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The Outdoor Test Facility forms the backbone of our field-testing capabilities.
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Our extensive field-testing capabilities allow us to evaluate, analyze, and test PV systems and modules under both normal and accelerated field conditions.
We perform most of our field testing through the Outdoor Test Facility Arrays and International Test Building. Equipment in the Data Acquisition and Calibration laboratory collects data from the OTF arrays and the International Test Building. Following is a description of some of the equipment we use in performing our work, as well as a person to contact for more information.
The OTF array field, just to the east of OTF, as well as the array racks on the OTF roof, provide areas for testing and evaluating PV arrays and systems. For more information, contact Carl Osterwald.
- Performance and Energy Ratings Test Bed (PERT)—Tests modules using exposure in the field
- High-Voltage Stress Test Bed (HVST)—Places 600-2,000 volts across the module leads and frame, and then measures leakage currents
- PV array testing—Long-term testing of PV arrays using PVUSA Regression Analysis to determine how output is affected by solar exposure, temperature, and moisture
- System visits—Monitor, evaluate, and repair PV systems located locally, nationally, and internationally
- Real-Time Meteorological and Irradiance Monitoring (RMIS)—Monitoring and recording of temperature, humidity, UV, and other meteorological measurements
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The laboratory in OTF/124 houses the data acquisition system (DAS) equipment and data-saving systems; for more information, contact Bill Sekulic.
- National Instruments Field Point and Campbell Scientific—Data acquisition systems used at the OTF to gather and save data from the PV systems
- IV-curve tracers—Characterize the performance of PV modules and arrays
- National Instruments Field Point System/Labview programming—Data acquisition system that gathers and saves data from systems in OTF array field
- Calibration equipment—Verify that data acquisition systems are taking accurate measurements by being properly calibrated
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