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"Family" certification process

In order to reduce costs and simplify the procedures, the Solar Keymark scheme foresees the possibility of certification of a product family, be it a collector or a system.

Collector “families”

If the manufacturer produces the “same” collector in different lengths and/or widths
(i.e. the only difference between two collectors is the length and/or the width) the
collector is considered the same subtype (within the same collector “family”).
In this case only one sample of the smallest and one sample of the largest module shall be taken and tested.
Note: the module sizes are compared based on aperture area. Aperture area is defined in EN 12975-2, Annex I. The inspector shall inspect all the different sizes of the type to verify conformity.

The largest module shall be subject to all the tests required in EN 12975-1 clause 5.2, and the smallest shall be subject to a thermal performance test (clause 6 of EN 12975-2). The performance figures used for this type shall be the performance figures corresponding to the measured instantaneous efficiency having  the lowest integral in the interval of the reduced temperature from 0 – 0.1 K/(W/m²).
Note: The reduced temperature is defined in EN 12975-2, paragraph 6.1.4.8.3, and the instantaneous efficiency in 6.1.4.8.4.2.

In other words, the efficiency curve used for this subtype shall be the one embracing the smallest area.

System “families”

If the manufacturer produces the “same” system in different sizes, the different sizes of the system is considered being the same subtype  (within the same system “family”). Detailed requirements for systems to be of the same subtype are given in Annex D.

Testing requirements for systems of the same subtype are:

• High temperature and safety tests (according to EN 12976) shall be performed on the sub system having the highest collector area to store volume ratio.
• All other tests (according to EN 12976 and including performance test) shall be performed on the “medium” sub system. Detailed testing requirements are given in Annex D.

Performance indicators for the system configurations which are not performance tested can be determined based on the performance test result on the “medium” system configuration according to the procedures described in Annex D.

Download the latest version of the Annex D:
System families - requirements and extrapolation procedures (version R6 28/3 2011)