logo elektroda
logo elektroda
X
logo elektroda
Advanced Search
logo elektroda

SOFAR 8kW PV Installation: Opinions, Durability, Failures & Experiences with Inverters

---Ryba--- 459915 1701
ADVERTISEMENT
Treść została przetłumaczona polish » english Zobacz oryginalną wersję tematu
Reply | New topic
  • ADVERTISEMENT
  • #1082 19832641
    specpl
    Level 10  
    I have a question. Can you connect panels (one string) to Sofar 6.6 that have a total of approximately 600V and 13A in STC? Single input supports 11A. Can one string be connected to two inputs when using Y cables? Is it better to look for another inverter?
  • ADVERTISEMENT
  • #1083 19832655
    lary504
    Level 12  
    Yes. No problem. You don't exceed the voltage and you will have 6.5A current per input.
  • #1084 19832679
    specpl
    Level 10  
    Where did this 6.5 A come from? In the panel documentation at NOCT, Imp 10.44 A is indicated.
  • #1085 19832777
    lary504
    Level 12  
    You write that you will have 600V / 13A on the string. Such a 13A peak may appear. If you connect one string to two inputs and set it as parallel work, according to Kirchhoff's law you will have 6.5A max at the input, i.e. half 13A
  • #1086 19832813
    specpl
    Level 10  
    Thanks for the answer, now it's clear. I'm tired already and I didn't get it halfway. This is another question whether in terms of performance there will be a difference between a Sofar and a parallel connection and an inverter that can handle 13A on one input?
  • #1087 19833003
    Janusz_kk
    Level 39  
    specpl wrote:
    This is another question whether in terms of performance there will be a difference between a Sofar and a parallel connection and an inverter that can handle 13A on one input?

    No.
  • #1088 19835233
    leon3029
    Level 10  
    Krzychooo
    Hello. I paste my January production to yesterday. I will add that I do not allow the panels to snow on my broom :)
    SOFAR 8kW PV Installation: Opinions, Durability, Failures & Experiences with Inverters
  • #1089 19835539
    Janusz_kk
    Level 39  
    I have 190kWh, 9kW PV, but the mountains and the 'swallow' in the middle of the roof cover me a bit.
  • #1091 19835672
    toolpusher
    Level 23  
    I have 87kW with 6.5kWp. But the tilt is only 18 degrees and the azimuth of 135 degrees. I do not go out on the roof and I live in the Beskids, hence the winters are harder. Max. the daily yield of 11.3kW in January, which gives 1.73kW with a maximum of 1kW.
  • #1092 19835695
    Janusz_kk
    Level 39  
    I am perfectly south and 40 degrees tilt, but the mountains cover me up to 10 am and this 'swallow'.
  • #1093 19835720
    adamvfr
    Level 11  
    leon3029 wrote:
    Krzychooo
    Hello. I paste my January production to yesterday. I would like to add that I do not allow the panels to snow on my broomstick :)
    SOFAR 8kW PV Installation: Opinions, Durability, Failures & Experiences with Inverters

    If you were to quote from an independent source for comparison, or maybe from the ZE meter. Because that's how the inverter can see it.
    It's hard to believe that from 4.4kw you can make 8.8kw, but I'm not saying no.
    For example, an energy meter with Zamel MEW-1 transformers would tell us everything.
    Here ... https://youtu.be/FVonQuYahY0
    my video about where to connect transformers to show the truth.
  • #1094 19835807
    leon3029
    Level 10  
    adamvfr
    Hello. I do not write that with 4.4 because this was the inverter at the beginning and initially 5.5, then 6.6 on panels 7600w 2 strings 12 and 8 380w each
    When I still squeezed 6.6 and cut, I changed it to 8.8, now it flies and, interestingly, works quietly and max. 55 temperature.
    I would like to add that the inverter in the boiler room and we have winter so it heats up additionally, although I do not want to :)
    Gentlemen, I do not write that everything that shows is true, but I do not see any big distortion on the two-way meter from PGE
  • #1095 19835832
    krawietz
    Level 16  
    leon3029 wrote:
    adamvfr
    Hello. I do not write that with 4.4 because this was the inverter at the beginning and initially 5.5, then 6.6 on panels 7600w 2 strings 12 and 8 380w each
    When I still squeezed 6.6 and cut, I changed it to 8.8, now it flies and, interestingly, works quietly and max. 55 temperature.
    I would like to add that the inverter in the boiler room and we have winter so it heats up additionally, although I do not want to :)
    Gentlemen, I do not write that everything that shows is true, but I do not see any big distortion on the two-way meter from PGE


