . 48
10.32.4 Pass criteria . 49
10.33 Dry heat conditioning MST 56 . 49
10.33.1 Purpose . 49
10.33.2 Apparatus . 49
10.33.3 Procedure . 49
10.33.4 Pass criteria . 49
Annex A (informative) Recommendations for testing of PV modules from production . 50
A.1 General . 50
A.2 Module output power . 50
A.3 Wet insulation test . 50
A.4 Visual inspection . 51
A.5 Bypass diodes . 51
A.6 Continuity test of equipotential bonding . 51
Annex B (informative) Fire tests, spread-of-flame and burning-brand tests for PV
modules . 52
B.1 General . 52
B.2 Fire test for PV modules based on ENV 1187 . 52
B.2.1 General . 52
B.2.2 External fire exposure to roofs . 52
B.2.3 Classification according to ISO 13501-5 . 53

B.3 Fire test for PV modules based on ANSI/UL 1703 . 54

Figure 1 – Test sequences . 16
Figure 2 – Assessment of bubbles in edge seals for cemented joints. 18
Figure 3 – Cut susceptibility test . 23
Figure 4 – Waveform of the impulse voltage following IEC 60060-1 . 25
Figure 5 – Impactor . 36
Figure 6 – Impact test frame 1 . 37
Figure 7 – Impact test frame 2 . 38
Figure 8 – Sample preparation of cemented joints ≤ 10 mm using a release sheet . 41
Figure 9 – PV module with positions for peel samples on frontsheet or backsheet . 42
Figure 10 – Typical peel-off measurement curves . 43
Figure 11 – Lap shear test sample for proving cemented joint . 45
Figure 12 – Lap-shear test flow . 46
Figure B.1 – Example of test set-up for fire test . 53

Table 1 – Environmental stress tests . 10
Table 2 – General inspection test . 10
Table 3 – Electrical shock hazard tests . 11
Table 4 – Fire hazard tests . 11
Table 5 – Mechanical stress tests . 12
Table 6 – Required tests, depending on the Class . 13
Table 7 – Torque tests on screws per IEC 60598-1:2014, Table 4.1 . 39

– 6 – IEC 61730-2:2016 © IEC 2016
INTERNATIONAL ELECTROTECHNICAL COMMISSION
____________
PHOTOVOLTAIC (PV) MODULE SAFETY QUALIFICATION –

Part 2: Requirements for testing

FOREWORD
1) The International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) is a worldwide organization for standardization comprising
all national electrotechnical committees (IEC National Committees). The object of IEC is to promote
international co-operation on all questions concerning standardization in the electrical and electronic fields. To
this end and in addition to other activities, IEC publishes International Standards, Technical Specifications,
Technical Reports, Publicly Available Specifications (PAS) and Guides (hereafter referred to as “IEC
Publication(s)”). Their preparation is entrusted to technical committees; any IEC National Committee interested
in the subject dealt with may participate in this preparatory work. International, governmental and non-
governmental organizations liaising with the IEC also participate in this preparation. IEC collaborates closely
with the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) in accordance with conditions determined by
agreement between the two organizations.
2) The formal decisions or agreements of IEC on technical matters express, as nearly as possible, an international
consensus of opinion on the relevant subjects since each technical committee has representation from all
interested IEC National Committees.
3) IEC Publications have the form of recommendations for international use and are accepted by IEC National
Committees in that sense. While all reasonable efforts are made to ensure that the technical content of IEC
Publications is accurate, IEC cannot be held responsible for the way in which they are used or for any
misinterpretation by any end user.
4) In order to promote international uniformity, IEC National Committees undertake to apply IEC Publications
transparently to the maximum extent possible in their national and regional publications. Any divergence
between any IEC Publication and the corresponding national or regional publication shall be clearly indicated in
the latter.
5) IEC itself does not provide any attestation of conformity. Independent certification bodies provide conformity
assessment services and, in some areas, access to IEC marks of conformity. IEC is not responsible for any
services carried out by independent certification bodies.
6) All users should ensure that they have the latest edition of this publication.
7) No liability shall attach to IEC or its directors, employees, servants or agents including individual experts and
members of its technical committees and IEC National Committees for any personal injury, property damage or
other damage of any nature whatsoever, whether direct or indirect, or for costs (including legal fees) and
expenses arising out of the publication, use of, or reliance upon, this IEC Publication or any other IEC
Publications.
8) Attention is drawn to the Normative references cited in this publication. Use of the referenced publications is
indispensable for the correct application of this publication.
9) Attention is drawn to the possibility that some of the elements of this IEC Publication may be the subject of
patent rights. IEC shall not be held responsible for identifying any or all such patent rights.
International Standard IEC 61730-2 has been prepared by IEC technical committee 82: Solar
photovoltaic energy systems.
This second edition cancels and replaces the first edition of IEC 61730-2, issued in 2004 and
its amendment 1 (2011), and constitutes a technical revision.
This edition includes the following significant technical changes with respect to the previous
edition:
a) Rearrange test sequences.
b) MST 01: Visual inspection: added nameplate requirement and modified pass criteria.
c) Added sharp edge test MST 06.
d) Added insulation thickness test MST 04.
e) MST 11: Accessibility test: defined force for test finger.
f) MST 12: Cut susceptibility test: defined blade radius for cut test.

