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

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  • #1171 19936092
    krawietz
    Level 16  
    sibartt wrote:
    And such a question on the occasion of tensions and countries. If I do not enter the country code for the first time, what cut-off parameters does the inverter operate on?


    Sofar on EU has a default country code of 22 Europe General. Utenmin is 253V. The other shutdown voltages are above 280V from what I remember.

    Krawietz
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  • #1172 19936213
    sibartt
    Level 11  
    krawietz wrote:
    Sofar on EU has a default country code of 22 Europe General. Utenmin is 253V. The other shutdown voltages are above 280V from what I remember.

    So I have the correct parameters in PL if I have not set anything? I've only had it for 3 days. It seems to me that something around 263V fired it. Can I leave it like that?
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  • #1173 19936709
    prose
    Level 35  
    sibartt wrote:
    krawietz wrote:
    Sofar on EU has a default country code of 22 Europe General. Utenmin is 253V. The other shutdown voltages are above 280V from what I remember.

    So I have the correct parameters in PL if I have not set anything? I've only had it for 3 days. It seems to me that something around 263V fired it. Can I leave it like that?

    As on the inverter sticker you have 12 under the serial number is SV2.30 12, this is my case, you had it set to PL
  • #1174 19941715
    frobek
    Level 11  
    Hello,
    After adding 3 panels, I had a problem.
    From the beginning. I have a 4.4KTL-X inverter and initially 9 525Wp panels were connected to it, the installation was installed in July 2021 with my own "hands". The inverter immediately reported as 6.6 (factory jumpers were in position 1101), so I thought about further expansion with another 3 panels up to 6.3kWp, which I also did last Saturday and here was the problem. Namely, the installation is fully metered and the solar power meter yesterday at noon started showing 2.6kW power, the inverter reported 5.2kW. Measurements of DC currents (approx. 11A divided into two inverter inputs, voltage approx. 490V) and AC (approx. 8A on each phase, voltage approx. 240V) confirmed the indication of approx. 5.2kW. Today it is similar, the indication from the 5.8kW inverter, from the 2.9kW sub-meter. Up to the power of 4.4kW, the indications are identical, after exceeding this power, the sub-meter starts to lower the indication, even though the power on the inverter increases. It looks as if the inverter is generating reactive power, even though it is set to 1, the sub-meter is counting the active power.
    Anyone have any idea what this could be about?
    Below is a chart of yesterday's production from the sub-meter.
    Attachments:
  • #1175 19941776
    prose
    Level 35  
    @frobek Check inverter temperature as it may be limiting production, and you had one shutdown due to high voltage.
  • #1176 19941813
    frobek
    Level 11  
    The temperature does not exceed 40 degrees, the inverter is outside under the panels, it is mounted on the ground, and I did it myself when measuring AC currents. The strange thing is that the phenomenon starts to occur when the magic 4.4 kW is exceeded.
  • #1177 19941859
    m2tk
    Level 13  
    frobek wrote:
    The strange thing is that the phenomenon starts to occur when the magic 4.4kW is exceeded.

    Maybe it is not the sub-meter that is lowering, and the inverter set incorrectly to 6.6 has different conversion factors and distorts. After all, it's 4.4KTLX and not 6.6?
    There is no additional load outside the layout?
  • #1178 19941877
    prose
    Level 35  
    Then set it to 5.5 and see what happens then.
  • #1179 19941894
    frobek
    Level 11  
    m2tk wrote:

    Maybe it is not the sub-meter that is lowering, and the inverter set incorrectly to 6.6 has different conversion factors and distorts. After all, it's 4.4KTLX and not 6.6?
    There is no additional load outside the layout?

    But from the current measurements with a clamp meter, the meter is lying. I have one string, the measured current was approx. 11A at a voltage of approx. 490V DC.

    The program version on the sticker is 2.30, but the inverter shows 2.01.
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  • #1180 19941928
    m2tk
    Level 13  
    frobek wrote:
    But from the current measurements with a clamp meter, the meter is lying. I have one string, the measured current was approx. 11A at a voltage of approx. 490V DC.


    And it's not that nobody lies, but the inverter, after exceeding the threshold 4.4, gets the wrong algorithm to work (6.6) and produces max. 2600W AC?
    I would start with the correct setting of the inverter so that it identifies itself correctly.
  • #1181 19941950
    frobek
    Level 11  
    I changed the settings to 4kW, tomorrow we will see what it will be like. The indications from the inverter and in the application are as if it was actually produced today at a peak of approx. 6kW.
    Does anyone have such a "wired" inverter but with an external energy meter for comparison? If it wasn't for my external counter, I would jump to the ceiling with happiness that everything is super cool.
  • #1182 19941987
    prose
    Level 35  
    I had the meter and indicate the production of 2 x as much as on the inverter, it turned out that the meter was broken. It is best to check on the ZE meter.
  • #1183 19941998
    krawietz
    Level 16  
    Does anyone know whether it is possible to read the current Utenmin value from the Sofar registers that the inverter takes to turn off the decision?

