Solmetric PVA-1500S Reference guide

Quick Reference Card
PVA-1500S & SolSensor 300
For use with ver 4 PVA PC software
•Current Range: 0 to 30 A DC*
•Voltage Range: 0 to 1500 V DC
•Operating Temp: -10 to 45C
WARNING Risk of electrical shock. To be used only by qualified
personnel. Use Personal Protective Equipment. Isolate PV circuit to be
tested from inverter & other PV circuits. Use only PVA-1500 test leads.
Caution Keep the PV connector-saver jumpers attached to the I-V Unit’s main
leads at all times. Replace them after each 100 connections.
Caution Do not touch white 'eye' of irradiance sensor. Cover when not in use.
Clean only with distilled water and clean, soft cloth. Soap or cleaning fluids
can cause permanent damage and degrade irradiance measurement accuracy.
Battery Run Time: I-V Unit & SolSensor: 8hr continuous use. Charge nightly.
Network Connection: Select “pva1500_xxxxxx” from PC’s WiFi network list.
SolSensorTM will automatically connect via I-V unit.
I-V Unit LED
I-V Unit State
Pushbutton
Off
Off
Press to turn on
Blinking
Searching for PC
Press to turn off
On
Connected to PC, sweep
enabled
Press to pause/turn off
To reset IV-Unit or SolSensor: Hold pushbutton down 5 seconds & release
Measurement Example - Testing strings at a fused combiner box:
1. Turn on the I-V Unit. Blinking LED indicates searching for PC.
2. Connect your PC to the I-V Unit’s WiFi hot spot. LED turns solid green.
3. Start the PVA software. In 20 seconds, status indicator shows “Ready”.
4. Mount SolSensor to PV module frame, uncover irradiance sensor, plug
thermocouple into T1 socket, and attach tip to module backside. Turn
SolSensor ON. Sensor readings appear in PVA screen.
5. Open your Project from the File menu or create a new Project.
6. Open the DC disconnect to isolate combiner box from rest of system.
7. Lift all fuses to de-energize the combiner box’s buss bars.
8. Alligator clip the PVA’s test leads to the buss bars.
9. Insert the fuse for the string to be measured.
10.Press Measure Now to take an I-V trace. When trace and tree appear,
highlight the string number and click Assign and Save. To display the
data and model points but not save the trace, click Assign Only.
11.Export your system data (File>Export Traces for Entire System…).
12.Analyze and report your data using the Solmetric Data Analysis Tool.
®

Troubleshooting PVA & SolSensor Operation:
Segmented or incomplete I-V trace: Just take a fresh trace. Can occur on
first measurement after I-V Unit is turned on or I-V curve has changed
significantly. The PVA automatically optimizes its internal settings based on
the results of the previous measurement.
“Searching for I-V Unit” or “Searching for SolSensor” message: Equipment
may be out of wireless range or may have turned itself off after extended
inactivity (15 min). Improve line of sight, raise instruments above metal
surfaces, or move equipment closer together.
Wireless connection briefly drops out: May occur occasionally. The network
should restore in 1-2 minutes. If not, re-connect your PC to the I-V Unit WiFi
hotspot.
“Disabled” message:Click the status indicator for more information. Clear
the underlying condition, (over-voltage, -current*, -temp, low battery) and
reset I-V Unit or charge unit.
Isc is much different than predicted: Check that SolSensor is mounted in the
plane of the array, and that all Project values are correct (Properties menu).
Software updates: The latest PVA PC software and Data Analysis Tool are
available online at www.solmetric.com/downloads-pva.html
*Do not measure high-efficiency modules or strings in parallel –can cause
over-current disable at start of I-V sweep.
Solmetric Technical Support: Phone: [phone] ext 2,
[email protected]
Copyright 2018 Solmetric Corp. All rights reserved. Printed 6/17/2018