ÖLFLEX® SOLAR XLR WP

Lapp introduces the first waterproof cable and innovative connection systems for photovoltaic installations

At Expo 2015 in Milan: energy-generating solar trees are the central theme of the German Pavilion.
If the cables for connecting photovoltaic installations are exposed to humidity for a long period of time, this can lead to a decrease in performance and insulation resistance. As a result, there may be a short circuit, which in turn can lead to failure and damage to the relevant equipment. The reason: moisture can penetrate standard solar cables if they are in water for a long period, and this can lead, in the worst case, to breakage.

At the Intersolar Europe exhibition in Munich (June 10-12), at booth 458 in Pavilion A2, Lapp Group presented the first fully waterproof cable for connecting ÖLFLEX® SOLAR XLR WP photovoltaic installations.

The cable is a cross-linked solar cable with a PV1-F type electron beam in accordance with TÜV 2PfG 1169/08.07, for durable and weather-resistant use in photovoltaic systems. The optimized cable design and consistently high contact resistance means that it will function reliably even if it spends many years in the water. ÖLFLEX® SOLAR XLR WP is a safe solution - especially in areas that are prone to flooding, or where cables run underground in protective insulation pipes, that is, where water, heat and moisture can accumulate.

Lapp also develops and manufactures appropriate connection systems that are made specifically to meet the customer's wishes. The most recent example is the revolutionary connection system for organic solar cells, which is currently on display in the German pavilion at the 2015 World's Fair (Expo) in Milan. Energy-generating solar trees created using organic photovoltaic (OFE) technologies are the focus of this exhibition. Unlike conventional solar modules, they consist of flexible, film-based PE modules. The connection technology for such production originated in the Lapp Group.

We have developed a completely new way of connecting and laying cables, which is also great for particularly delicate OFE modules," explains Stefan Koch, Lapp Product Manager. OFE modules are manufactured by BELECTRIC OPV GmbH from Nuremberg, which has created translucent OFE modules that meet the specifications of SCHMIDHUBER, a design and architecture company. Hexagonal OFE modules for creating a "canopy" of solar trees are available in four different versions, with a diameter of 340 or 880 mm and with various active areas of film and braid, which can fit into architectural elements without attracting attention. Conventional photovoltaic junction boxes and thick cables are not suitable for this design concept.

OFE modules and innovative connectors are literally made using a single melting method, unlike conventional photovoltaic modules. There is no longer a junction box that attaches to them; instead, there is a so-called access point that goes directly to the flexible photovoltaic film and merges with it. This method prevents capillary action and, consequently, damage due to corrosion. In addition, the connecting components of the Belectric modules in solar trees are only 30 mm x 20 mm in size, which is significantly smaller than in conventional systems. The cables to be used in the modules have been selected according to the special requirements of the customer and are only 2 mm wide. They were produced in grey for use in the German pavilion, so that they can be almost imperceptibly integrated into the grey braids of the design components.

Organic photovoltaic solutions can be fully integrated into the construction of enclosing or performing other functions of facilities. The flexibility of their shapes, a variety of colors and transparency allows them to be used in various fields. Stefan Koch says: "We adapt our connection systems specifically for the many diverse and individually designed variants of OFE, and are able to design connection systems that are much smaller in size, and therefore less noticeable than in the case of conventional systems for connecting photovoltaics and wires." Transparent solar films with innovative technology from Lapp will also be presented to visitors at the Lapp booth at the Intersolar Europe exhibition.

Lapp has long established a good name for itself as an innovator in the photovoltaic industry. For more than ten years, the company has been successfully developing interconnection systems for photovoltaic modules and regularly moves the market forward with its intelligent innovations, for example with the well-known EPIC® SOLAR interconnection system and the ÖLFLEX® SOLAR cable series.