A group of researchers from the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) and Sandia National Laboratories has created a standardized terminology for PV connectors in an effort to reduce confusion and offer best practices for their deployment.
In the study “Standardized nomenclature for photovoltaic connectors,” which was recently published in Solar Energy, the scientists explained that terms like “MC4-compatible” and “cross-mating,” for example, are often a source of potential installation faults.
“Given the critical role of PV connectors and the consequences of their failure, the authors of this paper believe a common understanding of connector components and their functions is essential,” the scientists stated, noting that no common language currently exists to define either the components or their functions. “The present lack of standardization can cause confusion and potentially lead to improper installations, diagnoses, or maintenance practices.”
Their work consisted initially of quantifying the existing nomenclature and then suggesting terms for components without misleading implications. Then they created a catalog of twenty-five 4 mm PV connectors that are available in the market.
For their survey, which included 33 respondents from the PV industry and the scientific community, they used publicly available product documents from 20 manufacturers and data from the International Photovoltaic Quality Assurance Task Force (PVQAT).
The manufacturer documents comprised schematics, datasheets, installation manuals, catalogs, and relevant patents.
The proposed terms were chosen based on their functionality, avoidance of confusion, prevalence of use, and effectiveness.
“Feedback from installers and O&M personnel was strongly considered in discussions regarding the effectiveness of the terminology,” the research team specified, adding that their focus was on key components such as housings, locking tab, locking slot, O-ring, gland nut, cable grip, cable seal, socket, pin, contact spring, contact retainer, contact barbs, and cable crimp.
Their work also included identifying those terms that could potentially cause confusion and suggesting not to use them.
“Our hope is that the solar industry will adopt this recommended nomenclature to improve communication and reduce misunderstandings that could lead to unintended adverse consequences,” the academics concluded.
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