Enhancing Photovoltaic Connector Reliability: A Comparative Review of Studies with Practical Recommendations

The failure of photovoltaic connectors influences the performance of solar photovoltaic power plants. Various studies have been carried out across the globe on its reliability, degradation, cross-mating, and fire hazards caused due to its failure. Most reliability studies on photovoltaic connectors have used accelerated stress testing procedures based on IEC 62852 in a controlled environment, and degradation studies are based on the arc fault assessment. Advanced testing procedures have been employed to determine the material’s morphology, including corrosion in metallic contacts and fretting, to develop a reliability model for predicting connector lifetime and a degradation model for the connector. A comparative analysis has been carried out in this paper of all the studies, and it is highlighted that if these studies were also carried out on field-aged PV connectors, it would have brought a clearer perspective on connector reliability and degradation. A practical field study on connectors carried out in this paper on an existing photovoltaic plant highlights the practical issues a connector faces, probable causes of its failure, and remedial measures in safety, operation, and maintenance. It concludes to implement a standard design of connectors globally, a performance standard for PV connectors, and an industry-driven approach for training in installing and maintaining connectors.