g) MST 14: removed preconditioning requirement TC200 from Figure 1.
h) MST 15: Partial discharge test removed.
i) Renamed dielectric breakdown test MST 16 to insulation test.
j) MST 21: Temperature test: rewritten test procedure; removed short circuit mode; allow
alternative indoor test method.
k) MST 23: Fire test: subclause rewritten; fire test requirements related to national building
codes; moved optional test description to informative annex.
l) Added ignitability test MST 24.
m) MST 26: Reverse current overload test: changed specification of wooden board.
n) MST 32: Module breakage test: defined new dimensions of impactor to allow other filling
compounds; consider variety of mounting techniques for glass breakage test; reduced
impact height to only 300 mm; corrected diameter of opening according to referenced
2 2
standard (65 cm instead of 6,5 cm ).
o) Added screw connection test MST 33.
p) Added peel test MST 35 for proof of cemented joints.
q) Added lap shear strength test MST 36 for proof of cemented joints.
r) Added materials creep test MST 37.
s) Added PV module test sequence with moisture and UV to stress polymers to Figure 1. The
new UV sequence was added as a response to the Kyoto meeting, where it was decided to
add a coupon test and a PV module test sequence. As it is not possible to perform the
ISO UV test on PV modules (no affordable equipment available) it was decided to rely on
already available PV module test equipment. R&D work has shown that cycling UV and HF
are best to age polymers in PV modules.
t) Added new sequence for Pollution Degree (PD) testing (sequence B1).
u) Added annex: Recommendations for testing of PV modules from production.
The text of this standard is based on the following documents:
FDIS Report on voting
82/1129/FDIS 82/1147/RVD
Full information on the voting for the approval of this standard can be found in the report on
voting indicated in the above table.
This publication has been drafted in accordance with the ISO/IEC Directives, Part 2.
The committee has decided that the contents of this publication will remain unchanged until
the stability date indicated on the IEC website under "http://webstore.iec.ch" in the data
related to the specific publication. At this date, the publication will be
• reconfirmed,
• withdrawn,
• replaced by a revised edition, or
• amended.
IMPORTANT – The 'colour inside' logo on the cover page of this publication indicates
that it contains colours which are considered to be useful for the correct
understanding of its contents. Users should therefore print this document using a
colour printer.
– 8 – IEC 61730-2:2016 © IEC 2016
PHOTOVOLTAIC (PV) MODULE SAFETY QUALIFICATION –

