Designation:E1596–99StandardTestMethodsforSolarRadiationWeatheringofPhotovoltaicModules1ThisstandardisissuedunderthefixeddesignationE1596;thenumberimmediatelyfollowingthedesignationindicatestheyearoforiginaladoptionor,inthecaseofrevision,theyearoflastrevision.Anumberinparenthesesindicatestheyearoflastreapproval.Asuperscriptepsilon(e)indicatesaneditorialchangesincethelastrevisionorreapproval.1.Scope1.1Thethreeradiantenergyweatheringproceduresde-scribedinthesetestmethodsareintendedtodeterminetheeffectsofextendedoutdoorexposure-inducedstressthatmayoccurduringservicelifeofphotovoltaicmodules.1.1.1Becausemostacceleratedweatheringdevicesarenotlargeenoughtoacceptfull-sizedphotovoltaicmodules,thesimulatedweatheringtestproceduresmaybesuitableonlyforsmallertestmodules.Theconstructionofsmallertestmodulesshouldbeascloseindesignandfunctionaspossibletofull-sizemodules.1.2Thethreesolarweatheringtestmethodsareasfollows:1.2.1ProcedureA—Naturalsunlight,real-timeexposuretesting,1.2.2ProcedureB—Acceleratedexposuretestingconcen-tratednaturalsunlight,and1.2.3ProcedureC—Acceleratedexposuretestingusingsimulatedsunlight.1.3Thetestmethodsdonotprovideforweatheringstudiesonindividualcomponentsofphotovoltaicmodules.1.4ThereisnosimilarorequivalentISOStandard.1.5Units—ThevaluesstatedinSIunitsaretoberegardedasthestandard.Nootherunitsofmeasurementareincludedinthisstandard.1.6Thisstandarddoesnotpurporttoaddressallofthesafetyconcerns,ifany,associatedwithitsuse.Itistheresponsibilityoftheuserofthisstandardtoestablishappro-priatesafetyandhealthpracticesanddeterminetheapplica-bilityofregulatorylimitationspriortouse.2.ReferencedDocuments2.1ASTMStandards:E772TerminologyRelatingtoSolarEnergyConversion2E1036TestMethodsforTestingtheElectricalPerformanceofNonconcentratorTerrestrialPhotovoltaicModulesandArraysUsingReferenceCells2E1328TerminologyRelatingtoPhotovoltaicSolarEnergyConversion2E1462TestMethodsforInsulationIntegrityandGroundPathContinuityofPhotovoltaicModules2G7PracticeforAtmosphericEnvironmen...