    Krawietz
  • #1184 19942077
    frobek
    Level 11  
    I checked the meter readings for yesterday and I have this:
    Data from the Tauron counter:
    Downloaded from the network: 47kWh
    Total input: 22.7kWh

    Energy consumption by the house from my sub-meter (calibrated meter, repeatedly checked with the indications of Tauron): 58.5kWh
    Energy production from my sub-meter: 24.7kWh

    This means that the house consumed a total of 58.5kWh, including 47 from the grid and the rest 11.5kWh from PV.

    So PV had to produce 22.7 (feed-in) plus 11.5 consumed by the house, for a total of 34.3kWh. The application shows the production of 35.4 yesterday, so almost to the point. The conclusion that my sub-meter is distorting something or it is as I suspect that the inverter produces reactive power invisible to my meter, but counted by the Tauron meter and the inverter. It is important that the installation works with a power of 6kW and the Tauron meter "sees" :)
  • #1185 19942110
    prose
    Level 35  
    When the tauron meter sees it is correct, it is lying under the meter.
  • #1186 19942157
    Janusz_kk
    Level 39  
    frobek wrote:
    or it is as I suspect that the inverter produces reactive power invisible to my meter, but counted by the Tauron meter and the inverter.

    There is no such thing, an ordinary reactive power meter does not count, but it can be stupid. The inverter starts to produce reactive power when it comes close to the voltage limit and also in a very narrow range. You can read the reactive power from the tauron meter, these are positions from 6.8.0 and 7.8.0 but I can bet there will be zeros there.
  • #1187 19943211
    krajesiak
    Level 12  
    Can someone tell me if the version of the software from underneath has an impact on proper operation after changing the SW3 jumper? Is it possible to change it with some version of the software?
    I have 5.5 KTL-X

    In a moment I will be the owner of 2200 TL - 1-phase - there is such a myk there too?
  • #1188 19943320
    behru
    Level 12  
    krajesiak wrote:
    Can someone tell me if the version of the software from underneath has an impact on proper operation after changing the SW3 jumper? Is it possible to change it with some version of the software?
    I have 5.5 KTL-X


    Rather, the software version does not block the switch operation because KTL-X 3.3 to 12kW firmware is the same firmware (at most it differs between processor revisions [not hardware revisions]). You can always test ;-) The latest version is 3.40
  • #1190 19943440
    zygzak
    Level 12  
    Is there a changelog available somewhere? Worth upgrading from 2.70?
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  • #1191 19943560
    leszekkosior66
    Level 6  
    yesterday I got soft v3.40, but it was without ARM.hex. of course it did not go. I contacted the service, as the reason they gave too much jump (from 1.70) and they sent me some intermediate ones 2.20, 2.90 and 3.00. It went right away at 3.00. When asked to send the correct 3.40 again, they replied that since I have 3.00, it is not worth changing, because 3.40 does not introduce anything important for the user.
  • #1192 19943603
    m2tk
    Level 13  
    Is it possible to check the software version without knowing the code (0001 does not pass)? Which number is the version?
    The model is Sofar 12KTL-X-G3

    In solarman I see something like this:
    Code: text Expand Select all Copy to clipboard
    Version
    Hardware version
    V202
    Communication CPU software version
    0V000004


    EDIT:
    PIN 0715 worked - GeneralHardVer: V202
  • #1193 19943674
    prose
    Level 35  
    m2tk wrote:
    Kod: Version
        Hardware version
        V202
        Communication CPU software version
        0V000004
    V202
  • #1194 19943719
    m2tk
    Level 13  
    prose wrote:
    V202

    Is it worth changing to something new or is it better not to touch?

    Where to get the PIN for the inverter, who may know it - SOFAR Polska or the installer?
  • #1196 19943929
    behru
    Level 12  
    zygzak wrote:
    Is there a changelog available somewhere? Worth upgrading from 2.70?


    There are no changelogs. Even our home service does not have it. My assumption is that since newer copies equip with higher firmware at the start, it does not do anything wrong. What I observed in version 3.4 compared to 3.0 is faster reaching the maximum power after turning the inverter off and on at high noon. That's it - I've been working on this software for over a week - everything is stable
  • #1197 19944013
    JEDD
    Level 29  
    Hello.

    Will anyone share the latest firmware for Sofar 8.8 KTL-X? The website does not respond to emails, but I would like to update from version 2.30.
  • #1199 19944210
    xury
    Automation specialist  
    Are the AC currents around 0.9A still displayed on any software above 2.90?
    This pisses me off, because it makes me unable to calculate self-consumption.
    SOFAR 8kW PV Installation: Opinions, Durability, Failures & Experiences with Inverters
  • #1200 19944440
    Janusz_kk
    Level 39  
    What do you get such nice charts from?

    Added after 40 [seconds]:

    And I also have this current until it turns off.
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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.
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