Installing DC combiner boxes in photovoltaic power plants improves operational and maintenance efficiency!

Everyone involved in PV power stations knows that the DC combiner box plays a critical role — during regular maintenance and inspections, it allows for convenient circuit disconnection; in the event of a system fault, it can also narrow the power outage range and reduce losses. However, older power stations face numerous issues: after several years of operation, components inside the combiner box are prone to insulation aging, some experience communication failures that prevent connection to the backend system, making real-time monitoring of equipment status impossible. As a result, if a problem occurs with the combiner box and goes undetected in time, it not only disrupts the normal management of the power station but also reduces power generation efficiency. Therefore, the renovation of combiner boxes in older PV power stations is extremely urgent.

Fortunately, there is the Fonrich New Energy DC Combiner Box Intelligent Monitoring Module, which is fully functional and equipped with an LCD screen for clear, at-a-glance data visualization. For instance, it can monitor string current, voltage, combiner box temperature, alarm status of circuit breakers and surge protectors, and even arc alarms. Additionally, it supports a wide range of sensor specifications, with a maximum capacity of 32 channels, and can connect to the backend system via RS485 communication, ensuring highly stable data transmission.

What is most impressive is its "adaptive installation" capability — older power stations have a vast variety of combiner boxes, produced by different manufacturers with varying communication protocols, inconsistent equipment specifications, and even differences in internal box space. In the past, renovation projects often faced headaches such as mismatched module models and insufficient installation space. However, Fonrich’s monitoring module avoids these troubles: it can be installed in almost any model of combiner box, no matter how limited the internal space. This directly solves the major challenges of renovation and significantly improves the efficiency of power station management and operation & maintenance (O&M).

More importantly, it also helps power stations achieve intelligent O&M. The module’s auxiliary power supply requires no additional wiring — it is directly powered by PV strings. As long as any one PV string operates normally, the auxiliary power supply will function properly, ensuring the monitoring module never "shuts down." Even if minor issues occur in other strings, monitoring remains uninterrupted.

O&M technicians also prefer using it because its LCD screen displays parameters in a bar chart format. Any string with abnormal current or active alarms can be identified at a glance, enabling accurate and rapid fault localization without the need for one-by-one inspection — saving substantial O&M costs. The module also undergoes a sealing process, giving it strong anti-interference capabilities. It can operate stably even in humid and hot environments, with no need to worry about premature failure.

Renovating combiner boxes in older power stations is a cumbersome task. With Fonrich’s Intelligent Monitoring Module, not only are long-standing issues such as model mismatches, space constraints, and communication problems resolved, but real-time monitoring and efficient O&M are also achieved. It’s no wonder many power stations choose it — it eliminates worries while ensuring power generation, making it an excellent helper for the renovation of older PV power stations!