The role of surge protectors in photovoltaic combiner boxes

With the rapid development of solar energy technology, photovoltaic systems have been widely used around the world. In a photovoltaic system, the photovoltaic combiner box is a key component, which is responsible for bringing together the current generated by the photovoltaic panels and then delivering it to the inverter or other equipment. In photovoltaic combiner boxes, surge protectors play a vital role.

The main function of the surge protector in the photovoltaic combiner box is to protect the photovoltaic system from lightning overvoltage and operating overvoltage. In lightning weather, lightning overvoltage may cause huge destructive power to the photovoltaic system, which may not only damage the equipment, but also cause safety accidents such as fires. Operating overvoltage may occur during switching operations or troubleshooting of the photovoltaic system, which may also cause damage to the system. The existence of surge protectors enables these overvoltages to be effectively suppressed and discharged, thus protecting the safety of photovoltaic systems and related equipment.

The working principle of a surge protector is usually to add an additional path in the circuit. When an overvoltage occurs in the circuit, the surge protector can guide the overvoltage into this additional path, thereby protecting other parts of the circuit from damaged. This additional path is usually a discharge gap or a varistor, which can quickly conduct when an overvoltage occurs and discharge the overvoltage to the ground or another low-impedance path.

In photovoltaic combiner boxes, the installation and use of surge protectors also need to comply with relevant safety regulations and standards. Generally speaking, surge protectors should be installed close to photovoltaic panels and inverters to absorb and discharge lightning overvoltage and operating overvoltage in a timely manner. At the same time, the selection of surge protector should also be selected according to the actual situation of the photovoltaic system to ensure its effective protection of the system.

In addition to their application in photovoltaic combiner boxes, surge protectors also play an important role in other parts of the photovoltaic system. For example, on the connection line between the photovoltaic panels and the inverter, a surge protector can prevent lightning overvoltage from causing damage to the equipment. At the input of the inverter, a surge protector protects the inverter from operating overvoltages.

With the further development of photovoltaic technology, we believe that the application of surge protectors in photovoltaic systems will also receive wider attention and research. At the same time, we will continue to work on developing more efficient and stable surge protector products to contribute to the development of the photovoltaic industry.