Bypass mechanism

• US 9,819,178 B2
• Filed: 03/17/2014
• Issued: 11/14/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Solaredge Technologies Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Solaredge Technologies Incorporated
• Inventors: Gazit, Meir, Gershman, Israel, Kirmayer, Ehud, Kupershmidt, Leon, Adest, Meir
• Primary Examiner(s): Fureman, Jared
• Assistant Examiner(s): Bukhari, Aqeel
• Application Number:
  US14/215,130
• Publication Number:
  US 20140265629A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,338 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/02021 for solar cells electrical connection means, e.g. junction boxes, specially adapted for structural association with photovoltaic modules H02S40/34
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 1/00 Circuit arrangements for dc mains or dc distribution networks
• CPC Class Codes: H02S 40/34 comprising specially adapted electrical connection means to be structurally associated with the PV module, e.g. junction boxes
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/50 Photovoltaic [PV] energy

Abstract

A bypass mechanism for a photovoltaic module which switches out the electronics and switches in a bypass mechanism.

Claims

1. An apparatus, comprising:

a first terminal configured to be electrically coupled to a string of photovoltaic cells;

a second terminal;

a third terminal;

a fourth terminal;

electronics electrically coupled in series between the third terminal and the fourth terminal; and

a pluggable bypass connector comprising a first plurality of terminals and a second plurality of terminals and configured to;

in a first state with the first plurality of terminals physically coupled to the first and second terminals, electrically short together the first terminal and the second terminal; and

in a second state with the second plurality of terminals physically coupled to the first, second, third, and fourth terminals, electrically short together the first terminal and the third terminal and electrically short together the second terminal and the fourth terminal.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a housing configured to provide electrical access to the first, second, third, and fourth terminals from outside the housing by the bypass connector, wherein the housing encloses the electronics.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the bypass connector is further configured such that, in the first state, the third terminal is electrically disconnected from the first terminal and the fourth terminal is electrically disconnected from the second terminal.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the bypass circuit connector is further configured such that, in the second state, the first terminal is electrically disconnected from the second terminal.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising the string of photovoltaic cells electrically coupled with the first terminal.

14. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the bypass connector comprises a first housing, wherein the first plurality of terminals are located at a first side of the first housing and the second plurality of terminals are located at a second side of the first housing.

6. A method, comprising:

bypassing electronics of a photovoltaic module by plugging in a bypass connector, in a first configuration, to at least some of a plurality of terminals of the photovoltaic module;

flash testing photovoltaic cells of the photovoltaic module while the electronics are bypassed by the bypass connector; and

reconnecting the electronics by plugging in the bypass connector, in a second configuration, to at least some of the plurality of terminals of the photovoltaic module.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the terminals of the photovoltaic module comprise a first plurality of terminals, the bypass connector comprises a second plurality of terminals, and wherein during the bypassing, at least some of the first plurality of terminals are electrically coupled with the second plurality of terminals.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the bypass connector further comprises a third plurality of terminals, and wherein the reconnecting comprises disconnecting the second plurality of terminals from the at least some of the first plurality of terminals and electrically coupling the third plurality of terminals with the first plurality of terminals.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein the photovoltaic cells are electrically coupled to the photovoltaic module.

10. The method of claim 6, wherein the reconnecting comprises electronically coupling the electronics with the photovoltaic cells.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein the bypass connector comprises a first housing, wherein the first plurality of terminals are located at a first side of the first housing and the second plurality of terminals are located at a second side of the first housing.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the first side of the first housing is opposite the second side of the first housing.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the electronics are located in a second housing.

15. A method comprising:

switching out electronics of a photovoltaic module by electrically disconnecting a first plurality of terminals on a first side of a bypass connector from a second plurality of terminals of the photovoltaic module, such that a string of photovoltaic cells, the electronics, and an output of the photovoltaic module are electrically disconnected from one another; and

switching in a bypass circuit by electrically coupling a third plurality of terminals on a second side of the bypass connector to at least some of the second plurality of terminals, such that the string of photovoltaic cells is electrically coupled to the output and electrically disconnected from the electronics.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the third plurality of terminals, when electrically coupled with the at least some of the second plurality of terminals, causes the at least some of the second plurality of terminals to be electrically shorted to one another.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein prior to the switching out of the electronics, the electronics are coupled in series between a first circuit node and a second circuit node, the first circuit node is electrically coupled to the string of photovoltaic cells and the second circuit node is electrically coupled to the output, and wherein the switching out of the electronics comprises electrically disconnecting the electronics from the first circuit node and the second circuit node, and wherein the switching in of the bypass circuit comprises electrically coupling the bypass circuit so as to electrically couple the first circuit node with the second circuit node.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein a first circuit node of the photovoltaic module is electrically coupled to a first terminal of the second plurality of terminals and a second circuit node of the photovoltaic module is electrically coupled to a second terminal of the second plurality of terminals.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein the switching in of the bypass circuit comprises using the bypass circuit to electrically short together a first circuit node of the photovoltaic module and a second circuit node of the photovoltaic module, and wherein the switching out of the electronics comprises electrically disconnecting a third circuit node of the photovoltaic module from the first circuit node and electrically disconnecting a fourth circuit node of the photovoltaic module from the second circuit node, wherein the first circuit node is configured to be electrically coupled to the string of photovoltaic cells and the electronics are electrically coupled in series between the third and fourth circuit nodes.

20. The method of claim 15, wherein the electronics are located in a housing, and wherein the second plurality of terminals are accessible by the bypass connector from outside the housing.