PV modules: IEC 61730 safety and IEC 61215 qualification
A flat-plate PV module is qualified against two coordinated series: IEC 61730-1 and -2 (third editions, September 2023) for safety, and IEC 61215 (second editions, February 2021) for design qualification and type approval. IEC 61730-1 says it is written so that one set of samples serves both. Around them sit test methods for specific stresses: IEC TS 62804-1 for potential-induced degradation (edition 2, June 2025), IEC 61701 for salt mist (edition 3, 2020), IEC 62716 for ammonia, IEC 62938 for non-uniform snow load, IEC TS 60904-1-2 for bifacial measurement and IEC 61853 for energy rating. In the EU, the standards that give presumption of conformity under the Low Voltage Directive are older than the IEC editions: EN IEC 61730-1:2018 and EN IEC 61730-2:2018. Every edition and date on this page was checked against the IEC web store records and previews, the Official Journal and the UL catalogue on 7 October 2026.
Map of standards for a PV module
Section titled “Map of standards for a PV module”| Standard | Current edition | Object |
|---|---|---|
| IEC 61730-1 | Ed. 3.0, 13 September 2023 | Safety qualification, requirements for construction |
| IEC 61730-2 | Ed. 3.0, 12 September 2023 (corrigendum 1, 2024) | Safety qualification, requirements for testing (MST) |
| IEC 61215-1 | Ed. 2.0, 23 February 2021 | Design qualification and type approval, test requirements |
| IEC 61215-1-1 | Ed. 2.0, 2021 | Crystalline silicon modules |
| IEC 61215-1-2 | Ed. 2.0, 2021 + AMD1:2022 | Thin-film cadmium telluride (CdTe) |
| IEC 61215-1-3 | Ed. 2.0, 2021 + AMD1:2022 | Thin-film amorphous silicon |
| IEC 61215-1-4 | Ed. 2.0, 2021 + AMD1:2022 | Thin-film Cu(In,Ga)(S,Se)2 |
| IEC 61215-2 | Ed. 2.0, 24 February 2021 | Test procedures (MQT) |
| IEC TS 62804-1 | Ed. 2.0, 13 June 2025 (Technical Specification) | PID test methods, crystalline silicon |
| IEC 61701 | Ed. 3.0, 11 June 2020 | Salt mist corrosion testing |
| IEC 62716 | Ed. 1.0, 27 June 2013 (corrigendum 2014) | Ammonia corrosion testing |
| IEC 62938 | Ed. 1.0, 14 May 2020 (International Standard, not a TS) | Non-uniform snow load testing of framed modules |
| IEC TS 60904-1-2 | Ed. 2.0, 7 November 2024 + AMD1, 16 March 2026 | I-V measurement of bifacial devices |
| IEC 61853 | Part 1: 2011; Part 2: Ed. 2.0, 5 August 2026; Parts 3 and 4: 2018 | Performance testing and energy rating |
| IEC 62109-1 | Ed. 1.0, 2010 (Ed. 2.0 at FDIS vote until 16 October 2026) | Safety of PV power conversion equipment, general |
| IEC 62109-2 | Ed. 1.0, 23 June 2011 | Particular requirements for inverters |
Two of these are Technical Specifications (IEC TS 62804-1 and IEC TS 60904-1-2), so they are test methods without the status of an International Standard. IEC 61215-1:2021 points to IEC TS 62915 for retesting after a design change, and to IEC TS 63126 for climates where the 98th percentile module temperature exceeds 70 °C.
IEC 61730, the safety pillar
Section titled “IEC 61730, the safety pillar”IEC 61730-1 sets construction requirements to prevent electric shock, fire hazards and personal injury from mechanical and environmental stress. Its scope, in the 2023 edition, is limited to terrestrial flat-plate modules with a maximum DC system voltage of 1 500 V and a 98th percentile operating temperature of 70 °C or less. Products that combine a module with power conversion or output-disabling electronics are sent to IEC 62109-3. Building, floating, marine and vehicle applications are named as not covered.
