Short Course 2: Infrared Inspections of Photovoltaic Systems

With interest in renewable energy at an all-time high, photovoltaic panels have become a common sight worldwide.  Proper performance requires that photovoltaic installations be free from defects; however, such defects are often not readily apparent.  This presentation focuses on the use of infrared imaging to inspect installed PV systems both for quality assurance of new installations and predictive maintenance of installed systems.  Ground-based and aerial inspection techniques will be covered along with existing standards for inspections.

This course is a must for anyone involved with installation or maintenance of photovoltaic systems.

Learning outcomes

This course will enable you to:

• recognize various types of photovoltaic panels
• select appropriate infrared inspection techniques for PV panels
• understand thermal patterns associated with PV system defects
• identify applicable standards for infrared inspections of PV systems
• utilize thermal imaging as a quality assurance and PdM tool for installed PV systems

Intended audience

This material is intended for anyone wishing to utilize thermography to inspect newly installed or existing photovoltaic systems.

Instructor

R. James Seffrin is a Level III Certified Infrared Thermographer® and Director of Infraspection Institute located in Burlington, NJ. Mr. Seffrin has over 35 years experience in performing infrared inspections for a wide variety of commercial, industrial, and residential applications. He is a co-author of several industry standards and is qualified as an expert witness on the subject of thermography. Mr. Seffrin is also a Certified Maintenance Reliability Professional (CMRP) and an Infraspection Institute Master Thermographer™.

Notes

Course price includes an electronic copy of PowerPoint handouts.

Price

Course FREE to full-conference attendees, all others: $99.00