A pallet of prefabricated PV harnesses arrives on site. Can the receiving team tell which installation block it belongs to, which drawing revision it was built to, and which inspection records cover it? If those answers sit in separate files with different identifiers, the crew may have to open cartons and sort parts before work can begin.
On 4 November 2026, ARRAY Technologies and Shoals Technologies Group announced a proposed merger that would bring structural and electrical balance-of-system products under one platform. The transaction remains subject to approvals and closing conditions. For utility-scale EPCs, the announcement provides a timely backdrop to a practical question in solar eBOS procurement: what records should follow a harness from drawing approval to field installation?
1. Approved Drawings and a Revision Register
Request a controlled assembly drawing for each PV wire harness part number. It should show finished dimensions and measurement points, branch positions, connector orientation, polarity, label locations and applicable tolerances.
The supplier’s document register should identify the approved revision and its release date. Ask the supplier to reference that same revision in production release records and shipment documentation. If two harness variants look similar, confirm how receiving crews can distinguish them using the part number and label.
2. A Bill of Materials That Identifies the Actual Components
Ask for a bill of materials tied to the approved drawing. It should identify the cable type and conductor size, connector manufacturer and exact part numbers, and applicable contacts, seals, branch components and protective sleeves.
Where the mating connector comes from the module or inverter supplier, record its part number and identify who confirms the pairing. Ask your solar cable assembly supplier to list any proposed alternates separately so engineering can review them before use.
3. Labels and Packing Lists That Match the Installation Plan
Define the identifiers the site team needs on harnesses, bags, cartons and pallets. The packing list should connect each shipping unit to its contents and, where agreed, its destination by block, row or installation phase.
For example, if two blocks use branch harnesses with different lead lengths, assign distinct part numbers and show those numbers on both the assembly labels and the packing list. The receiving team can then send each carton to the correct block without unpacking it to measure the leads.
4. Inspection Records Linked to the Shipped Batch
Specify which records should accompany each shipment and which the supplier should retain for later retrieval. Depending on the assembly and the agreed inspection plan, records may cover dimensions, visual condition, continuity or polarity. Agree on the inspection method, sampling or unit coverage, and acceptance criteria before production.
For harness traceability, the useful check is whether a field label leads back to the relevant production lot, drawing revision and inspection record. Agree on whether component lot tracking is needed and whether the project requires batch or individual assembly identification.
5. A Clear Process for Changes and Field Issues
Define which changes require approval before implementation. Common examples include a different connector, cable construction, branch position, label or packing arrangement. The change record should identify the affected part numbers, the first lot built to the new revision and the disposition of stock already produced.
For field issues, agree on a point of contact and the information needed to start an investigation. A photo of the issue, the harness and carton labels, the installation location and the affected quantity give the supplier a starting point for identifying related stock and proposing a response.
Put the Deliverables in the RFQ
| Stage | Documents to request |
|---|---|
| Before production | Approved drawings, revision register, bill of materials and agreed inspection plan |
| With each shipment | Packing list, part and lot references, and agreed inspection records |
| After a change or field issue | Change approval and effective lot, or issue report and disposition of affected stock |
For string PV harnesses, branch harnesses or inverter harnesses, share your drawing register, site labeling rules and packing requirements with Winpower at the RFQ stage. Confirm who issues each document and when it is due, so the EPC can review the shipment against the same records used to release production.
Post time: Nov-10-2026