ELECTROLUMINESCENCE TESTABLE PHOTOVOLTAIC MODULES HAVING SHADE MANAGEMENT SOLUTIONS

1 . A photovoltaic module structure, comprising:

a photovoltaic power generator of at least one solar cell, said photovoltaic power generator having a positive and a negative output terminal;

a forward biased blocking diode electrically connected in parallel with a magnetically actuated normally-open bypass switch, said forward biased blocking diode and said magnetically actuated normally-open bypass switch electrically connected in series to the positive output terminal or the negative output terminal of said photovoltaic power generator;

a module output terminal electrically connected as the output to said forward biased blocking diode and said magnetically actuated normally-open bypass switch; and

said photovoltaic power generator, said forward biased blocking diode, and said magnetically actuated normally-open bypass switch embedded within a module laminate.

2 . The photovoltaic module structure of claim 1 , further comprising:

a second forward biased blocking diode electrically connected in parallel with said blocking diode and said magnetically actuated normally-open bypass switch; and

said second forward biased blocking diode embedded within said module laminate.

3 . The photovoltaic module structure of claim 1 , wherein said magnetically actuated normally-open bypass switch is a normally-open reed switch.

4 . The photovoltaic module structure of claim 1 , wherein said blocking diode is a Schottky barrier diode.

5 . The photovoltaic module structure of claim 1 , wherein said blocking diode is a pn junction diode.

6 . The photovoltaic module structure of claim 1 , wherein said blocking diode is a transistor based rectifier.

7 . A photovoltaic module structure, comprising:

a photovoltaic power generator of at least one solar cell, said photovoltaic power generator having a positive and a negative output terminal;

a positive output terminal forward biased blocking diode electrically connected in parallel with a positive output magnetically actuated normally-open bypass switch, said positive output terminal forward biased blocking diode and said positive output terminal magnetically actuated normally-open bypass switch electrically connected in series to the positive output terminal of said photovoltaic power generator;

a negative output terminal forward biased blocking diode electrically connected in parallel with a negative output magnetically actuated normally-open bypass switch, said negative output terminal forward biased blocking diode and said negative output terminal magnetically actuated normally-open bypass switch electrically connected in series to the negative output terminal of said photovoltaic power generator;

a positive module output terminal electrically connected as the output to said positive output terminal forward biased blocking diode and said positive output terminal magnetically actuated normally-open bypass switch;

a negative module output terminal electrically connected as the output to said negative output terminal forward biased blocking diode and said negative output terminal magnetically actuated normally-open bypass switch;

said photovoltaic power generator, said positive output terminal forward biased blocking diode, said positive output terminal magnetically actuated normally-open bypass switch, said negative output terminal forward biased blocking diode, and said negative output terminal magnetically actuated normally-open bypass switch embedded within a module laminate.

8 . The photovoltaic module structure of claim 6 , further comprising:

a second positive output terminal forward biased blocking diode electrically connected in parallel with said positive output terminal forward biased blocking diode and said positive output magnetically actuated normally-open bypass switch; and

a second negative output terminal forward biased blocking diode electrically connected in parallel with said negative output terminal forward biased blocking diode and said negative output magnetically actuated normally-open bypass switch; and,

said second positive output terminal forward biased blocking diode and said second negative output terminal forward biased blocking diode embedded within said module laminate.

9 . The photovoltaic module structure of claim 7 , wherein said negative output terminal magnetically actuated normally-open bypass switch and said positive output terminal magnetically actuated normally-open bypass switch are normally-open reed switches.

10 . A method for the electroluminescence (EL) testing of a photovoltaic solar module structure, comprising:

applying an electromagnet to the magnetically actuated normally-open bypass switch in a photovoltaic module structure, said photovoltaic module structure comprising:

a photovoltaic power generator of at least one solar cell, said photovoltaic power generator having a positive and a negative output terminal;

a forward biased blocking diode electrically connected in parallel with a magnetically actuated normally-open bypass switch, said forward biased blocking diode and said magnetically actuated normally-open bypass switch electrically connected in series to the positive output terminal or the negative output terminal of said photovoltaic power generator;

a module output terminal electrically connected as the output to said forward biased blocking diode and said magnetically actuated normally-open bypass switch;

said photovoltaic power generator, said forward biased blocking diode, said magnetically actuated normally-open bypass switch, embedded within a module laminate;

apply electrical current to said electromagnet to actuate and close said magnetically actuated normally-open bypass switch while the voltage and current of the module are zero;

flow forward-bias current into the photovoltaic module structure and perform the EL testing while said magnetically actuated normally-open bypass switch is closed;

stop flowing forward-bias current into said photovoltaic module structure; and

stop applying electrical current to said electromagnet.