Patent ID: 11894805
Assignee: ENPHASE ENERGY, INC.
Field: Electrical machinery, apparatus, energy (Electrical engineering)
Classification: CPC H  G  Y | IPC G  H

Claim 0:
1. A solar module system coupled to a system load, the solar module system comprising:
a string of a plurality of solar modules electrically coupled in series, wherein the string is configured to provide power to the system load, wherein the string has a string open circuit voltage when the string is not providing power to the system load and an operating voltage when the string is providing power to the system load; and
a module decoupling device including a controller, a voltage measurement device, and a system relay that is coupled across two or more solar modules of the string, wherein the controller is configured to control the system relay to change from a first configuration for electrically coupling the two or more solar modules to the string to a second configuration for electrically decoupling the two or more solar modules from the string, when the voltage measurement device measures a predetermined voltage at an arrangement of points within the system relay, such that the string has a reduced open circuit voltage below the string open circuit voltage.