How to become certified
How would a manufacturer or installer of PV products become certified?
- Develop a quality system
- Have their quality system audited and certified to ISO 9000 series.
- Deliver a representative sample of modules, component or system to a designated laboratory for testing.
- Have their products qualified to the appropriate standard by an accredited testing laboratory.
Continued PMC and PV-GAP certification requires a commitment to maintain the manufacturer's quality systems and to retest when changes are made that may affect quality.
Testing
Testing to the requirements of IEC international standard and PV-GAP recommended specifications in an ISO Guide 17025 laboratory will eliminate the need for conforming to multiple qualification testing programs.
PV Module qualification tests are conducted in accordance with IEC 61215 and IEC 61646. A baseline performance test is performed to verify the manufacturer's measured I-V curve data, and an electrical performance test is required to determine the module's peak output power.
Packaged system and component test are conducted to verify the manufacturer's performance ratings.
Factory Production Facilities
The manufacturer must have an ISO 9000 series in place and maintained for the modules to be certified for that facility.
Safety
PMC does not require that the module have a safety label, but it recommends the product carry this label.