Solar Lattice

Measurement

Soiled vs clean Isc ratio

ID
meas:soiled-vs-clean-isc-ratio
IRI
https://solarlattice.org/kb/meas/soiled-vs-clean-isc-ratio
Status
active
Also known as
short-circuit current soiling ratio, Soiling Ratio, SR, Soiling ratio index, Cleanness Index, Soiling Factor, Soiling Loss Factor

This signature compares the temperature-corrected short-circuit current of a PV device left to soil with that of an identical device that is cleaned regularly and mounted beside it. A ratio of one means the device is clean, and the ratio drops as dirt builds up. The soiling loss is one minus the ratio. The pair can be two reference cells, two modules, or one cell and one module. The reference device should ideally be cleaned every morning, because cleaning it too rarely makes the ratio understate soiling. Take readings in clear sky during the central hours of the day, within about two hours of solar noon for fixed systems, and leave out data from passing clouds. When soiling is uniform, the Isc ratio tracks power loss well. When dirt is uneven, for example built up along the bottom cell row, bypass diodes can switch out soiled cells and power falls much more than Isc. This reading is most often used to measure soiling losses, including dust-storm deposits. For uneven soiling, also log power, or use the power ratio instead. Reference cells may soil differently from array modules if their cover glass is different, and they cannot capture uneven soiling. That makes cell-to-cell setups the least accurate.

<!-- review notes

Signals

Monitoring channels where this signature appears, named by SunSpec model point.

PointUnitPattern
model_302.POAIW-PER-M2use clear-sky, high-irradiance midday periods only
model_303.TmpBOMDEG_Cback-of-module temperature used to temperature-correct Isc

Claims

current_drop

c1 verified · fact nominal 3 PERCENT

Conditions: Short-circuit current loss under dust-storm soiling, February 2017 event near Évora, Portugal; kept small by bypass-diode activation

In the same event the power output fell by 8%, so the Isc ratio underestimated the loss.

verified by: review-workflowverified on: 2026-10-20

typical_power_loss

c2 drafted · lead nominal 8 PERCENT

Conditions: Power output decrease from non-uniform dust-storm soiling, February 2017 event near Évora, Portugal, compared with a 3% Isc loss

Referenced by

Data