What is BS EN IEC 62446‑2 about?
BS EN IEC 62446‑2 describes basic preventive, corrective, and performance-related requirements and recommendations for maintenance of grid-connected PV systems. The maintenance procedures cover:
- Basic maintenance of the system components and connections for reliability, safety and fire prevention
- Measures for corrective maintenance and troubleshooting
- Worker safety
BS EN IEC 62446‑2 addresses maintenance activities for maximizing anticipated performance such as module cleaning and upkeep of vegetation. Special considerations unique to rooftop or ground-mounted systems are summarized.
Note 1: BS EN IEC 62446‑2 does not cover off-grid systems or systems that include batteries or other energy storage technologies. However, parts may be applicable to the PV circuits of those systems.
Note 2: BS EN IEC 62446‑2 also does not cover maintenance of medium and high voltage a. c. equipment that are sometimes integral to larger-scale systems, as those requirements are not specific to PV systems.
Note 3: BS EN IEC 62446‑2 does not address business or management operational processes (e.g. forecasting, utility pricing incentives, etc.) or other considerations driven by factors outside of basic system working condition, safety, and performance.
Who is BS EN IEC 62446‑2 for?
BS EN IEC 62446‑2 on maintenance of grid connected PV systems is useful for:
- Manufacturers and suppliers of photovoltaic (PV) devices
- Dealers and importers of photovoltaic (PV) devices
- Testing houses/ service providers of photovoltaic (PV) devices
- Entities dealing with photovoltaic (PV) devices
Why should you use BS EN IEC 62446‑2?
Even though grid connected PV systems are considered to be a very low maintenance means of power generation, they do require some level of preventive and corrective maintenance to perform for a long duration, as anticipated.
BS EN IEC 62446‑2 gives you requirements and recommendations for the maintenance of grid connected PV systems, by performing periodic inspections which helps you to identify factors to determine appropriate maintenance intervals. It gives you safety and preventive measures to implement additional maintenance steps that may be recommended or are optional.
BS EN IEC 62446‑2 gives you provisions for corrective maintenance and troubleshooting, in order to ensure periodic verification, problem identification and early failure detection for the security of the grid-connected PV systems as well as of the workers operating the systems.
BS EN IEC 62446‑2 serves the purpose to pin down the basic maintenance requirements for the PV systems, which may differ according to the system type (i.e., residential, commercial, utility-scale), owner, or budget limits. It helps you ensure the alternate means for maintenance-related requirements, that can aid you in innovation, methods specialized according to the manufacturer or fulfilling the customer demands, etc.
