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

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Best answers

How reliable are Sofar inverters for an around-8 kW PV installation, and what problems or failures do users report?

Users report mostly acceptable results: one 6.6KTL-X had no problems for over a year, and another 8.8KTL-X owner said a firmware update to v2.20 removed the old clipping around 8 kW and let the inverter reach full peak power [#18112697] [#18662870] [#19158337] The most common problems in the thread were not outright inverter defects but installation/configuration mistakes: too many panels in one string or the wrong input mode caused DC overvoltage errors such as PvOVP, BusOPV or permanent fault, and the cure was to wire the strings correctly and keep each MPPT within its limits [#18322870] [#18323108] [#18359020] [#18360610] [#18699492] Another recurring issue was grid overvoltage: users saw ID01/Grid OVP shutdowns when mains voltage rose to about 253 V, and one case reached 280 V at the customer side; the inverter was behaving as designed in those cases [#18624602] [#18665849] A few users also mentioned Wi‑Fi/software quirks and awkward warranty handling, with the installer, seller, distributor and Sofar service bouncing responsibility between each other [#18306997] [#18322870] [#18323064] [#18331261] [#18772451] There was at least one real hardware failure report, where an 8.8KTL-X tripped AC overcurrent after about a month and then would not restart, so the unit had to go through warranty [#18771167]
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  • #121 18536683
    rakmo
    Level 13  
    Today I changed the inputs, I will see how it will be.
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  • #122 18540564
    krzych101
    Level 12  
    Can anyone write how from the last 4 days you can download energy production data from the Sofar inverter, because I had a network failure and I miss it, and from what they write, the sofar saves the data on its card.
  • #123 18540723
    rakmo
    Level 13  
    If it did not send it, it will probably be difficult, the card must be installed in the inverter beforehand. Do you have one inserted? Is it already installed?

    What is the MPPT SCAN feature and should it be enabled or disabled?
    SOFAR 8kW PV Installation: Opinions, Durability, Failures & Experiences with Inverters
  • #124 18561564
    rakmo
    Level 13  
    SOFAR 8kW PV Installation: Opinions, Durability, Failures & Experiences with Inverters SOFAR 8kW PV Installation: Opinions, Durability, Failures & Experiences with Inverters SOFAR 8kW PV Installation: Opinions, Durability, Failures & Experiences with Inverters SOFAR 8kW PV Installation: Opinions, Durability, Failures & Experiences with Inverters
    rakmo wrote:
    Today I changed the inputs, I will see how it will be.

    A few days have passed since the conversion and I still notice the problem that pv1 after waking up the inverter does not raise the voltage on pv1, today it is from morning to 11.00 the voltage on pv1 is 169v current almost 6A production 0.9kw And the sun shines very much in the morning nice, the west side although not yet insolent has the same production of 0.9kw. After resetting the inverter, the voltage and production on pv1 increases. last photo, the difference in production is over 300wat on the string.
  • #125 18562230
    theo33
    Level 27  
    Show, but separately, graphs of DC voltages and currents for the whole day when it was sunny
  • #126 18562513
    rakmo
    Level 13  
    ] Today it was quite sunny since the morning. See what happens after the reset. Inverters sometimes work ok, but often in the morning I have to reset to somehow produce it. Sometimes the reset is not even visible on the graph when it is done in the morning for the voltage to increase. SOFAR 8kW PV Installation: Opinions, Durability, Failures & Experiences with Inverters
    SOFAR 8kW PV Installation: Opinions, Durability, Failures & Experiences with Inverters
  • #127 18562975
    theo33
    Level 27  
    from this chart yesterday is a reset of approx. 8 at nap. around 207 and runs around 5.8 and I do not see any great power jump here, at least in this graph, the quality of these screens is poor
    Attachments:
    • SOFAR 8kW PV Installation: Opinions, Durability, Failures & Experiences with Inverters reset.jpg (75.85 KB) You must be logged in to download this attachment.
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  • #128 18562980
    theo33
    Level 27  
    I am tossing a graph from a similar installation and also from a solarman, and you can capture the details from this much more accurately

