POWER April 2016 - 47

OPERATIONS & MAINTENANCE
A Game-Changing Inverter Technology?
Solar PV technology is rapidly evolving,
and several groundbreaking components
are on the horizon, as PV O&M expert Cedric
Brehaut pointed out. " A recent arrival
in the U.S. market, three-phase string inverters
are disruptive technology when it
comes to O&M practices, " he said. That's
because " there is no need to repair a
string inverter. " Until recently, installers
used three single-phase inverters.
" Regardless of which internal component
may have failed, the resolution is
the same: remove the unit and replace
it with another one, which technicians
For a checklist of critical O&M activities,
see documents associated with this story online
at powermag.com.
Invest in Critical Inverter
Inspection
Inverters are perhaps the most important
component in a PV system. An inverter's
basic function is to invert the direct current
output from the PV modules into alternattypically
carry in their truck. The defective
unit is then sent to the manufacturer
for exchange, " Brehaut said. " There is no
management of spare inverter parts, and
technicians do not need expertise in diagnosing
and resolving issues inside the
inverter. "
Still, string inverters don't come without
disadvantages. For one, they tend
to fail more frequently due to the larger
number of inverter units per PV system.
" This means more truck rolls will be necessary
to perform corrective maintenance, "
he said.
ing current (AC) to be fed to the grid. The
majority of utility-scale PV installations use
central inverters of 500 kW and larger that
are integrated with external transformers that
feed into a medium-voltage AC collection
system.
According to EPRI, inverters are " far and
away the main culprit for unplanned PV plant
downtime. " SAPC notes that inverter reliability
has continued to increase (see sidebar, " A
Game-Changing Inverter Technology? " ). Today,
10-year warranties are commonly available
and 20-year extended warranties/service
plans are also increasingly used.
Best practices recommended by SAPC include
deciding whether an inverter is to be replaced
or repaired based on its size, type, and
associated cost. " Replacement is preferred
over repair when spare parts availability and
lead time trigger an upgrade, " it says.
Operators should include remote monitoring
to confirm inverter status, reset the
inverter, and diagnose problems. " In remote
locations, it is advisable to stock component
replacements onsite, especially for equipment
commonly in need of repair, such as
driver boards. Replacement micro-inverters
should also be stored onsite, " it suggests.
Meanwhile, inverters should be inspected
monthly, SAPC recommends. Inspectors
should " observe instantaneous operational
indicators on the faceplate of the inverter to
ensure that the amount of power being generated
is typical of the conditions. They should
also compare current readings with diagnostic
benchmark and inspect inverter housing or
shelter for physical maintenance required. " ■
-Sonal Patel is a POWER associate
editor.
CIRCLE 25 ON READER SERVICE CARD
April 2016 | POWER
www.powermag.com
47
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POWER April 2016

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of POWER April 2016

Contents
POWER April 2016 - Cover1
POWER April 2016 - Cover2
POWER April 2016 - Contents
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