Part 2: Requirements for testing

1 Scope
The scope of IEC 61730-1 is also applicable to this part of IEC 61730. While IEC 61730-1
outlines the requirements of construction, this part of the standard lists the tests a PV module
is required to fulfill for safety qualification. IEC 61730-2 is applied for safety qualification only
in conjunction with IEC 61730-1.
The sequence of tests required in this standard may not test for all possible safety aspects
associated with the use of PV modules in all possible applications. This standard utilizes the
best sequence of tests available at the time of its writing. There are some issues – such as
the potential danger of electric shock posed by a broken PV module in a high voltage system
– that should be addressed by the system design, location, restrictions on access and
maintenance procedures.
The objective of this standard is to provide the testing sequence intended to verify the safety
of PV modules whose construction has been assessed by IEC 61730-1. The test sequence
and pass criteria are designed to detect the potential breakdown of internal and external
components of PV modules that would result in fire, electric shock, and/or personal injury.
The standard defines the basic safety test requirements and additional tests that are a
function of the PV module end-use applications. Test categories include general inspection,
electrical shock hazard, fire hazard, mechanical stress, and environmental stress.
The additional testing requirements outlined in relevant ISO standards, or the national or local
codes which govern the installation and use of these PV modules in their intended locations,
should be considered in addition to the requirements contained within this standard.
2 Normative references
The following documents, in whole or in part, are normatively referenced in this document and
are indispensable for its application. For dated references, only the edition cited applies. For
undated references, the latest edition of the referenced document (including any
amendments) applies.
IEC 60060-1, High-voltage test techniques – Part 1: General definitions and test requirements
IEC 60068-2-1, Environmental testing – Part 2-1: Tests – Test A: Cold
IEC 60068-2-2, Environmental testing – Part 2-2: Tests – Test B: Dry heat
IEC 60068-3-5, Environmental testing – Part 3-5: Supporting documentation and guidance;
Confirmation of the performance of temperature chambers
IEC 60598-1:2014, Luminaires – Part 1: General requirements and tests
IEC 60664-1:2007, Insulation co-ordination for equipment within low-voltage systems – Part 1:
Principles, requirements and tests
IEC 60695-2-10, Fire hazard testing – Part 2-10: Glowing/hot-wire based test methods –
Glow-wire apparatus and common test procedure

IEC 60904-2, Photovoltaic devices – Part 2: Requirements for photovoltaic reference devices
IEC 60904-9, Photovoltaic devices – Part 9: Solar simulator performance requirements
IEC 60950-1:2005, Information technology equipment – Safety – Part 1: General requirements
IEC 61010-1, Safety requirements for electrical equipment for measurement, control and
laboratory use – Part 1: General requirements
IEC 61032:1997, Protection of persons and equipment by enclosures – Probes for verification
IEC 61140, Protection against electric shock – Common aspects for installation and
equipment
IEC 61215 (all parts), Terrestrial photovoltaic (PV) modules – Design qualification and type
approval
IEC 61215-2, Terrestrial photovoltaic (PV) modules – Design qualification and type approval –
Part 2: Test procedures
IEC 61730-1:2016, Photovoltaic (PV) module safety qualification – Part 1: Requirements for
construction
IEC 62790, Junction boxes for photovoltaic modules – Safety requirements and tests
ISO/IEC 17025, General requirements for the competence of testing and calibration
laboratories
ISO 813, Rubber, vulcanized or thermoplastic – Determination of adhesion to a rigid substrate
– 90 degree peel method
ISO 4046-4, Paper, board, pulps and related terms – Vocabulary – Part 4: Paper and board
grades and converted products
ISO 4587:2003, Adhesives – Determination of tensile lap-shear strength of rigid-to-rigid
bonded assemblies
ISO 5893, Rubber and plastics test equipment – Tensile, flexural and compression types
(constant rate of traverse) – Specification
ISO 8124-1, Safety of toys – Part 1: Safety aspects related to mechanical and physical
properties
ISO 11925-2:2010, Reaction to fire tests – Ignitability of products subjected to direct
impingement of flame – Part 2: Single-flame source test
ISO 23529, Rubber – General procedures for preparing and conditioning test pieces for
physical test methods
ANSI Z97.1:2009, Standard – Safety Glazing Materials Used in Buildings – Safety
Performance Specifications and Methods of Test
ANSI/UL 1703:2015, Flat-plate photovoltaic modules and panels