    And it seems to me that you have too few modules in the string, at 6 the operating voltage comes out to 190 and this is just a nap. mpp of the inverter and if the temperature of the modules jumps up, it will be even less
    Attachments:
    • SOFAR 8kW PV Installation: Opinions, Durability, Failures & Experiences with Inverters niereset.jpg (102.29 KB) You must be logged in to download this attachment.
  • #129 18563750
    rakmo
    Level 13  
    According to the manufacturer, the maximum string per string is 2400W. I have 7 cells per side I wonder what in the morning after waking up the inverter with some voltage on the string, e.g. today 169V the inverter does not raise this voltage during the day but keeps it constant, even though it is sunny in the morning, only after the reset is some reaction and voltage increases causing the production to increase by over 300W. If it starts in the morning and has a voltage of 212V and a current of 5.7A, the loss is not large, but as today it is 169V and if I did not reset, the loss is already considerable
    In the inverter options, the mppt scan function is turned off, so it should be?
  • #130 18564120
    BikeBarian
    Level 24  
    rakmo wrote:
    In the inverter options, the mppt scan function is turned off, so it should be?

    I would turn it on because for peasant reason it is a function that actively searches for the best MPPT point if, for example, the panels are partially shaded ... I do not know if you have such a case but you can experiment with this function.

    SOFAR 8kW PV Installation: Opinions, Durability, Failures & Experiences with Inverters
  • #131 18620852
    MariuszFEG
    Level 2  
    I have a problem with sofar 8.8. in perfect weather it turns off and no error pops up. 37 Panels 270Wp on 2 strings are connected to it, Last year everything was ok. Only recently something has happened and the daily production has weakened by about 20% due to only the inverter and start from 0. It will be hard to advertise with Sofara without error.
    In the attachment there are charts of a perfect day.

    Please give me a hint
    :bye: SOFAR 8kW PV Installation: Opinions, Durability, Failures & Experiences with Inverters
    Attachments:
    • SF4ES008K44867-2020-04-08-1586979399754.xlsx (33.5 KB) You must be logged in to download this attachment.
    • SF4ES008K44867-2020-04-08-1586979547113.xlsx (33.5 KB) You must be logged in to download this attachment.
    • SF4ES008K44867-2020-04-08-1586979421608.xlsx (33.5 KB) You must be logged in to download this attachment.
    • SF4ES008K44867-2020-04-08-1586979691786.xlsx (33.5 KB) You must be logged in to download this attachment.
  • #132 18620864
    kosmos99
    Level 38  
    MariuszFEG wrote:
    Only recently has something happened

    There are new photovoltaic installations at the neighbors?
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  • #133 18621065
    theo33
    Level 27  
    MariuszFEG wrote:
    I have a problem with sofar 8.8. in perfect weather it turns off and no error pops up. 37 Panels 270Wp on 2 strings are connected to it, Last year everything was ok. Only recently something has happened and the daily production has weakened by about 20% due to only the inverter and start from 0. It will be hard to advertise with Sofara without error.
    In the attachment there are charts of a perfect day.

    Please give me a hint
    :bye: SOFAR 8kW PV Installation: Opinions, Durability, Failures & Experiences with Inverters



    from these reports you can see that you have at least one bit0 error, in fact, ID01 AC voltage too high, the display should be visible and saved in the memory, you had shutdowns 8:40, 9:58, 13:44, 15:13 and maybe more, so a lot and the fault here is not the inverter which reacts correctly and turns off after a few minutes at 253
    you would need an electrician with a measuring device, measure at the connector, inverter and compare with what the inverter sees and then think what to improve
  • #134 18621378
    kosmos99
    Level 38  
    theo33 wrote:
    you would need an electrician with a measuring instrument, measure at the connector, inverter and compare with what the inverter sees

    Not necessarily, voltage values should be available in the inverter application.
    You have to look for.
  • #135 18621745
    djstanley
    Level 12  
    I have a question from a different barrel, tell me what the MPPT Scan function is for in these inverters?
    When it is turned on, the time is given, probably what the scan should do, but what's the point, since the MPPT itself works normally?
  • #136 18622124
    3301
    Level 34  
    more or less this service response:
    in the case of partial shading, it improves the search for the maximum power point by scanning according to the set time
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  • #137 18622178
    djstanley
    Level 12  
    3301 wrote:
    more or less this service response:
    in the case of partial shading, it improves the search for the maximum power point by scanning according to the set time

    Ok then what is the best sampling time? Because the inverter goes down powerfully with each attempt and then slowly grows. So I don't know if it's that optimal.
  • #138 18623709
    MariuszFEG
    Level 2  
    theo33 wrote:
    MariuszFEG wrote:
    I have a problem with sofar 8.8. in perfect weather it turns off and no error pops up. 37 Panels 270Wp on 2 strings are connected to it, Last year everything was ok. Only recently something has happened and the daily production has weakened by about 20% due to only the inverter and start from 0. It will be hard to advertise with Sofara without error.
    In the attachment there are charts of a perfect day.