Classes for protection against electric shock
Section titled “Classes for protection against electric shock”The 2016 edition replaced the old application classes A, B and C with classes taken from IEC 61140, and the 2023 edition keeps them:
| Class (IEC 61730-1:2023, Clause 5) | What the standard says about it |
|---|---|
| Class 0 | Defined in 5.2; in the 2023 edition, Class 0 modules for restricted access areas no longer need the module breakage test MST 32 |
| Class II | Defined in 5.3; Table 3 gives its clearances, creepage distances and distances through solid insulation |
| Class III | Defined in 5.4; the 2023 edition removed its rows from Table 4 and requires functional insulation in the text |
There is no "Class A, B or 0" scheme in the current standard. A test report or datasheet that still quotes "Application class A" is using pre-2016 wording.
What changed in the 2023 editions
Section titled “What changed in the 2023 editions”| Change | Where |
|---|---|
| Components (junction box, connectors, front and back sheets) qualified to their own standards: IEC 62790, IEC 62852, IEC 62788-2-1 | IEC 61730-1:2023, foreword, items b and c.8 |
| "Open rack" removed; ratings tied to the 98th percentile operating temperature, 70 °C by default | IEC 61730-1:2023, foreword, items d and j |
| Temperature test MST 21 removed, with IEC TS 63126 for hotter mounting | IEC 61730-2:2023, foreword, item c |
| Evaluation of insulation coordination MST 57 added | IEC 61730-2:2023, foreword, item h |
| Bifacial requirements updated for MST 02, MST 07, MST 22, MST 25 and MST 51 | IEC 61730-2:2023, foreword, item j |
| "Very large module" defined, with a normative Annex C on representative samples | IEC 61730-2:2023, foreword, item k |
| All MQT references aligned with the 2021 IEC 61215 series | IEC 61730-2:2023, foreword, item i |
MST numbers in IEC 61730-2:2023
Section titled “MST numbers in IEC 61730-2:2023”| MST | Test |
|---|---|
| MST 01 to MST 07 | Visual inspection, performance at STC, maximum power, insulation thickness, durability of markings, sharp edge, bypass diode functionality |
| MST 11, MST 12, MST 13 | Accessibility, cut susceptibility, continuity of equipotential bonding |
| MST 14 | Impulse voltage |
| MST 16, MST 17 | Insulation test, wet leakage current |
| MST 22 to MST 26 | Hot-spot endurance, fire test, ignitability, bypass diode thermal, reverse current overload |
| MST 32 to MST 37 | Module breakage, screw connections, static mechanical load, peel, lap shear strength, materials creep |
| MST 42 | Robustness of terminations |
| MST 51 to MST 56 | Thermal cycling (TC50 or TC200, based on MQT 11), humidity freeze (HF10, MQT 12), damp heat (DH200 or DH1000, MQT 13), UV (MQT 10), cold conditioning, dry heat conditioning |
| MST 57 | Evaluation of insulation coordination |
There is no partial discharge test: MST 15 was removed in the 2016 edition. The fire test MST 23 refers to national building code requirements, and the informative Annex B describes fire tests based on ENV 1187 and on ANSI/UL 61730-2. IEC 61730-2 itself does not assign a fire class A, B or C.
IEC 61215, the design qualification pillar
Section titled “IEC 61215, the design qualification pillar”IEC 61215-1 applies to terrestrial flat-plate modules, crystalline and thin-film, for long-term operation in open-air climates. It excludes short-term uses such as flexible modules in awnings or tenting, and it does not address the particularities of modules with integrated electronics, although it may be used as a basis for testing them. Its scope states that test results are not a quantitative prediction of module lifetime, so a qualification is not a 20 or 25 year guarantee.
