Accelerated life testing exposes PV modules to the same stresses they meet in the field, but at higher levels than they see outdoors. The aim is to make degradation happen faster than it would in real-world conditions. Typical stresses include high and low temperature, temperature cycling, sunlight, humidity, mechanical load, impacts such as hail, electrical discharge, corrosive fluids, and system voltage. Stresses can be applied one at a time, in sequence, or combined. The Combined-Accelerated Stress Test (C-AST) applies humidity, temperature, light, rain, wind and snow loads, and voltage together to find weaknesses in new module designs. Most tests are based on IEC 61215. Some run its tests for longer or for more cycles (extended IEC 61215 testing), and others keep going until the module fails (test to failure). Damp heat testing most often runs at 85°C and 85% relative humidity. It checks how well a module resists corrosion, water vapour getting in, hydrolysis, and encapsulant delamination. An acceleration factor tells you how much faster degradation runs under test. It only holds for one degradation mechanism, in one material, under one exposure condition. Results can be used to rank modules against each other, but they cannot be turned directly into an expected service life. Materials may not degrade in proportion to the higher stress, so a test may not trigger the same mechanisms as field exposure. Researchers are working to link indoor test results to outdoor degradation in different climates, using physics-based and statistical models.
related_toc1 drafted · lead IEC 61215 proposed
Most PV module stress tests are based on the IEC 61215 type approval standard; extended IEC 61215 testing multiplies its test durations or cycles.
sec=h30 h=0a52a379598esec=3.3.8 h=32807ea8b436sec=3.3.5 h=1cb1597d3ea1c2 drafted · lead IEC 61730 proposed
Climate-specific accelerated ageing programmes adapted existing procedures including the IEC 61730 module safety requirements.
sec=3.3.8 h=32807ea8b436c3 drafted · lead IEC 61701 proposed
Salt mist corrosion testing was among the standard procedures adapted for climate-specific accelerated ageing.
sec=3.3.8 h=32807ea8b436c4 drafted · lead Thermal cycling
Temperature cycling is a common applied stress; more frequent cycling reproduced cell cracks and cell connector breakage.
sec=h30 h=0a52a379598esec=3.3.8 h=32807ea8b436sec=3.4.3 h=d2cc5aae4e97c5 drafted · lead Mechanical stress
Static and cyclic dynamic mechanical loading are applied to bring out interconnect, cell, solder bond and glass failures.
sec=h30 h=0a52a379598esec=3.3.5 h=1cb1597d3ea1c6 verified · fact Hail impact
Impacts such as hail, stones and projectiles are among the applied stressors.
sec=h30 h=0a52a379598everified by: review-workflowverified on: 2026-10-24
c7 verified · fact Moisture exposure
Humidity and damp heat testing examine resistance to corrosion, water vapour intrusion, hydrolysis and encapsulant delamination.
sec=h30 h=0a52a379598esec=3.3.1 h=bdc8440255ccverified by: review-workflowverified on: 2026-10-24
c8 drafted · lead Cell Cracks
Cell cracking was reproduced in climate-specific and combined accelerated stress tests.
sec=3.3.8 h=32807ea8b436sec=3.3.9 h=63d23e8c062bc9 drafted · lead Backsheet Cracking
Observed in Combined-Accelerated Stress Testing.
sec=3.3.9 h=63d23e8c062bc10 drafted · lead Delamination
Delamination is induced by damp heat and by alternating mechanical and environmental stresses.
sec=3.3.9 h=63d23e8c062bsec=3.3.5 h=1cb1597d3ea1sec=3.3.1 h=bdc8440255ccreview note: support check: partial - Damp heat is said to examine resistance to encapsulant delamination and mechanical/environmental alternation is to precipitate delamination, but 'induced by damp heat' is only loosely stated.
c11 drafted · lead Light Induced Degradation (LID)
Various light-induced degradation modes were observed in Combined-Accelerated Stress Testing.
sec=3.3.9 h=63d23e8c062brelated_to c5