    Show the graph from 8.01 but PV1 Power, PV2 Power, Current Power.

    tailor
  • ADVERTISEMENT
  • #1096 19836258
    adamvfr
    Level 11  
    I have, among others, Sofara 8.8 and I was surprised that at 6.5Kwp it works loud and is quite warm, although I checked the charts it is max 54st. and usually 50st. but compared to the 3.6 single-phase it is warm and loud, I also have a Sofara 3.3kw G series? this one is also loud and very warm.

    Leon3029
    If you don't see a big distortion, it probably beats that much, because you know you need to take into account auto consumption.
    But still check it for a while with a clamp meter, because it's unbelievable.
  • #1097 19840240
    leon3029
    Level 10  
    Hello. Today I did the test because I couldn't stand it :)
    I changed the jumper at noon because the beautiful sun in Lubelskie had 6.6 all the time doing full and a flat graph, i.e. the inverter was cutting it off. I came back at 8.8 patched 8.2 then I went on and at 11 or 10kw I set and the same 8.1 to 8.3 did, I have nothing more to check and probably will not because the conclusion that, however, does not distort the Sofar quite so.
    The daily production today is 27kw on the inverter on the meter 23, so it may be because the central heating pump, electric kettle and the refrigerator were overloading the network.
    We will see how the sun will fly above February and March what will happen :)
  • #1098 19840928
    radar1967
    Level 11  
    Leon3029, count the power that the panels give for direct current, i.e. PV1 and PV2 according to the formula P = U x I, voltage times the current that the inverter shows for direct current from the panels, sum these powers and you have the power that the panels give, if the DC power from panels is equal to or slightly lower AC power at the output of the inverter, everything is correct, the inverter reflects what it shows, but if the output power for AC as shown by the inverter is much higher than the power that comes out of the total power on the panels, it is simply the inverter shows erroneous overstated data, which you will find out after receiving the settlement from the power plant.
  • #1099 19841292
    Marksrz
    Level 23  
    The DC power cannot be equal to the AC power because the inverter would have to be 100% efficient
  • #1100 19841844
    radar1967
    Level 11  
    I know that it cannot be equal to 100%, the efficiency of my colleague leon3029's inverter is, according to various sources, 97.5%, I wrote to suggest how to approximate whether the inverter shows the truth and lies without measuring devices.
  • #1101 19842366
    tom.pk
    Level 16  
    The power of the panels is 7600W, they work with a power of 8 kW in December and January? Under favorable conditions, they can temporarily reach this power in spring.
  • ADVERTISEMENT
  • #1102 19842485
    prose
    Level 35  
    For me they have already achieved power beyond their power and what to take
    tom.pk wrote:
    The power of the panels is 7600W, they work with a power of 8 kW in December and January?
    weird?
    If the panels have the right angle, they will achieve power above their power, and if someone is flat, there is no need to expect maximum power.
  • #1103 19842524
    tom.pk
    Level 16  
    leon3029 wrote:
    2 strings 12 and 8 panels 380 w Starts without a problem for 4.4, of course, like snow, I try to gently sweep it away with a broom because the panels are on the roofs of a residential house, but not too sharp and it is possible to enter.

