We stock a multitude of Seaward Solar instruments that together form the market’s most comprehensive solar PV testing range. There are advanced options for solar PV testers, irradiance meters, and solar tools, which are also available in a range of great value kits.
Seaward Solar PV Testers
Three different Seaward Solar testers are available from Test-Meter: the Seaward Solar Utility Pro 1500V 40A PV String Checker, the Seaward Solar PV150 Installation Tester, and the Seaward Solar PV200 PV Tester.
The Seaward Solar Utility Pro is a string checker which can be used to test parallel wire strings up to 1500V / 40A. These extremely high performance ratings enable testing without having to separate parallel wire strings. With an open circuit voltage range of 5V to 1500V DC and current range of 0.50A to 40A, the Utility Pro is particularly useful as it has direct MC4 connections. It also has an internal memory for up to 999 readings which is exportable as a CSV file.
Available for just £794, the Seaward Solar PV150 Installation Tester is a great value tester that is capable of testing PV installations in accordance with MCS and IEC 62446 standards. It measures a range of variables including earth bond, insulation resistance, open circuit voltage, short circuit current and operating current. The tester also has a downloadable memory for up to 200 readings and can even work in conjunction with an irradiance meter.
Alongside the range of standard tests, the Seaward PV200 PV Tester stands out for its capability to perform I-V curve tracing which is essential to PV maintenance and ongoing efficiency testing. Individual tests are available for troubleshooting and the tester also has an auto mode that rapidly verifies a solar PV installation at the push of a button.
Irradiance Meters
Irradiance meters are important for planning the design of a solar installation as they measure the amount of energy the Earth’s surface gets from the sun at any particular location. Seaward offer two models, each capable of measuring up to 1500W/m2.
The Seaward Solar Survey 100 Irradiance Meter is a 5-in-1 meter which, in addition to measuring irradiance, has a digital compass, tilt meter and dual-channel temperature measurement for ambient and PV panel temperature. This then allows the user to measure roof orientation, pitch, and more when surveying potential sites.
The Seaward Solar Survey 200R Irradiance Meter has all the functionality of the 100 but also features an internal memory with space for hours of readings. A real time clock and full datalogging capability allow the user to monitor irradiance over a number of hours, thus gaining a truly comprehensive picture of conditions on a site. Readings are then downloadable via a USB cable.
Solar Testing Accessories
Seaward offer a range of test leads for MC4 and MC3 connections with fused and non-fused options available. Additionally, Seaward SolarCert PV Reporting Software allows the user to download data directly from a tester and is also capable of displaying an I-V curve in comparison with the installation’s STC values according to the manufacturer.
Solar Testing Kits
Our range of Seaward Solar Testing Kits bring together our powerful Seaward PV150 and PV200 with software and irradiance meters. The testers can work together with an irradiance meter to assess the energy available in a location and test that against an installation’s efficiency. We currently offer the Seaward PV150 Solarlink Test Kit and Seaward PV200 Solar Link Test Kit.