Sonel meters for photovoltaic systems

The increasing popularity of photovoltaic systems has driven the manufacturers of measurement instruments to introduce into their portfolios measuring instruments that are designed specifically for solar panels. One such manufacturer is Sonel, a leading supplier of specialist measuring instruments, whose product range has been expanded to include professional PV devices.

The PVM-1020 meter is one of the most compact and handiest devices in the category of instruments with such a large number of functions available. The instrument is capable of measuring, among other things, PV panel open-circuit voltage up to 1000 V DC, AC RMS voltage up to 600 V, PV panel short-circuit current up to 20 A DC, panel insulation resistance; it also offers simultaneous measurement of two values: RISO+ and RISO-, measurement of AC circuit insulation resistance, resistance of protective conductors and equipotential bonding with ±200 mA current, AC/DC power rating measurement, diode test with 200 mA current.

All functions can be selected using a rotary knob. In addition, the AUTO mode performs a sequence of multiple measurements after pressing the START button once. The backlit graphic display makes it easy to operate the device in shaded areas, and the extensive memory (100 records of 40 cells each) allows for a larger number of measurements to be taken without having to upload them to a computer. The device features an IP65 ingress protection rating, which is particularly important when taking measurements of photovoltaic systems, which are inherently situated outdoors. Measurement data from the PVM-1020 meter can be transferred to a computer via Bluetooth wireless communication. Thanks to the Sonel Reader software supplied together with the device, the data can be downloaded and converted into the most common file formats.

A device which complements the PVM-1020 meter is the IRM-1 solar irradiance and temperature meter. This compact instrument is indispensable when testing PV systems. Through the measurement of insolation as well as panel and ambient temperatures, it provides the necessary data for converting the measurement results into STCs (Standard Test Conditions), which take into account the influence of thermal conditions on the performance of photovoltaic cells. The built-in logger has a memory of 5000 records. Results of the measurements taken using the IRM-1 meter can be transferred to a computer via a USB interface or via LoRa wireless communication (Long Range). This standard enables automatic data exchange with the PVM-1020 meter over long distances.

Parameters of the PVM-1020 meter