Testing for Solar Panels
The european standard for solar water heating panels is EN 12975 which is a test of the robustness and thermal performance of solar panels. In common with all high-quality solar products, the Clearline solar heating panels have achieved this standard, passing tests such as:
Wind loading test (1,000 Pa)
Extended exposure testing
Water-tightness of solar panel
External thermal shock
Internal thermal shock
Hailstone impact
The Microgeneration Certification Scheme (MCS) in the UK requires only EN 12975 plus a factory inspection.
While EN12975 is an excellent test of the quality of a solar heating panel in isolation, Viridian Solar believes that it is an insufficient test for a solar panel as a building component.
Clearline solar panels were the first to achieve a British Board of Agrement (BBA) certificate. In addition to requiring the panel to have passed EN12975, the BBA used a battery of tests to ensure that the solar panel did not degrade the performance of the roof with respect to fire safety, weather-tightness, wind-resistance and expected lifetime.
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Wind Resistance and Lifetime
Clearline was artificially aged to 60 years with a regime of heat cycling then subject to positive and negative wind loads. Unlike the European standard, these tests were carried out with the panel attached to a typical roof structure rather than a metal test rig, ensuring that all the potential points of failure in a system as installed were thoroughly tested.
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The European standard only requires a wind test to 1,000 Pa, a pressure that can easily be exceeded in the UK. Viridian Solar commissioned special tests with panel loading up to 4,100 Pa, at which point the testing equipment reached its limits.
Weather-tightness
EN12-975 tests only the water resistance of the panel itself. Clearline panels were tested to ensure the weather resistance of the roof would not be diminished by the installation of the solar panels.
Once the panels had been artificially aged and subjected to the wind loading tests, a water spray was applied with a negative pressure behind the panel.
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External Spread of Flame
BS 476-3 is a routinely applied test for all kinds of roofing materials. You may be surprised to discover how few solar panel products have been tested to this standard, which aims to answer the question "if my neighbour's house is on fire, will mine catch fire through the roof?". Clearline panels achieved the highest (AA) rating.
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