    Please give me a hint
    :bye: SOFAR 8kW PV Installation: Opinions, Durability, Failures & Experiences with Inverters



    from these reports you can see that you have at least one bit0 error, in fact, ID01 AC voltage too high, the display should be visible and saved in the memory, you had shutdowns 8:40, 9:58, 13:44, 15:13 and maybe more, so a lot and the fault here is not the inverter which reacts correctly and turns off after a few minutes at 253
    you would need an electrician with a measuring device, measure at the connector, inverter and compare with what the inverter sees and then think what to improve


    except that in the beginning it was normal and the AC voltage was normal. Why is the inverter not throwing an error and saving nothing, why is it turning off? For a week now, I have made a preview to see why. Unfortunately, the meter shows that AC and DC are normal. Should I advertise the inverter and on what basis ??

    How to read this error from writing ?? So the problem is on the side of the Energa supplier and not PV ??




    The inverter does not turn off on cloudy days, and the AC voltage is irrelevant to the weather. Attached are photos from the last "worse" days. And on 14.04.2020 the weather was better and it turned off, SOFAR 8kW PV Installation: Opinions, Durability, Failures & Experiences with Inverters SOFAR 8kW PV Installation: Opinions, Durability, Failures & Experiences with Inverters SOFAR 8kW PV Installation: Opinions, Durability, Failures & Experiences with Inverters when he jumped on over 8kW What parameters should I give from the possible SOFAR charts ??

    SOFAR 8kW PV Installation: Opinions, Durability, Failures & Experiences with Inverters SOFAR 8kW PV Installation: Opinions, Durability, Failures & Experiences with Inverters
  • #139 18624602
    djstanley
    Level 12  
    Check in the inverter events for logs with error codes. Today I noticed this type of behavior and after entering the list of events it turned out that I had ID01 several times, i.e. too high voltage of the network. My house is the last one on the power line and it probably gets such peaks from time to time, and my neighbor also has PV installations nearby, so probably when the sun is bigger, his voltage also increases. I don't know if there is any option to do anything about it?
  • #140 18624612
    theo33
    Level 27  
    djstanley wrote:
    Check in the inverter events for logs with error codes. Today I noticed this type of behavior and after entering the list of events it turned out that I had ID01 several times, i.e. too high voltage of the network. My house is the last one on the power line and it probably gets such peaks from time to time, and my neighbor also has PV installations nearby, so probably when the sun is bigger, his voltage also increases. I don't know if there is any option to do anything about it?


    Do you see these errors also in the solarman?
  • #141 18624616
    djstanley
    Level 12  
    theo33 wrote:
    djstanley wrote:
    Check in the inverter events for logs with error codes. Today I noticed this type of behavior and after entering the list of events it turned out that I had ID01 several times, i.e. too high voltage of the network. My house is the last one on the power line and it probably gets such peaks from time to time, and my neighbor also has PV installations nearby, so probably when the sun is bigger, his voltage also increases. I don't know if there is any option to do anything about it?


    Do you see these errors also in the solarman?


    Unfortunately, I do not have a net in the place where I have an inverter, so I do not use a solarman.
    Or maybe there is an option to connect it directly to the phone without internet?
  • #142 18624621
    theo33
    Level 27  
    MariuszFEG wrote:
    theo33 wrote:
    MariuszFEG wrote:
    I have a problem with sofar 8.8. in perfect weather it turns off and no error pops up. 37 Panels 270Wp on 2 strings are connected to it, Last year everything was ok. Only recently something has happened and the daily production has weakened by about 20% due to only the inverter and start from 0. It will be hard to advertise with Sofara without error.
    In the attachment there are charts of a perfect day.

