A Comprehensive PV Systems Installation Guide and Designing a Roof-Based PV System as a Demonstration System for Troubleshooting Errors in PV systems Installations

Sammanfattning: The purpose of the thesis was to make a comprehensive guide for PV systems installers and engineers, using the best practices and following the applicable regulations and standards for the mechanical and electrical installations of PV systems. The guide includes all the different aspects of a PV system installation including different types of roofs and mounting structures, fire safety, height safety and fall protection, installation precautions, electrical and mechanical installations, safety gears and finally system commissioning. The guide was developed by reviewing the various standards and best practices deployed in various countries that are pioneers in PV installations as Germany, UK and the US in the period from 2006-2018.   A troubleshooting errors scheme was conducted to help installers track down operational faults in a PV system. Installers will be able to identify problems of old or newly installed PV systems according to few procedures to resolve operational problems.   In addition, a PV system was designed on the rooftop of Högskolan Dalarna in Sweden. The system will be used as a learning platform for installers in a course that will be introduced on the University’s campus, aimed at educating installers on PV systems installations. The designed system mainly focuses on flat and pitched roofs installations. The system was designed with the main priority to benefit installers working on and installing the system. Performance ratio and energy yield of the system were not emphasized when designing the system. It was specifically designed to match the objectives of the university’s installer’s course to be conducted on the campus. The designed system consists of two sub-arrays with two different mounting structures. The first one was a pitched roof mounting structure installed on a small hut on the university’s rooftop, and the second sub-array was a ballast mounting system directly situated on the roof surface with no penetrations to its surface. The system was designed on Sketchup software as a 3D model, simulated in PVsyst for energy yield forecast and losses evaluations, drawn as a single line electrical diagram on AutoCAD and lastly, a bill of materials was conducted with all the necessary components and parts to install the system on the rooftop.   Results from the simulated system shows a steep drop in energy yield during the winter months, energy losses due to shading effects of approximately 5 % and minimal other system and cables losses were recorded.   A study visit for a pitched roof PV system installation to be carried out by a group of six Swedish students was conducted. A discussion about the installation procedure, major mistakes and lack of practical knowledge by the engineering students were analyzed. Possessing knowledge of PV systems installations is of great importance not only to installers, but to solar design engineers. It is a necessity that engineers poses the fundamentals of installing a PV system and follow the applicable standards and best practices during systems design and execution.