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yDonotmarkthemoduleswithsharpinstrument.Particularattentionshouldbetakentoavoidmodulebacksheetto
comeincontactwithsharpobjects,asscratchesmaydirectlyaffectproductsafety.
yDonotleaveamoduleunsupportedorunsecured.
yDonotchangethewiringofbypassdiodes.
yKeepallelectricalcontactscleananddry.
Productidentification
yEachmoduleisfittedwithtwoidenticalbarcodes(oneonthelaminateunderthefrontglass,thesecondonthemodule
rearcover)foritsuniqueidentification.Eachmodulehasauniqueserialnumberwith13(before2013/03)or14digits
(after2013/03)digits.
yAnameplateisalsoaffixedontherearsideofeachmodule.Thisnameplatedefinesthemodeltype,aswellasthemain
electricalandsafetycharacteristicsofthemodule.
5.0MODULEINSTALLATION
PrecautionsandGeneralSafety
yBeforeinstallingmodules,contacttheappropriateauthoritiesforsite,installationandinspection
permissionandrequirement..
yCheckapplicablebuildingcodestoensurethattheconstructionorstructure(roof,facade,support,etc.)
canwithstandthemodulesystemload.
yCS‐seriessolarmoduleshavebeenqualifiedforApplicationClassA(equivalenttoSafetyClassIIrequirements).Modules
ratedunderthisclassshouldbeusedinsystemsoperatingatvoltageabove50Vorpowerabove240W,wheregeneral
contactaccessisanticipated.
yWheninstallingmodules,pleaseensuretheassemblyismountedoverafireresistantroofcoveringratedforthe
application.CanadianSolarmoduleshavebeenlistedasClassCaccordingtoUL790standard.
yThefireratingofthismoduleisvalidonlywhenmountedinthemannerspecifiedinthemechanical
mountinginstructions.
yCAUTION:InanycaseDONOTSTANDORSTEPonthemodules,aslocalizedhighloadsmayinduce
severemicro‐cracksatthecelllevel,whichinturnmaycompromisemodulereliability.Failureto
complywithabovecautionwillvoidCanadianSolarIncwarranty.
Environmentalconditions
yThemoduleisintendedforuseingeneralopenclimates,asdefinedinIEC60721‐2‐1:Classificationofenvironmental
conditionsPart2‐1:Environmentalconditionsappearinginnature‐temperatureandhumidity.
yDonotinstallmodulesnearnakedflamesorflammablematerials.
yDonotexposemodulestoartificiallyconcentratedlightsources.
yDonotimmersemodulesinwaterorconstantlyexposemodulestowater(eitherfreshorsalt)(i.e.fromfountains,sea
spray).
yExposingmodulestosalt(i.e.marineenvironments)andsulfur(i.e.sulfursources,volcanoes)risksmodulecorrosion.
Requirementsofinstallation
yEnsurethatthemodulemeetsthetechnicalrequirementsofthesystemasawhole.
yEnsurethatothersystemscomponentsdonotexertdamagingmechanicalorelectricalinfluencesonthemodules.
yModulescanbewiredinaseriestoincreasevoltageorinparalleltoincreasecurrent.Toconnectinseries,connectcables
fromthepositiveterminalofonemoduletothenegativeterminalofthenextmodule.Toconnectinparallel,connect
cablesfromthepositiveterminalofonemoduletothepositiveterminalonthenextmodule.
yQuantityofbypassdiodesprovidedcanvarydependingonmodelseries.
yConnectthequantityofmodulesthatmatchthevoltagespecificationsoftheinvertersusedinthesystem.Modulesmust
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notbeconnectedtogethertocreateavoltagehigherthanthepermittedmaximumsystemvoltage,evenundertheworst
localtemperatureconditions(seetable1forcorrectioncoefficientstoapplyforopen‐circuitvoltage).
yAmaximumoftwostringscanbeconnectedinparallelwithoutusingover‐currentprotectiondevice(fuses…)
incorporatedinserieswithineachstring.Threeofmorestringscanbeconnectedinparallelifanappropriateand
certifiedover‐currentprotectiondeviceisinstalledinserieswitheachstring.
ySimilarelectricalperformancemodulesshouldbeconnectedinsameseriestoavoidorminimizemismatcheffectsin
arrays.
yTominimizeriskintheeventofanindirectlightningstrike,avoidformingloopswhendesigningthesystem.
yTherecommendedmaximumseriesfuseratingistabulatedinannex.
yModulesshouldbefirmlyfixedinplaceinamannersuitabletowithstandallexpectedloads,includingwindandsnow
loads.Aminimumclearanceof6.5mm(1/4ofaninch)ormorebetweenmodulesisrequiredtoallowforthermal
expansionoftheframes.
ySmallopeningsforwaterdrainingontheundersideofthemoduleshouldnotbeblockedaftermounting.
Optimumorientationandtilt
yFindouttheoptimumorientationandtiltofthePVmodulesforyourregiontoachievethemaximumannualyield.
GenerationofmaximumpoweroccurswhensunlightshinesperpendicularlyontothePVmodules.
Avoidshading
yEventheslightestpartialshading(e.g.,fromdirtdeposits)willcauseareductioninyield.Amoduleisconsidered
"shadow‐free"ifitisunobstructedacrossitsentiresurfaceforthewholeyear.Evenontheshortestdayoftheyear,
unobstructedsunlightcanreachthemodule.
Reliableventilation
ySufficientclearance(atleast10cm)betweenthemoduleframeandthemountingsurfaceisrequiredtoallowforcooling
airtocirculatearoundthebackofthemodule.Thisalsoallowsforcondensationormoisturetodissipate.
5.1MODULEWIRING
Correctwiringscheme
yWhendesigningthesystem,avoidformingloops(tominimizeriskintheeventofanindirectlightingstrike).Makesure
thatwiringiscorrectbeforestartingupthesystem.Ifthemeasuredopencircuitvoltage(Voc)andshort‐circuitcurrent
(Isc)differfromthespecifications,thenthereisawiringfault.
Correctconnectionofplugconnectors
yMakesurethattheconnectionissafeandtight.Theplugconnectorshouldnotreceiveouterstress.Theconnector
shouldonlybeusedtoconnectthecircuit.Itshouldneverbeusedtoturnthecircuitonandoff.
Useofsuitablematerials
yUsespecialsolarcableandsuitableplugsonly(wiringshouldbeplacedinconduitthatissunlight‐resistantor,ifexposed,
shouldbesunlight‐resistant)inaccordancewithlocalfire,buildingandelectricalcode.Ensurethattheyareinperfect
electricalandmechanicalcondition.
yThepermittedtypeofsolarcableissingleconductor,2.5‐10mm2(8‐14AWG),90°Cwetrated,withproperinsulationto
withstandthemaximumpossiblesystemopen‐circuitvoltage(suchasTUV2PfG1169approved).Theconductormaterial
shouldbecopperonly.Selectasuitableconductorgaugetominimizevoltagedrop.
Cableprotection
ySecurethecablestothemountingsystemusingUV‐resistantcableties.Protectexposedcablesfromdamagewith
appropriateprecautions(e.g.locatethemwithinplasticconduit).Avoidexposuretothedirectsunlight.