– 10 – IEC 61730-2:2016 © IEC 2016
3 Terms and definitions
The Clause of Part 1 applies.
4 Test categories
4.1 General
The hazards described in the following subclause might influence the safety of PV modules.
In accordance with these hazards, test procedures and criteria are described. The specific
tests to which a PV module will be subjected will depend on the end-use application for which
the minimum tests are specified in Clause 5.
NOTE PV module safety tests are labelled MST.
Tables 1 to 5 show the origin of the required tests. For some tests the third column lists the
origin of the tests for information only; the appropriate test requirements are given in 10.1
through 10.32. The other tests are based on or are identical to the module qualification tests
MQT defined in the IEC 61215 series. References to the relevant tests are given in the last
column. Some of the IEC 61215-based tests were modified for IEC 61730-2 and are included
in 10.1 through 10.32.
4.2 Environmental stress tests
Table 1 – Environmental stress tests
Test Title Referenced Based on
standards
IEC 61215-2
MST 51 Thermal cycling (TC50 or TC200) – MQT 11
MST 52 Humidity freeze (HF10) – MQT 12
MST 53 Damp heat (DH1000) – MQT 13
MST 54 UV preconditioning – MQT 10
MST 55 Cold conditioning IEC 60068-2-1 –
MST 56 Dry hot conditioning IEC 60068-2-2 –

4.3 General inspection
Table 2 – General inspection test
Test Title Referenced Based on
standards
IEC 61215-2
MST 01 Visual inspection – MQT 01
MST 02 Performance at STC – MQT 6.1
MST 03 Maximum power determination – MQT 02
MST 04 Insulation thickness – –
MST 05 Durability of markings IEC 60950-1 –
MST 06 Sharp edge test ISO 8124-1 –
MST 07 Bypass diode functionality test – –

4.4 Electrical shock hazard tests
These tests are designed to assess the risk to persons due to shock or injury from contact
with parts of a PV module that are electrically energised as a result of design, construction, or
faults caused by environment or operation.
Table 3 – Electrical shock hazard tests
Test Title Referenced standards Based on
IEC 61215-2
MST 11 Accessibility test IEC 61032 –
MST 12 Cut susceptibility test ANSI/UL 1703:2015 –
MST 13 Continuity test for equipotential bonding ANSI/UL 1703:2015 –
MST 14 Impulse voltage test IEC 60664-1 –
MST 16 Insulation test – MQT 03
MST 17 Wet leakage current test – MQT 15
MST 42 Robustness of terminations test IEC 62790 MQT 14

4.5 Fire hazard tests
These tests assess the potential fire hazard due to the operation of a PV module or failure of
its components.
Table 4 – Fire hazard tests
Test Title Referenced standards Based on
IEC 61215-2
MST 21 Temperature test ANSI/UL 1703:2015 –
MST 22 Hot-spot endurance test – MQT 09
MST 23* Fire test – National/Local code
MST 24 Ignitability test ISO 11925-2 –
MST 25 Bypass diode thermal test – MQT 18
MST 26 Reverse current overload test ANSI/UL 1703:2015 –
* Fire tests are locally regulated and typically only required for building integrated or building added products,
typically to verify their ability to resist fire from external sources.

4.6 Mechanical stress tests
These tests are to minimise potential injury due to mechanical failure.

– 12 – IEC 61730-2:2016 © IEC 2016
Table 5 – Mechanical stress tests
Test Title Referenced standards Based on
IEC 61215-2
MST 32 Module breakage test ANSI Z97.1 –
MST 33 Screw connection test IEC 60598-1 –
MST 34 Mechanical load test – MQT 16
MST 35 Peel test ISO 5893 –
MST 36 Lap shear strength test ISO 4587:2003 –
MST 37 Materials creep test – –
MST 42 Robustness of terminations test MQT 14

