Revision Date: 12/9/2025
Author: Tom Danaher
Common issues:
1) Irradiance too low, or "0":
-Check everything in Properties > Site Info. Most often this is an error in Array Type and/or Azimuth.
Correct settings: 'Fixed' = 180° (or as-built); 'Horizontal 1-axis' = 90° in the morning/270° in the afternoon
*If Horizontal 1-axis azimuth = 180° (or anything except 90° in the morning), the project file will need to be corrected in PVA 4.1x, and then re-opened in PVA 5.1 (or PVA 4.20 for PVA-1000 users).
-Check for correct Date, Time, and Time Zone in the computer
-Check irradiance in Utility > Calibration Verification. This is the 'raw' irradiance before applying corrections for Angle of Incidence (AOI) and reflective losses. Opening the PVA app directly (without loading a PVA project file) also provides uncorrected irradiance.
2) Performance Factor ("PF") is way off:
-If high (i.e. ~2,700%), go to Properties > Array Navigator and check the 'modules per string'. Default is "1". Correct this with the parent level selected (i.e. "System") so that all the locations below will be corrected.
-If low (i.e. ~7%), select "Recall", and re-assign and save the measurement(S) to the parent String or Harness. (Common issue where measurements are saved to the combiner or inverter instead of the correct string or harness.
3) Predicted VOC is significantly off:
-check thermocouple attachment to module
-compare in-use thermocouple to a backup thermocouple
-confirm module parameter values (see https://my.fluke.com/en-us/article/KA-04354)
4) Export measurements from the PVA Project File and import this data into the PVA Data Analysis Tool ("PVA-DAT") to review all of the saved measurements in table format and I-V curves graphed per inverter or combiner
Instructional video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TCc6DNcgSM8
PVA-DAT Resource page: https://my.fluke.com/en-us/article/KA-04344