MQT numbers in IEC 61215-2:2021
Section titled “MQT numbers in IEC 61215-2:2021”| MQT | Test | MQT | Test |
|---|---|---|---|
| MQT 01 | Visual inspection | MQT 12 | Humidity-freeze |
| MQT 02 | Maximum power determination | MQT 13 | Damp heat |
| MQT 03 | Insulation test | MQT 14 | Robustness of terminations |
| MQT 04 | Temperature coefficients | MQT 15 | Wet leakage current |
| MQT 06.1 | Performance at STC | MQT 16 | Static mechanical load |
| MQT 07 | Performance at low irradiance | MQT 17 | Hail |
| MQT 08 | Outdoor exposure | MQT 18 | Bypass diode thermal (18.1) and functionality (18.2) |
| MQT 09 | Hot-spot endurance | MQT 19 | Stabilization, including BO-LID (19.3) |
| MQT 10 | UV preconditioning | MQT 20 | Cyclic (dynamic) mechanical load |
| MQT 11 | Thermal cycling | MQT 21 | Potential-induced degradation |
| MQT 22 | Bending test (flexible modules) |
What changed in the 2021 editions
Section titled “What changed in the 2021 editions”The second edition of IEC 61215-1 added a test taken from IEC TS 62782 (cyclic dynamic mechanical load, MQT 20), a PID test taken from IEC TS 62804-1 (MQT 21), a bending test for flexible modules (MQT 22), instructions for bifacial modules and weights on the junction box during the 200 thermal cycles. It requires retesting according to IEC TS 62915, and it removed the nominal module operating temperature (NMOT) test and performance at NMOT from the series. The pass criteria live in IEC 61215-1 and the procedures in IEC 61215-2.
Environment-specific tests
Section titled “Environment-specific tests”IEC TS 62804-1, potential-induced degradation
Section titled “IEC TS 62804-1, potential-induced degradation”IEC TS 62804-1 (edition 2, 13 June 2025) replaced the 2015 first edition. It gives two dark test variants aimed at PID-shunting, two variants under ultraviolet light aimed at PID-polarization, and a separate test of PID-polarization recovery under UV. It targets crystalline silicon cells with passivating dielectric layers and is not intended for thin-film, tandem or hetero-junction devices, although it can be used as guidance. Its introduction says modules have degraded in positive as well as negative polarity strings, so the test covers the polarities the manufacturer permits. It also says its stress levels have not been related to the natural environment: an earlier correspondence with outdoor tests (60 °C, 85 % relative humidity, 96 h) is invalidated by the tightened ramps and tolerances. The TS describes test methods, not a power-loss pass mark; IEC 61215-2:2021 has its own PID procedure, MQT 21.
IEC 61701, salt mist corrosion
Section titled “IEC 61701, salt mist corrosion”IEC 61701 covers modules exposed to corrosive wet atmospheres, such as marine sites or roads salted in winter, and applies to flat-plate and concentrator modules. The 2020 third edition aligned the sequences with IEC 61215 and IEC 61730-2 and added a normative Annex A to choose among test methods 1 to 8 of IEC 60068-2-52, with a table linking ISO 9223 atmospheric corrosion categories to the methods.
| Edition | How severity is chosen |
|---|---|
| IEC 61701:2011 (Ed. 2) | Severities from IEC 60068-2-52: severity 1 for marine environments or close to the sea, severities 3 to 6 for alternating salt-laden and dry atmospheres such as de-icing salt, severity 2 to be avoided |
| IEC 61701:2020 (Ed. 3, current) | Test methods 1 to 8 of IEC 60068-2-52, selected with Annex A (methods 1, 2, 3 to 6 and 7 to 8 each have their own guidance) |
IEC 62716, ammonia corrosion
Section titled “IEC 62716, ammonia corrosion”IEC 62716 (2013) addresses wet atmospheres with a high concentration of dissolved ammonia, such as stables on farms. It combines tests from IEC 61215, IEC 61646 and IEC 61730-2 with a bypass diode functionality test, and its structure follows IEC 61701. It applies to flat-plate modules.
IEC 62938, non-uniform snow load
Section titled “IEC 62938, non-uniform snow load”IEC 62938 (May 2020) determines the mechanical non-uniform load limit of framed modules whose frame protrudes above the glass on the lower edge, creating a barrier to sliding snow. It does not apply to other frame designs.
IEC 61853, performance and energy rating
Section titled “IEC 61853, performance and energy rating”IEC 61853 has four parts: irradiance and temperature performance and power rating (Part 1, 2011), spectral responsivity, angle of incidence and operating temperature (Part 2, second edition of 5 August 2026, now written to cover bifacial modules), energy rating calculation (Part 3, 2018) and standard reference climatic profiles (Part 4, 2018).
