PV Powered Inc., a Bend, Ore.-based grid-tied solar inverter manufacturer, recently passed the full sequence of testing to the latest version of the Underwriters Laboratories Inc. (UL) 1741 standard and has been listed by the UL for its line of residential solar inverters. The inverter family contains five different models ranging in output from 2.5 kW to 5.2 kW.
According to the company, the listing comes well in advance of the mandated effective compliance date of May 7, 2007, after which noncompliant inverters may not bear the UL mark required for utility grid connection.
‘The UL 1741 test standard, updated in November of 2005, includes a more rigorous and comprehensive test suite and also includes the more demanding surge protection requirement defined in IEEE [Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers] 1547,’ says Gregg Patterson, PV Powered's chief executive officer. ‘It is our understanding that PV Powered is the first inverter manufacturer to complete all of the testing and achieve UL listing to this more stringent standard.’
