Analytical assessment of the filed results on the PV system connectors performance under operating temperature

Abstract

In this study, we will shed light on the aggressive effect of a blowing sandstorm in the presence of high temperatures on the photovoltaic inter-module connectors in a solar station located in the desert environment of southwestern Algeria. After a short period of operation, it is observed that the MC4 connectors, which tighten the interconnection between the photovoltaic modules, are completely faulty because of sand grains carried away by a wind blowing at an average annual speed, which exceeds 6 m/s. Then, we analyzed and evaluated the connector failure to propose an appropriate solution. We checked the variations of the intrinsic temperatures of each connector employing the thermocouple for the three cases of operating temperatures, as well as the current measurement flowing through each connector, to calculate the powers dissipated in each branch of the circuit. Finally, this experimental work shows that a loss of power reaches almost 10% from the nominal power of the typical case. The proposed solution for this problem is to cover the connectors with an impervious plastic cover.