SS IEC 62109-2 : 2016
(ICS 27.160)
SINGAPORE STANDARD
Safety of power converters for use in
photovoltaic (PV) power systems
– Part 2 : Particular requirements for inverters
[Identical adoption of IEC 62109-2 : 2011]
Published by
SS IEC 62109-2 : 2016
(ICS 27.160)
SINGAPORE STANDARD
Safety of power converters for use in photovoltaic
(PV) power systems
– Part 2 : Particular requirements for inverters
© IEC [2011] – All rights reserved
© Enterprise Singapore [2016]
ISBN 978-981-4726-63-4
SS IEC 62109-2 : 2016
This Singapore Standard was approved by the Electrical and Electronic Standards Committee
on behalf of the Singapore Standards Council on 20 September 2016.
First published, 2016
The Electrical and Electronic Standards Committee, appointed by the Standar ds Council,
consists of the following members:
Name Capacity
Chairman : Er. Peter Leong Weng Kwai Member, Standards Council
Deputy
Chairmen : Mr Cheong Tak Leong SPRING Singapore
Er. Tan Hak Khoon Energy Market Authority
Advisor : Mr Renny Yeo Ah Kiang Individual Capacity
Secretary : Mr Jason Low SPRING Singapore
Members : Dr Chua Sze Wey Agency for Science, Technology and Research
Assoc Prof Gooi Hoay Beng Nanyang Technological University
Er. Hashim Bin Mansoor Building and Construction Authority
Assoc Prof Ko Chi Chung National University of Singapore
Mr Koh Liang Hock SP PowerGrid Ltd
Er. Lim Ah Hee Housing & Development Board
Er. Lim Say Leong Singapore Business Federation
Er. Ling Shiang Yun / Association of Consulting Engineers
Er. Kenneth Liu Singapore
Mr Ng Kin Ming Singapore Electrical Contractors and Licensed
Electrical Workers Association
Er. Ong Ser Huan Institution of Engineers, Singapore
Dr Thomas Reindl Solar Energy Research Institute of Singapore
Mr Sim Geok Seng SPRING Singapore
Mr Sim Wee Meng Land Transport Authority
Mr Tan Boon Chong Singapore Manufacturing Federation
SAC Christopher Tan Eng Singapore Civil Defence Force
Kiong
Mr Alfred Tan Lai Seng Singapore Electrical Trades Association
Ms Tan Li Yen National Environment Agency
The Technical Committee on Power Systems and Utilisation, appointed by the Electrical and
Electronic Standards Committee and responsible for the preparation of this standard, consists
of representatives from the following organisations:
Name Capacity
Chairman : Er. Tan Hak Khoon Deputy Chairman, Electrical and Electronic
Standards Committee
Deputy
Chairman : Mr Koh Liang Hock SP PowerGrid Ltd
Secretary : Mr Md Johan Jamil SPRING Singapore
Members : Mr Chan Chee Hin Ngee Ann Polytechnic
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Members : Mr Chia Song Khoon Land Transport Authority
Mr Ken G Jung Singapore Electrical Contractors and Licensed
Electrical Workers Association
Er. Adeline Koh Association of Consulting Engineers
Singapore
Prof Lalit Kumar Goel Nanyang Technological University
Mr Lim Bock Teck Singapore Polytechnic
Er. Lim Say Leong Singapore Electrical Trades Association
Mr Seng Chin Chye Institute of Technical Education
Er. Soh Swee Seng Housing & Development Board
Mr Tan Boon Chong Singapore Manufacturing Federation
Er. Tan Chong Poh SP Services Ltd
Dr Teo Tee Hui / Institution of Engineers Singapore
Dr Tan Yen Kheng
Dr Timothy Michael Walsh National University of Singapore
Mr Yee Peng Huey JTC Corporation
Co-opted
Member : Er. Peter Toi Individual Capacity
The Working Group, appointed by the Technical Committee to assist in the preparation of this
standard, comprises the following experts who contribute in their individual capacity:
Name
Co-Convenors : Dr Timothy Michael Walsh
Er. Lim Ah Hee
Members : Mr Jonathan Cheng
Prof Er Meng Joo
Mr Ettanoor Thuppale Mohan Dass
Ms Kavita Gandhi
Dr Jiang Hao
Mr Christopher Hee
Mr Christophe Inglin
Mr Albert Lim
Mr Liu Yuanjie
Mr Pang Tong Teck
Mr Tan Lee Heng
Mr Tan Teck Cheng
Er. Wan Fook Sing
Mr Vincent Wiguna
Ms Joanne Wong
Er. Wong Kum Hoong
Mr Wong Lip Pang
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The organisations in which the experts of the Working Group are invo lved are:
ABB Pte Ltd
Building and Construction Authority
Energy Market Authority
Housing & Development Board
Intertek Testing Services (S) Pte Ltd
Nanyang Technological University
National Metrology Centre
Phoenix Solar Pte Ltd
REC Cells Pte Ltd
Sembcorp Architects & Engineers Pte Ltd
Singapore Civil Defence Force
Singapore Polytechnic
SingSolar Pte Ltd
Solar Energy Research Institute of Singapore
SolarGy Pte Ltd
SP PowerGrid Ltd
Sustainable Energy Association Singapore
TUV SUD PSB Pte Ltd
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CONTENTS
NATIONAL FOREWORD ....................................................................................................... 8
FOREWORD ......................................................................................................................... 9
INTRODUCTION .................................................................................................................. 11
1 Scope and object ........................................................................................................... 12
1.1 Scope ................................................................................................................... 12
2 Normative references ..................................................................................................... 13
3 Terms and definitions ..................................................................................................... 13
4 General testing requirements ......................................................................................... 14
4.4 Testing in single fault condition ............................................................................. 14
4.4.4 Single fault conditions to be applied .......................................................... 14
4.4.4.15 Fault-tolerance of protection for grid-interactive inverters ........... 15
