SolarByTheWatt.com is opening this discussion about solar panel certificates for standards conformity and quality and safety rating.
Please use the comments form on this story to let us know what you know about:
- each of the different certificates or listing UL, CE, IEC, TUV, others
- in what cases they are required
- what do they mean in general or specific terms
- provide links to relevant sites (including yours)
- also please ask questions that other may be able to answer
SolarByTheWatt.com is going to keep all relevant comments on and agregate the information in an addtitional story based in the comments and possibly more information gathered by us.
Thank you!
3 Comments
SolarInvestor said :
February 27, 2009 at 7:33 am
I was also wondering what are the requirements for all of these certificates and whether any of them are strictly required for any activity or project or are they more or less a marketing tool of the manufacturer to display their effort to satisfy certian standards.
panel-smart said :
February 27, 2009 at 7:42 pm
Isn’t TUV the German, European standard for what UL is in the United States. I think with solar panels for small installations and for lower voltage circuits (less than 110V) there are no specific requirements for any standards or certifgicates comliance.
SolarByTheWatt.com said :
February 28, 2009 at 7:23 am
This comment by SolarByTheWatt.com ourselves: Here is a UL.com (Underwriters Laboratories’ website) newsroom announcement about opening a new testing facility to focus on solar photovoltaic testing. While we still do not answer completely the questions from the open discussion, here is a quote we think is valuable to the discussion:
… The requirement in the National Electrical Code for PV modules to be certified to UL standards in the United States, to the Canadian Electrical Code in Canadian markets, and to International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) standards for other world markets has increased demand for PV product testing and certification services ….
Underwriters Laboratories Opens Largest Commercial North American Photovoltaic Testing and Certification Facility in Silicon Valley
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