Fault identification and diagnosis methods for photovoltaic system: A review

The components in a PV system include its modules, connection lines, converters, inverters. Faults in any component of a photovoltaic (PV) system cannot be identified and repaired quickly. Thus, these faults would reduce the performance, reliability, and power generation from PV systems. Moreover, a certain fault, such as arc fault, ground fault or line-to-line fault, can result in fires. Consequently, fault detection and diagnosis (FDD) methods for PV systems are critical to maintain their stability and safety. This paper presents various types and causes for PV system faults, and summarizes various FDD approaches in PV systems, especially for the faults on PV arrays. In the future, it is expected that appropriate FDD methods that can reliably recognize, localize and identify potential PV faults will be given special considerations. Finally, the challenges and guidelines for prospective research directions about FDD in PVs are also presented in this paper.