    Please give me a hint
    :bye: SOFAR 8kW PV Installation: Opinions, Durability, Failures & Experiences with Inverters



    from these reports you can see that you have at least one bit0 error, in fact, ID01 AC voltage too high, the display should be visible and saved in the memory, you had shutdowns 8:40, 9:58, 13:44, 15:13 and maybe more, so a lot and the fault here is not the inverter which reacts correctly and turns off after a few minutes at 253
    you would need an electrician with a measuring device, measure at the connector, inverter and compare with what the inverter sees and then think what to improve


    except that in the beginning it was normal and the AC voltage was normal. Why is the inverter not throwing an error and saving nothing, why is it turning off? For a week now, I have made a preview to see why. Unfortunately, the meter shows that AC and DC are normal. Should I advertise the inverter and on what basis ??

    How to read this error from writing ?? So the problem is on the side of the Energa supplier and not PV ??




    The inverter does not turn off on cloudy days, and the AC voltage is irrelevant to the weather. Attached are photos from the last "worse" days. And on 14.04.2020 the weather was better and it turned off, SOFAR 8kW PV Installation: Opinions, Durability, Failures & Experiences with Inverters SOFAR 8kW PV Installation: Opinions, Durability, Failures & Experiences with Inverters SOFAR 8kW PV Installation: Opinions, Durability, Failures & Experiences with Inverters when he jumped on over 8kW What parameters should I give from the possible SOFAR charts ??

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


    When reviewing these previous reports, the recorded voltage is 252.7 and maybe it was also higher, but check which country you have set, it should be 12 and it looks like you have 7, at least the report shows
  • #143 18625819
    MariuszFEG
    Level 2  
    Yes, I have Netherland which is 07 set up from scratch and it was no problem. Only now/

    Will try to change.
  • #144 18662870
    Wbm
    Level 12  
    Mirek_Gab wrote:
    Sofar KTX-L series users - do you have Polish in your inverters?


    I had the firmware version 2.01, now I do not have the upgrade to 2.20, but it was worth sacrificing the Polish language because it no longer cuts off the production at ~ 8kW.

    ps. I have the 8.8KTL-X model


    greetings
    -
    Wbm.
  • #145 18663713
    theo33
    Level 27  
    Wbm wrote:
    Mirek_Gab wrote:
    Sofar KTX-L series users - do you have Polish in your inverters?


    I had the firmware version 2.01, now I do not have the upgrade to 2.20, but it was worth sacrificing the Polish language because it no longer cuts off the production at ~ 8kW.

    ps. I have the 8.8KTL-X model


    greetings
    -
    Wbm.


    Did you update?
  • #146 18663721
    Wbm
    Level 12  
    theo33 wrote:
    Wbm wrote:
    Mirek_Gab wrote:
    Sofar KTX-L series users - do you have Polish in your inverters?


    I had the firmware version 2.01, now I do not have the upgrade to 2.20, but it was worth sacrificing the Polish language because it no longer cuts off the production at ~ 8kW.

    ps. I have the 8.8KTL-X model


    greetings
    -
    Wbm.


    Did you update?



    Sure, I couldn't look at these "clippings" on the production charts every day ;-) The effect is immediate, yesterday and today the peak output broke 8.8kW:

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

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

    greetings
    -
    Wbm.
  • #147 18664351
    theo33
    Level 27  
    Where did you download the files from? could you share.
  • #148 18664364
    AT PRO
    Level 25  
    Can you upgrade to a higher version? Eg from 3.3 to 4.4? Apparently, all ktl-x up to 12 kW differs only in the software.
  • #149 18664397
    Wbm
    Level 12  
    AT PRO wrote:
    Can you upgrade to a higher version? Eg from 3.3 to 4.4? Apparently, all ktl-x up to 12 kW differs only in the software.


    Well, they are not entirely different, you can judge by the markings that this soft fits the 3f models from 4 to 12 (I can confirm models 6.6 and 8.8) but I don't know about the 3.3 model, which is on the manufacturer's list in the same group:

    3.3-12KW String inverter (Three Phase)

    Perhaps it would also fit, but they did not change the name of this group, both in the software name and in the URL address. Has the three-phase 3.3 model not been added to the offer sometimes?


    greetings
    -
    Wbm.