    Here is probably not the right angle for the winter.
  • #1104 19842686
    prose
    Level 35  
    I am 35 degrees and the snow will not fall by itself, but I have a farm building, it can be moved quickly and the production goes in January and today I have SOFAR 8kW PV Installation: Opinions, Durability, Failures & Experiences with Inverters With 6.3 kWp
  • #1105 19842718
    leon3029
    Level 10  
    Hello. One string of 12 panels is ideally 35-40 degrees, the second 8 panels around 25 degrees and interestingly they pump very much now.
    We'll see in the spring. I have no interest in screwing anyone up, gentlemen. Yesterday he did 27kw and today linden 5.50 there was no sunshine. I have a noon ideally lacking trees, chimneys and other obstructions. The inverter starts up at 7:30 am and today it turned off around 4 p.m.
    220kw has done so far, and that's rather correct. Yesterday the guests read the meter from PGE and I was a bit pissed because they wrote it down by hand in December. I thought I would go because I often heated up in January with an electrician. Panisko tells me that 160kwh on I am, although the meter readings do not confirm this very much :) Gamma 350 counter and range Plus in my village are completely missing.
  • #1106 19842740
    radar1967
    Level 11  
    I have 16x370W (5920) photovoltaic panels directed at 164 ° south at an angle of 37 ° have been working since June 1, 2021, I have PVmonitor monitoring, they have never worked with rated power, in summer too hot in winter, the angle of incidence of light is bad, I present a graph from 01/24/2022 between 10:30 and 11:30 perfect sun no clouds.
    SOFAR 8kW PV Installation: Opinions, Durability, Failures & Experiences with Inverters
  • #1107 19842823
    Krzychooo
    Level 16  
    prose wrote:
    I am 35 degrees and the snow will not fall by itself, but I have a farm building, it can be moved quickly and the production goes in January and today I have SOFAR 8kW PV Installation: Opinions, Durability, Failures & Experiences with Inverters With 6.3 kWp
    A miracle normally.
    I also have a farm building, elevation 200 °, inclination 30 °, SOFAR 8.8KTL-X without combination and 8060Wp in panels.
    And January production up to today 172.8 kWh without clipping and no breakdowns.
    There was bryndza for two days, because there was snow, and I did not have the strength and the will to fight it. There were also a lot of clouds, so it wouldn't be much.
    How do you explain that?
    Of course, Legnica is 135 km closer to the equator :D but without exaggeration. The weather in this part of Poland is rather similar, i.e. with you and with me.
    I check often because I have a family with PV nearby.
    Can you show a monthly chart like mine?
    Attachments:
  • #1108 19842996
    radar1967
    Level 11  
    Please, my inverter is an original 5.5kW sofar set on 6.6kW jumpers. production this month 114kWh
    SOFAR 8kW PV Installation: Opinions, Durability, Failures & Experiences with Inverters








    Graph from 01/09/2022 when I was playing with jumpers, switching to 8.8kW
    SOFAR 8kW PV Installation: Opinions, Durability, Failures & Experiences with Inverters
  • #1109 19843010
    krawietz
    Level 16  
    Quote:
    Graph from 01/09/2022 when I was playing with jumpers, switching to 8.8kW
    SOFAR 8kW PV Installation: Opinions, Durability, Failures & Experiences with Inverters


    You can clearly see what is happening here, with the indications on the AC side when switching to 8.8.
    Suddenly they grow rapidly with no increase in power on the DC side.

    Krawietz
Reply | New topic
Report a violation of the law

Topic summary

The discussion centers on experiences with Sofar inverters in approximately 8kW photovoltaic (PV) installations, focusing on technical issues, durability, and configuration challenges. Users report generally stable operation with models like Sofar 6.6KTL-X and 5.5KTL-X over extended periods, though some face connectivity problems, especially with Wi-Fi and software availability. A recurring technical problem involves input voltage exceeding the maximum allowed 600V DC for single-phase Sofar inverters (notably the 4KTLM-G2), causing errors such as PVOVP and BusOPV and inverter shutdowns. This is often due to too many PV panels connected in series on a single string, with 15 Q.CELLS Q.PEAK G4.1 305W panels sometimes exceeding voltage limits, especially in cold conditions where voltage rises. Solutions include splitting panels into two strings (e.g., 8 and 7 panels) connected to separate MPPT inputs, though some users report this does not fully resolve the issue. The maximum recommended panels per MPPT input is around 9 to avoid surpassing power and voltage limits. Users also discuss the need for three-phase inverters for larger installations above 7kW on a single phase due to grid operator restrictions. Software and firmware updates are sought after but not easily accessible, with some users lacking Polish language support. Comparisons with other brands like SMA and Fronius highlight Sofar's cost advantage but raise concerns about long-term reliability and service support, which is still developing in some regions. Network-related errors such as Grid OFP (over-frequency) have been reported, with troubleshooting involving network frequency checks and inverter restarts. Overall, Sofar inverters are considered a cost-effective option with some technical caveats related to system design, installation quality, and support infrastructure.
Summary generated by the language model.
ADVERTISEMENT