See also
Section titled “See also”- EV charging: IEC 61851, ISO 15118 and OCPP conformity
- EU Battery Regulation 2023/1542: passport, carbon
- IEC 62133 and UN 38.3: Li-ion battery safety and transport
- EN 60598: safety of LED and conventional luminaires
- CPR (305/2011) and EN 50575 cable reaction-to-fire
- HAC: Hearing Aid Compatibility (FCC 20.19, C63.19)
- EN 50332: acoustic safety of music players + headphones
- CPSIA and ASTM F963: toy safety in the United States
Bifacial modules
Section titled “Bifacial modules”A bifacial device produces power from both faces. IEC TS 60904-1-2 sets the additional requirements, beyond IEC 60904-1, for measuring its I-V characteristics. It defines bifaciality as the ratio of rear-side to front-side characteristics, with coefficients for short-circuit current, open-circuit voltage and maximum power, and an equivalent irradiance on the front that reproduces front plus rear illumination. Edition 2 (7 November 2024) made spectral mismatch correction optional unless another standard requires it and bases the equivalent irradiance on the short-circuit current ratio alone. Amendment 1 followed on 16 March 2026.
| Standard | Bifacial provisions |
|---|---|
| IEC 61215-1:2021 | Definitions, references and instructions for design qualification of bifacial modules |
| IEC 61730-1:2023 | New term aBSI; tests adjusted for the higher current; marking of which side is the front, or that both faces are designed for prolonged direct sunlight (above 300 W/m²); installation parameters and documentation |
| IEC 61730-2:2023 | MST 02, MST 07, MST 22, MST 25 and MST 51 (TC200) updated; in the UV test MST 54 one module is irradiated from the front and another from the back |
United States: UL 61730
Section titled “United States: UL 61730”UL 61730-1 and UL 61730-2 adopt IEC 61730 for the US market. The third editions were published and ANSI-approved on 26 March 2026, superseding the second editions of 28 October 2022; edition 3 of UL 61730-1 is based on IEC 61730-1:2023. UL 61730-2 references UL 790 (fire tests of roof coverings), UL 2703 (mounting systems) and UL 1703. UL 1703 is still listed as active in the UL catalogue (edition 3, published 15 March 2002, last revised 15 May 2024), so the claim that it was "replaced in 2019" does not match the catalogue.
EU market framework for PV modules and inverters
Section titled “EU market framework for PV modules and inverters”| Act | What it says for PV | Status on 7 October 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| LVD 2014/35/EU | Applies to equipment rated 75 to 1 500 V DC; conformity by internal production control (Annex III, Module A) | In force |
| Decision (EU) 2023/2723 (consolidated 30 April 2026) | Presumption of conformity via EN IEC 61730-1:2018 + AC:2018-06, EN IEC 61730-2:2018 + AC:2018-06, EN 62109-1:2010, EN 62109-2:2011, EN 50618:2014 (PV cables) | IEC 61730:2023 editions not cited |
| RoHS 2011/65/EU | Article 2(4)(i) excludes PV panels for professionally designed, assembled and installed systems for permanent use at a defined location | In force |
| WEEE 2012/19/EU | Photovoltaic panels named in Annex I (category 4) and Annex IV (under category 4, large equipment) | In force |
| ESPR (EU) 2024/1781, Article 79 | PV panels are among the products for which preparatory work under Directive 2009/125/EC continues until 31 December 2026 | Transition running |
| Working plan COM(2025) 187 | PV panels are in the Article 79 transitional group, not in the 16 items carried into the 2025-2030 plan | Adopted 16 April 2025 |
| Forced Labour Regulation (EU) 2024/3015 | Ban on products made with forced labour, all sectors; Commission database and guidelines due by 14 June 2026 | Applies from 14 December 2027 |
Because the LVD uses Module A, no NB is involved: the manufacturer draws up the technical documentation and the EU declaration of conformity. Test reports to IEC 61730:2023 can support that file, but presumption of conformity only attaches to the EN editions cited in the Official Journal. The inverter is an active electronic product and also falls under the EMC Directive 2014/30/EU. For the wider framework, see EU declaration of conformity and low voltage directive content.
