To detect the failure of a solar cell module easily and accurately and, further, detect the short-circuit failure of the solar cell.
The temperatures of bypass diodes 15 in a solar cell module 10 are detected by an external temperature detecting means 30. The detection results of the temperatures of the respective bypass diodes are compared with each other to detect the existence of the failure of the solar cell module 10. Or, at least one solar cell 1 of the solar cell module 10 is covered with a light shielding plate, a current applied to the bypass diode which forms the bypass of the covered solar cell 1 is detected, and the solar cell module with a failure is detected in accordance with the detection result. Or, the solar cell module may have a temperature detecting means which is provided in the solar cell module and detects the temperature of the bypass diode and the temperatures of the parts other than that bypass diode in the solar cell module.
TAKEHARA NOBUYOSHI
MANABE NAOKI
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