    Added after 14 [minutes]:

    theo33 wrote:
    Where did you download the files from? could you share.


    I got the firmware from the installer and he from the distributor, and my colleague is sometimes not an installer? ;-) I could draw such an erroneous conclusion from my colleague's statements so far ... very professional by the way.


    greetings
    -
    Wbm.
  • #150 18665849
    MariuszFEG
    Level 2  
    It turned out that the customer's voltage jumped even to 280V, and the inverter turned off as standard at 253V (all right) strange that it did not save the alerts. I went to my neighbor and it was the same. The country was indeed in NL, Regards

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.
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FAQ

TL;DR: Field owners report 0–20 % daily energy loss when Sofar inverters trip on 253 V grid peaks; “set Country Code 12 for Poland and the problem goes away” [Elektroda, 3301, post #18624621] Why it matters: one menu setting often fixes most unexpected shutdowns without replacing hardware.

Quick Facts

• Max. DC input voltage 1000 V & MPPT window 240-850 V (Sofar 8.8KTL-X manual [Uri, #18921613]) • Recommended DC/AC oversize ratio ≤ 1.2 : 1 for KTL-X models [Elektroda, BikeBarian, post #18360391] • Country Code list: PL = 12, DE = 07, NL = 05 [Elektroda, Defence & 3301, post #18851696] • Typical firmware: V2.30 (increases AC limit from 4.0 kW to 4.4 kW on 4.4KTL-X) [Elektroda, prose, post #19034268] • Service e-mail: service.pl@sofarsolar.com; hotline +48 22 123 98 58 [Elektroda, AT PRO, post #18772451]

How reliable are Sofar inverters in everyday use?

Most 6–9 kW owners report trouble-free work for 1–3 years [Elektroda, iborkim, #18112697; Elekt...

Which menu code should I select for Polish grid parameters?

Use Country Code 12 (PL). It lifts the over-voltage trip to 253 V/10 min and 264 V/1 s, matching Polish NC-RFG limits [Elektroda, 3301, post #18851696] Selecting 07 (DE) raises the limit to 264 V but violates declaration of conformity.

My inverter shows ID01 ‘GridOFP’ and stops at noon—what now?

Measure L-N voltage; if it rises above 253 V, ask the DSO to lower tap settings or move PV to another phase. Until then, temporarily change Country Code to DE (07) or install a 230 → 220 V autotransformer [Elektroda, MariuszFEG, post #18623709]

What causes PvOVP / BusOPV errors on 4KTLM-G2 units?

Voc exceeds 600 V in cold sun. Split the 15-panel string into two of 8 + 7 or use a 3-phase inverter that accepts 1000 V DC [Elektroda, noja102, post #18323557]

Is the MPPT Scan function worth enabling?

Enable only when partial shading occurs; it rescans the IV curve at user-set intervals. Service says it "improves harvest under shade" but reduces output 1–2 % on clean arrays [Elektroda, 3301, post #18622124]

How do I update Sofar firmware myself?

  1. Copy the /firmware folder to the SD card.
  2. Insert card, choose Menu → 5.Software Update, enter password 0715.
  3. Wait until ‘Update DSP1 OK’, ‘DSP2 OK’, ‘FUSE OK’, then reboot [Elektroda, Grucha383, post #19029218]

The display boots for one second at dawn—is that harmful?

No. The capacitors charge when DC rises above 180 V, then discharge if current is < 20 mA; this soft-start repeats without affecting lifespan [Elektroda, rydzyk673, post #19035241]

Why does Solarman show 0.9 A per phase even at 0 W?

Firmware ≤ V2.30 reports reactive standby current as active. Real clamp-meter reading is ~0.2 A; ignore the dash-board figure until a patch arrives [Elektroda, wilk125, post #19038447]

Edge case: can the inverter fail after a breaker trip?

Yes—one 8.8KTL-X died after a 16 A AC breaker opened; display stayed dark despite correct DC voltage, requiring warranty swap [Elektroda, gotycki1, post #18771167]

How to auto-run a 1.5 kW boiler only on surplus PV?

Install a PR-energised relay with the inverter’s CT loop; set closure above 4.5 kW export so the heater engages only in excess production [Elektroda, 3301, post #19053070]
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