Solar home system battery and charge regulator testing

Abstract

Laboratory testing procedures for solar home system batteries and charge regulators are proposed, as a follow up to the Universal Technical Standard for Solar Home Systems, presented in 1998. Procedures, definition and selection of instrumentation have paid particular attention to simplicity, in order to facilitate their application not only in sophisticated laboratories of industrialised countries, but also in local environments and laboratories of developing countries. On the other hand, test results from a measurement programme performed on 8 different batteries and 20 different charge regulators are presented and discussed. Finally, a review for up-dating the technical standard is presented, based on field and laboratory experience. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.