PV inverters, a separate framework
Section titled “PV inverters, a separate framework”IEC 62109-1 (2010) sets the general safety requirements for power conversion equipment in PV systems, and IEC 62109-2 (2011) adds the particular requirements for inverters, grid-interactive, stand-alone or multi-mode. A second edition of IEC 62109-1 was put to FDIS vote from 4 September to 16 October 2026 under a new title, "Photovoltaic power systems, Safety, Power conversion equipment". Its listed changes include removal of handheld and transportable equipment from the scope, new requirements for earth faults and arc faults, updated reverse current and voltage back-feed requirements, PV and battery circuits, expanded functional safety for software and hardware, and gas build-up and explosion risks. It covers equipment up to 1 500 V DC and 1 000 V AC. Grid connection rules are national or set by network codes and are outside the scope of this page.
Claims the texts contradict
Section titled “Claims the texts contradict”| Common claim | What the text says |
|---|---|
| "IEC 61730-1 defines module classes A, B and 0." | Since the 2016 edition the classes are 0, II and III per IEC 61140 (IEC 61730-1:2023, Clause 5). Class A, B and C were the pre-2016 application classes. |
| "Partial discharge test MST 15 is key for bifacial modules." | MST 15 was removed in IEC 61730-2:2016 and does not exist in the 2023 edition. |
| "IEC 61730-2 classifies fire performance as class A, B or C." | MST 23 refers to national building code requirements; Annex B is informative and describes tests based on ENV 1187 and ANSI/UL 61730-2. |
| "IEC 61215 qualifies a 20 to 25 year service life." | IEC 61215-1:2021 scope: test results are not construed as a quantitative prediction of module lifetime. |
| "IEC 62804 runs 96 h at 85 °C under negative bias, pass below 5 %." | IEC TS 62804-1:2025 is a Technical Specification with dark and UV methods in the polarities the manufacturer permits. It notes that a 60 °C, 85 % RH, 96 h correspondence with outdoor results no longer holds and sets no pass mark. |
| "IEC 61701 has six levels; level 6 is the marine level." | The 2011 edition used severity 1 for marine sites and 3 to 6 for de-icing salt. The 2020 edition uses IEC 60068-2-52 methods 1 to 8 chosen through Annex A. |
| "IEC 62938 is a Technical Specification." | It is an International Standard, edition 1.0 of 14 May 2020. |
| "UL 61730 replaced UL 1703 in 2019." | The UL catalogue lists UL 1703 as active, last revised 15 May 2024, and UL 61730-2 still references it. UL 61730 is now in its third edition (26 March 2026). |
| "The LVD presumption comes from IEC 61730:2023." | Decision 2023/2723 (consolidated 30 April 2026) cites EN IEC 61730-1:2018 and EN IEC 61730-2:2018 with their corrigenda. |
| "A PV module needs a notified body for CE marking." | The LVD conformity procedure is internal production control (Module A, Annex III). |
| "PV modules must meet RoHS." | RoHS Article 2(4)(i) excludes PV panels for professionally installed permanent systems at a defined location; panels outside that wording stay in scope. |
Procedure for a new PV module
Section titled “Procedure for a new PV module”- Freeze the bill of materials: cells, encapsulation material, front and back sheets, frame, junction box, connectors, bypass diodes. IEC 61730-1 says any change to materials, design or internal spacing is subject to re-evaluation under the IEC 61730 series and IEC TS 62915.
- Identify the technology to pick the IEC 61215-1-x part (crystalline silicon, CdTe, amorphous silicon, CIGS family).
- Choose the class (0, II or III) and the maximum system voltage, up to 1 500 V DC.
- Check the operating temperature: if the 98th percentile exceeds 70 °C, IEC 61730-1 and IEC 61215-1 point to IEC TS 63126.
- Check the component standards: junction box IEC 62790, connectors IEC 62852, cables IEC 62930 or EN 50618, front and back sheets IEC 62788-2-1.
- Define the environments for the additional tests: IEC TS 62804-1 (PID), IEC 61701 (salt mist), IEC 62716 (ammonia), IEC 62938 (snow), and IEC TS 60904-1-2 if the module is bifacial.
- Run IEC 61215 and IEC 61730 on a shared sample set, as IEC 61730-1 intends.
- For the EU, build the LVD technical file around the cited EN IEC 61730:2018 editions, register for WEEE where the panels are placed on the market, and check the RoHS exclusion wording against the intended installation.
- For the US, plan UL 61730 (edition 3, 2026) with the UL 790 fire test.
For cross-cutting orders of magnitude per phase, see certification timeline and certification costs.