4.4.4.16 Stand-alone inverters – Load transfer test .................................. 17
4.4.4.17 Cooling system failure – Blanketing test ..................................... 17
4.7 Electrical ratings tests ........................................................................................... 18
4.7.3 Measurement requirements for AC output ports for stand -alone
inverters .................................................................................................... 18
4.7.4 Stand-alone Inverter AC output voltage and frequency .............................. 18
4.7.4.1 General ...................................................................................... 18
4.7.4.2 Steady state output voltage at nominal DC input ......................... 18
4.7.4.3 Steady state output voltage across the DC input range ............... 18
4.7.4.4 Load step response of the output voltage at nominal DC
input ........................................................................................... 19
4.7.4.5 Steady state output frequency .................................................... 19
4.7.5 Stand-alone inverter output voltage waveform ........................................... 19
4.7.5.1 General ...................................................................................... 19
4.7.5.2 Sinusoidal output voltage waveform requirements ...................... 19
4.7.5.3 Non-sinusoidal output waveform requirements ............................ 19
4.7.5.4 Information requirements for non-sinusoidal waveforms .............. 20
4.7.5.5 Output voltage waveform requirements for inverters for
dedicated loads .......................................................................... 20
4.8 Additional tests for grid-interactive inverters ......................................................... 21
4.8.1 General requirements regarding inverter isolation and array
grounding .................................................................................................. 21
4.8.2 Array insulation resistance detection for inverters for ungrounded
and functionally grounded arrays ............................................................... 23
4.8.2.1 Array insulation resistance detection for inverters for
ungrounded arrays ...................................................................... 23
4.8.2.2 Array insulation resistance detection for inverters for
functionally grounded arrays ....................................................... 24
4.8.3 Array residual current detection ................................................................. 25
4.8.3.1 General ...................................................................................... 25
4.8.3.2 30 mA touch current type test for isolated inverters .................... 25
4.8.3.3 Fire hazard residual current type test for isolated inverters ......... 25
4.8.3.4 Protection by application of RCD’s .............................................. 26
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4.8.3.5 Protection by residual current monitoring .................................... 26
4.8.3.6 Systems located in closed electrical operating areas .................. 29
5 Marking and documentation ........................................................................................... 29
5.1 Marking ................................................................................................................. 29
5.1.4 Equipment ratings ..................................................................................... 29
5.2 Warning markings ................................................................................................. 30
5.2.2 Content for warning markings .................................................................... 30
5.2.2.6 Inverters for closed electrical operating areas ............................. 30
5.3 Documentation ...................................................................................................... 30
5.3.2 Information related to installation .............................................................. 30
5.3.2.1 Ratings ....................................................................................... 30
5.3.2.2 Grid-interactive inverter setpoints ............................................... 31
5.3.2.3 Transformers and isolation ......................................................... 32
5.3.2.4 Transformers required but not provided ...................................... 32
5.3.2.5 PV modules for non-isolated inverters ........................................ 32
5.3.2.6 Non-sinusoidal output waveform information ............................... 32
5.3.2.7 Systems located in closed electrical operating areas .................. 32
5.3.2.8 Stand-alone inverter output circuit bonding ................................. 32
5.3.2.9 Protection by application of RCD’s .............................................. 33
5.3.2.10 Remote indication of faults ......................................................... 33
5.3.2.11 External array insulation resistance measurement and
response .................................................................................... 33
5.3.2.12 Array functional grounding information ........................................ 33
5.3.2.13 Stand-alone inverters for dedicated loads ................................... 33
5.3.2.14 Identification of firmware version(s) ............................................ 33
6 Environmental requirements and conditions ................................................................... 34
7 Protection against electric shock and energy hazards .................................................... 34
7.3 Protection against electric shock ........................................................................... 34
7.3.10 Additional requirements for stand-alone inverters ...................................... 34
7.3.11 Functionally grounded arrays .................................................................... 34
