Fault Diagnosis in Solar Array I-V Curves Using Characteristic Simulation and Multi-Input Models

Currently, fault identification in most photovoltaic systems primarily relies on experienced engineers conducting on-site tests or interpreting data. However, due to limited human resources, it is challenging to meet the vast demands of the solar photovoltaic market. Therefore, we propose to identify fault types through the current–voltage curves of solar arrays, obtaining curves for various conditions (normal, aging faults, shading faults, degradation faults due to potential differences, short-circuit faults, hot-spot faults, and crack faults) as training data for the model. We employ a multi-input model architecture that combines convolutional neural networks with deep neural networks, allowing both the imagery and feature values of the current–voltage curves to be used as input data for fault identification. This study demonstrates that by inputting the current–voltage curves, irradiance, and module specifications of solar string arrays into the trained model, faults can be identified quickly using actual field data.