Going further
Section titled “Going further”- IEC 61010 laboratory and measurement safety: low voltage safety standard adjacent to IEC 61730 logic
- EN 60598 LED luminaires safety: comparable EN safety framework for related electrical products
- IEC 61000-4-8 power frequency magnetic immunity: EMC test relevant to PV inverters
- Certification timeline: cross-cutting orders of magnitude per phase
- Certification costs: order of magnitude per scheme
- Glossary: definitions of IEC, LVD, RoHS, WEEE and presumption of conformity
Sources and references
Section titled “Sources and references”Sources & references
- IEC 61730-1:2023 Photovoltaic (PV) module safety qualification, Part 1: Requirements for construction (edition 3.0), IEC webstore.iec.ch/en/publication/59803
- IEC 61730-2:2023 Photovoltaic (PV) module safety qualification, Part 2: Requirements for testing (edition 3.0), IEC webstore.iec.ch/en/publication/63895
- IEC 61215-1:2021 Terrestrial PV modules, Design qualification and type approval, Part 1: Test requirements, IEC webstore.iec.ch/en/publication/61345
- IEC 61215-2:2021 Terrestrial PV modules, Design qualification and type approval, Part 2: Test procedures, IEC webstore.iec.ch/en/publication/61350
- IEC TS 62804-1:2025 PV modules, Test methods for the detection of potential-induced degradation, Part 1: Crystalline silicon, IEC webstore.iec.ch/en/publication/71747
- IEC 61701:2020 PV modules, Salt mist corrosion testing (edition 3.0), IEC webstore.iec.ch/en/publication/59588
- IEC 62716:2013 PV modules, Ammonia corrosion testing, IEC webstore.iec.ch/en/publication/7392
- IEC 62938:2020 PV modules, Non-uniform snow load testing, IEC webstore.iec.ch/en/publication/33027
- IEC TS 60904-1-2:2024 Measurement of current-voltage characteristics of bifacial PV devices, IEC webstore.iec.ch/en/publication/71709
- IEC 61853-2:2026 PV module performance testing and energy rating, Part 2 (edition 2.0), IEC webstore.iec.ch/en/publication/86013
- IEC 62109-1:2010 Safety of power converters for use in photovoltaic power systems, Part 1: General requirements, IEC webstore.iec.ch/publication/6470
- IEC 62109-1:2026 PRV (FDIS, edition 2.0, voting 4 September to 16 October 2026), IEC webstore.iec.ch/en/publication/116681
- Commission Implementing Decision (EU) 2023/2723 on harmonised standards under Directive 2014/35/EU, consolidated version of 30 April 2026, Publications Office of the European Union (EUR-Lex) eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:02023D2723-20260430
- Directive 2014/35/EU (Low Voltage Directive), Publications Office of the European Union (EUR-Lex) eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/dir/2014/35/oj
- Directive 2011/65/EU (RoHS), Article 2(4)(i), Publications Office of the European Union (EUR-Lex) eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/dir/2011/65/oj
- Regulation (EU) 2024/3015 prohibiting products made with forced labour, Article 39, Publications Office of the European Union (EUR-Lex) eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/reg/2024/3015/oj
- Regulation (EU) 2024/1781 (ESPR), Article 79 transitional provisions, Publications Office of the European Union (EUR-Lex) eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/reg/2024/1781/oj
- Ecodesign for Sustainable Products and Energy Labelling Working Plan 2025-2030, COM(2025) 187, European Commission eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:52025DC0187
- UL 61730-1 Photovoltaic (PV) Module Safety Qualification, Part 1 (edition 3, 26 March 2026), UL Standards & Engagement www.shopulstandards.com/ProductDetail.aspx?productId=UL61730-1_3_S_20260326
- UL 1703 Flat-Plate Photovoltaic Modules and Panels (catalogue status), UL Standards & Engagement www.shopulstandards.com/ProductDetail.aspx?productId=UL1703
Frequently asked questions
- What is the difference between MQT and MST test numbers?