8 Protection against mechanical hazards .......................................................................... 35
9 Protection against fire hazards ....................................................................................... 35
9.3Short-circuit and overcurrent protection ................................................................ 35
9.3.4 Inverter backfeed current onto the array .................................................... 35
10 Protection against sonic pressure hazards ..................................................................... 35
11 Protection against liquid hazards.................................................................................... 35
12 Protection against chemical hazards .............................................................................. 35
13 Physical requirements .................................................................................................... 35
13.9 Fault indication ..................................................................................................... 36
14 Components ................................................................................................................... 36
Bibliography ......................................................................................................................... 37
Figure 20 – Example system discussed in Note 2 above ....................................................... 16
Figure 21 – Example test circuit for residual current detection testing ................................... 27
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Table 30 – Requirements based on inverter isolation and array grounding ........................... 22
Table 31 – Response time limits for sudden changes in residual current .............................. 26
Table 32 – Inverter ratings – Marking requirements .............................................................. 29
Table 33 – Inverter ratings – Documentation requirements ................................................... 31
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National Foreword
This Singapore Standard was prepared by a Working Group appointed by the Technical
Committee on Power Systems and Utilisation under the direction of the Electrical and
Electronic Standards Committee.
This standard is an identical adoption of International Standard IEC 62109 -2 : 2011, ‘Safety
of power converters for use in photovoltaic power systems – Part 2: Particular requirements
for inverters’ published by the International Electrotechnical Commission.
Attention is drawn to the following:
1. Where appropriate, the words ‘International Standard’ shall be read as ‘Singapore
Standard’. The reference to ‘IEC 62109-1’ shall be replaced by ‘SS IEC 62109-1’.
2. The comma has been used throughout as a decimal marker whereas in Singapore
Standards it is a practice to use a full point on the baseline as the decimal marker.
3. The amendments in the SS IEC 62109-2 are incorporated without tracked changes for
ease of reference by the users of the standard.
Attention is drawn to the possibility that some of the elements of this Singapore Standard may be the
subject of patent rights. Enterprise Singapore shall not be held responsible for identifying any or all of
such patent rights
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INTERNATIONAL ELECTROTECHNICAL COMMISSION
____________
SAFETY OF POWER CONVERTERS FOR USE
IN PHOTOVOLTAIC POWER SYSTEMS –
Part 2: Particular requirements for inverters
FOREWORD
1) The International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) is a worldwide organization for standardization comprising
all national electrotechnical committees (IEC National Committees). The object of IEC is to promote
international co-operation on all questions concerning standardization in the electrical and electronic fields. To
this end and in addition to other activities, IEC publish es International Standards, Technical Specifications,
Technical Reports, Publicly Available Specifications (PAS) and Guides (hereafter referred to as “IEC
Publication(s)”). Their preparation is entrusted to technical committees; any IEC National Committee interested
in the subject dealt with may participate in this preparatory work. International, governmental and non -
governmental organizations liaising with the IEC also participate in this preparation. IEC collaborates closely
with the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) in accordance with conditions determined by
agreement between the two organizations.
2) The formal decisions or agreements of IEC on technical matters express, as nearly as possible, an
international consensus of opinion on the relevant subjects since each technical committee has representation
from all interested IEC National Committees.
3) IEC Publications have the form of recommendations for international use and are accepted by IEC National
Committees in that sense. While all reasonable efforts are made to ensure that the technical content of IEC
Publications is accurate, IEC cannot be held responsible for the way in which they are used or for any
misinterpretation by any end user.
4) In order to promote international uniformity, IEC National Committees undertake to apply IEC Publications
transparently to the maximum extent possible in their national and regional publications. Any divergence
between any IEC Publication and the corresponding national or regional publicatio n shall be clearly indicated
in the latter.
5) IEC itself does not provide any attestation of conformity. Independent certification bodies provide conformity
assessment services and, in some areas, access to IEC marks of conformity. IEC is not responsible for any
services carried out by independent certification bodies.
6) All users should ensure that they have the latest edition of this publication.