5 Classes and their necessary test procedures
The specific tests to which a PV module will be subjected, depending on the Class defined in
IEC 61730-1 referring to IEC 61140, are described in Table 6. The order in which the tests are
carried out shall be in accordance with Figure 1. Some tests shall be carried out as
preconditioning tests.
Table 6 – Required tests, depending on the Class
Class according to Tests
IEC 61140
II 0 III
Environmental stress tests:
X X X MST 51 Thermal cycling (T50 or T200)
X X X MST 52 Humidity freeze (HF10)
X X X MST 53 Damp heat (DH200 or DH1000)
2 2
X X X MST 54 UV pre-conditioning (15 kWh/m or 60 kWh/m )
1 1 1
X X X MST 55 Cold conditioning
1 1 1
X X X MST 56 Dry hot conditioning
General inspection test:
X X X MST 01 Visual Inspection
X X X MST 02 Performance at STC
X X X MST 03 Maximum power determination
X X - MST 04 Insulation thickness
X X X MST 05 Durability of markings
X X X MST 06 Sharp edge test
Electrical shock hazard tests:
X X - MST 11 Accessibility test
X X - MST 12 Cut susceptibility test
X X - MST 13 Continuity test for equipotential bonding
X X - MST 14 Impulse voltage test
X X X MST 16 Insulation test
X X - MST 17 Wet leakage current test
X X X MST 42 Robustness of terminations test
Fire hazard tests:
X X X MST 21 Temperature test
X X X MST 22 Hot-spot endurance test
2 2 2
X X X MST 23 Fire test
X X X MST 24 Ignitability test
X X X MST 25 Bypass diode thermal test
X X - MST 26 Reverse current overload test
Mechanical stress tests:
X X X MST 32 Module breakage test
X X X MST 33 Screw connection test
X X X MST 34 Mechanical load test
3,5 3,5 3,5
X X X MST 35 Peel test
4,5 4,5 4,5
X X X MST 36 Lap shear strength test
X X X MST 37 Materials creep test
X Test required.
...

Questions, Comments and Discussion

Ask us and Technical Secretary will try to provide an answer. You can facilitate discussion about the standard in here.

Loading comments...

IEC 61730-2:2016 is a standard that provides a testing sequence to verify the safety of photovoltaic (PV) modules. It is meant to detect any potential breakdown of internal and external components that could lead to fire, electric shock, or personal injury. The standard defines basic safety test requirements as well as additional tests based on the specific application of the PV module. Some significant technical changes in this new edition include rearranged test sequences and the addition of various detailed tests. The full document is available as IEC 61730-2:2016 RLV, which includes the International Standard and its Redline version showing all changes compared to the previous edition.

기사 제목: IEC 61730-2:2016 -태양광 모듈 안전 인증 - 파트 2: 시험 요구 사항 기사 내용: IEC 61730-2:2016은 이전 버전과의 기술적 내용의 변경 사항을 모두 보여주는 국제 표준과 그 해설 버전인 IEC 61730-2:2016 RLV로 제공됩니다. IEC 61730-2:2016은 IEC 61730-1에 의해 평가된 태양광 모듈의 안전성을 검증하기 위한 시험 순서를 제공합니다. 시험 순서와 통과 기준은 태양광 모듈의 내부 및 외부 구성 요소의 잠재적인 파괴로 인한 화재, 감전 및 개인상해를 감지하는 것을 목적으로 합니다. 이 표준은 기본적인 안전 시험 요구 사항과 태양광 모듈의 최종 사용 목적에 따른 추가 시험을 정의합니다. 시험 범주에는 일반적인 검사, 전기적 감전 위험, 화재 위험, 기계적 응력 및 환경 응력이 포함됩니다. 이번 새로운 판에서는 다음과 같은 중요한 기술적 변경 사항이 포함되어 있습니다: - 시험 순서가 재배열되었습니다. - 다양한 시험이 상세하게 설명되거나 추가되었습니다.

記事タイトル:IEC 61730-2:2016 - 太陽光発電(PV)モジュールの安全評価 - 第2部:試験要件 記事内容:IEC 61730-2:2016は、以前の版と比較して技術的内容の変更点をすべて示した国際標準とその変更比較版であるIEC 61730-2:2016 RLVが提供されています。 IEC 61730-2:2016は、IEC 61730-1によって評価されたPVモジュールの安全性を検証するための試験手順を提供します。試験手順と合格基準は、火災、感電、または個人への危険をもたらす可能性のあるPVモジュールの内部および外部部品の潜在的な故障を検出することを目的としています。この規格は、基本的な安全試験要件とPVモジュールの最終的な使用目的に応じた追加試験を定義しています。試験のカテゴリには、一般的な検査、感電の危険、火災の危険、機械的応力、および環境応力が含まれています。この新しい版では、次の重要な技術的変更が含まれています: - 試験手順が再配列されました。 - 各種の試験が詳細化または追加されました。