- They are two numbering series in two standards. MQT (Module Quality Test) numbers come from IEC 61215-2:2021, for example insulation MQT 03, hot-spot endurance MQT 09, thermal cycling MQT 11, damp heat MQT 13, wet leakage current MQT 15, static mechanical load MQT 16, hail MQT 17 and the PID test MQT 21. MST (Module Safety Test) numbers come from IEC 61730-2:2023, for example impulse voltage MST 14, insulation MST 16, wet leakage current MST 17, fire MST 23 and module breakage MST 32. Several MST environmental tests are based on MQT tests: MST 51 on MQT 11, MST 52 on MQT 12, MST 53 on MQT 13 and MST 54 on MQT 10.
- What is the difference between IEC 61730 and IEC 61215?
- IEC 61730-1 sets construction requirements and IEC 61730-2 sets the tests for safety qualification: protection against electric shock, fire hazards and personal injury. IEC 61215 covers design qualification and type approval for long-term operation in open-air climates. IEC 61730-1 states that it is designed to coordinate with the IEC 61215 test sequences so that a single set of samples can serve both. IEC 61215-1 also states that test results are not a quantitative prediction of module lifetime.
- Which IEC 61215 sub-part applies to my technology?
- IEC 61215-1:2021 sets the general test requirements and IEC 61215-2:2021 the test procedures. The technology-specific parts are IEC 61215-1-1 (crystalline silicon), IEC 61215-1-2 (thin-film CdTe), IEC 61215-1-3 (thin-film amorphous silicon) and IEC 61215-1-4 (thin-film Cu(In,Ga)(S,Se)2). Parts 1-2, 1-3 and 1-4 each received Amendment 1 in 2022.
- When is the IEC 61701 salt mist test relevant?
- IEC 61701:2020 covers corrosive wet atmospheres such as marine sites and places where salt is spread on roads in winter. The third edition replaced the 2011 severity levels with a choice among test methods 1 to 8 of IEC 60068-2-52, guided by a normative Annex A. In the 2011 edition, severity 1 was the marine case and severities 3 to 6 covered de-icing salt, so reading level 6 as the marine level was wrong even then.
- What does IEC TS 62804-1 test for PID?
- IEC TS 62804-1:2025 (edition 2, a Technical Specification) gives test methods for potential-induced degradation in crystalline silicon modules: dark tests for PID-shunting and tests with ultraviolet light for PID-polarization, plus a recovery test. It evaluates the polarities the manufacturer permits, since PID has been observed in positive and negative strings. It does not set a pass mark. IEC 61215-2:2021 added its own PID test, MQT 21.
- Which EN editions give presumption of conformity under the LVD?
- The Low Voltage Directive 2014/35/EU covers equipment rated 75 to 1 500 V DC. In the consolidated harmonised-standards list (Decision (EU) 2023/2723, version of 30 April 2026) the cited module standards are EN IEC 61730-1:2018 and EN IEC 61730-2:2018 with their 2018 corrigenda, and for inverters EN 62109-1:2010 and EN 62109-2:2011. The 2023 IEC editions of IEC 61730 are not cited. The LVD uses internal production control (Module A), with no notified body.
- How does UL 61730 relate to IEC 61730 and UL 1703?
- UL 61730-1 and UL 61730-2 are the US adoptions of IEC 61730. Their third editions were published and ANSI-approved on 26 March 2026, after second editions of 28 October 2022. UL 1703 was not withdrawn: the UL catalogue lists it as active (edition 3, last revised 15 May 2024), and UL 61730-2 still references UL 1703 and UL 790, the roof covering fire test.
- How are bifacial modules handled?
- IEC TS 60904-1-2 (edition 2 of 7 November 2024, Amendment 1 of 16 March 2026) sets how to measure the I-V characteristics of bifacial devices and defines rear-to-front ratio coefficients. IEC 61215-1:2021 added instructions for bifacial modules, IEC 61730-1:2023 added the term aBSI and front-side marking, and IEC 61730-2:2023 updated MST 02, MST 07, MST 22, MST 25 and MST 51 for bifacial modules.
- Do RoHS, WEEE and the Forced Labour Regulation apply to PV panels?
- RoHS 2011/65/EU excludes photovoltaic panels intended for a system designed, assembled and installed by professionals for permanent use at a defined location (Article 2(4)(i)). WEEE 2012/19/EU lists photovoltaic panels explicitly in its categories. The Forced Labour Regulation (EU) 2024/3015 applies from 14 December 2027 to all products, without a sector list.