7) No liability shall attach to IEC or its directors, employees, servants or agents including individual exp erts and
members of its technical committees and IEC National Committees for any personal injury, property damage or
other damage of any nature whatsoever, whether direct or indirect, or for costs (including legal fees) and
expenses arising out of the publication, use of, or reliance upon, this IEC Publication or any other IEC
Publications.
8) Attention is drawn to the Normative references cited in this publication. Use of the referenced publications is
indispensable for the correct application of this pub lication.
9) Attention is drawn to the possibility that some of the elements of this IEC Publication may be the subject of
patent rights. IEC shall not be held responsible for identifying any or all such patent rights.
International Standard IEC 62109-2 has been prepared by IEC technical committee 82: Solar
photovoltaic energy systems.
The text of this standard is based on the following documents:
FDIS Report on voting
82/636/FDIS 82/648A/RVD
Full information on the voting for the approval of this standa rd can be found in the report on
voting indicated in the above table.
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This publication has been drafted in accordance with the ISO/IEC Directives, Part 2.
The requirements in this Part 2 are to be used with the requirements in Part 1, and
supplement or modify clauses in Part 1. When a particular clause or subclause of Part 1 is
not mentioned in this Part 2, that clause of Part 1 applies. When this Part 2 contains clauses
that add to, modify, or replace clauses in Part 1, the relevant text of Part 1 is to be applied
with the required changes.
Subclauses, figures and tables additional to those in Part 1 are numbered in continuation of
the sequence existing in Part 1.
All references to “Part 1” in this Part 2 shall be taken as dated references to
IEC 62109-1:2010.
The committee has decided that the contents of this publication will remain unchanged until
the stability date indicated on the IEC web site under "http://webstore.iec.ch" in the data
related to the specific publication. At this date, the publication will be
• reconfirmed,
• withdrawn,
• replaced by a revised edition, or
• amended.
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INTRODUCTION
This Part 2 of IEC 62109 gives requirements for grid-interactive and stand-alone inverters.
This equipment has potentially hazardous input sources and output circuits, internal
components, and features and functions, which demand different requirements for safety than
those given in Part 1 (IEC 62109-1:2010).
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SAFETY OF POWER CONVERTERS FOR USE
IN PHOTOVOLTAIC POWER SYSTEMS –
Part 2: Particular requirements for inverters
1 Scope and object
This clause of Part 1 is applicable with the following exception:
1.1 Scope
Addition:
This Part 2 of IEC 62109 covers the particular safety requirements relevant to d.c. to a.c.
inverter products as well as products that ha ve or perform inverter functions in addition to
other functions, where the inverter is intended for use in photovoltaic power systems.
Inverters covered by this standard may be grid -interactive, stand-alone, or multiple mode
inverters, may be supplied by single or multiple photovoltaic modules grouped in various
array configurations, and may be intended for use in conjunction with batteries or other forms
of energy storage.
Inverters with multiple functions or modes shall be judged against all applicable requirements
for each of those functions and modes.
NOTE Throughout this standard where terms such as “grid-interactive inverter” are used, the meaning is either a
grid-interactive inverter or a grid-interactive operating mode of a multi-mode inverter
This standard does not address grid interconnection requirem ents for grid-interactive
inverters.
NOTE The authors of this Part 2 did not think it would be appropriate or successful to attempt to put grid
interconnection requirements into this standard, for the following reasons:
a) Grid interconnection standards typically contain both protection and power quality requirements, dealing with
aspects such as disconnection under abnormal voltage or frequency conditions on the grid, protection against
islanding, limitation of harmonic currents and d.c. injection, power fac tor, etc. Many of these aspects are
power quality requirements that are beyond the scope of a product safety standard such as this.
b) At the time of writing there is inadequate consensus amongst regulators of grid -interactive inverters to lead to
acceptance of harmonized interconnect requirements. For example, IEC 61727 gives grid interconnection
requirements, but has not gained significant acceptance, and publication of EN 50438 required inclusion of
country-specific deviations for a large number of countries.
c) The recently published IEC 62116 contains test methods for islanding protection.
This standard does contain safety requirements specific to grid -interactive inverters that are similar to the safety
aspects of some existing national grid interconnection standards.
Users of this standard should be aware that in most jurisdictions allowing grid interconnection of inverters there
are national or local requirements that must be met . Examples include EN 50438, IEEE 1547, DIN VDE 0126-1-1,
and AS 4777.3
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2 Normative references
This clause of Part 1 is applicable, with the following exception:
Addition
IEC 62109-1:2010, Safety of power converters for use in photovoltaic power systems –
Part 1: General requirements
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