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

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Treść została przetłumaczona polish » english Zobacz oryginalną wersję tematu
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  • #1382 20309096
    totom1
    Level 4  
    The editor says it doesn't matter one and the other is the same.
  • #1383 20309758
    LordZiemniak
    Level 15  
    totom1 wrote:
    The editor says it doesn't matter one and the other is the same.


    solplanet is an old zewer, the application is written on the lap and looks like written on the lap :D
  • #1385 20316077
    boorky
    Level 2  
    Hi,

    Do you have older firmware versions for Sofar 3-12kw G3?

    Current inverter versions:

    ARM: G010006
    DSPM: V020004
    DSPS: L020004
    GeneralHardVer: V003
    SafetySwVer: V000001
    SafetyHardVer: V101

    Renaming the file didn't help. I have the error "ARM File Error".

    Thank you
  • #1386 20326718
    unvoid
    Level 9  
    Problems with Sofar inverters continue. A month ago, I described the strange behavior of all 3 inverters that were finally resolved by a software update. In this summary of the adventure. Today, one of the inverters reported an "error" (deliberately in quotes about it in a moment) ForcedPowerOff on the main screen and in the event list ForcedOffControl ID88. Of course, no production. There is nothing in the manual about ID88 (it seems to stop at ID86 and jump straight to ID90). I was familiar with the network and these "errors" are related to the setting (in my case) of 6. Control On/Off. I tried to change this setting with the standard service code (0001) - code error. When you call the site, it turns out that there is no error on their side And that makes sense because it's done on purpose, not a mistake. This is the only setting on this inverter that requires a unique code generated by the sofar generator based on the serial number of the device . When asked "why did this setting start automatically" I heard "probably the sofar was doing some updates on its side and your inverter went wrong". Hands down. In turn, the question "I have two more such inverters. What if in a year/five/ten years the same situation will occur on the other ones but I will be out of warranty and the sofara service will not even remember that such models exist?" I heard "it shouldn't be like this". To the shore - the service technician generated (previously giving him the serial number of the inverter) a code that worked so that I could change the setting and after restarting he got up and works. Bottom line - if you don't use the sofar application for monitoring or you just don't need it and want to sleep peacefully, block all traffic from sofar loggers to wan and all traffic from wan to sofar loggers on the router. If you do not use anything for monitoring (e.g. you do not download data yourself via MODBUS loggers), disassemble the loggers. You never know when sofar will force you to update your inverters with consequences according to the principle - better is the enemy of good.
  • #1387 20327053
    Janusz_kk
    Level 39  
    unvoid wrote:
    If you do not use anything for monitoring (e.g. you do not download data yourself via MODBUS loggers), disassemble the loggers. You never know when sofar will force you to update your inverters with consequences according to the principle - better is the enemy of good.

    I didn't connect mine at all. If I do transmissions, it will be via RS, although basically I need it on g. What counts is what the eLicznik 'sees', i.e. what has been sent to the network, and I write off the production manually from the inverter 2 times a month.
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  • #1388 20330662
    LordZiemniak
    Level 15  
    unvoid wrote:
    Problems with Sofar inverters continue. A month ago, I described the strange behavior of all 3 inverters that were finally resolved by a software update. In this summary of the adventure. Today, one of the inverters reported an "error" (deliberately in quotes about it in a moment) ForcedPowerOff on the main screen and in the event list ForcedOffControl ID88. Of course, no production. There is nothing in the manual about ID88 (it seems to stop at ID86 and jump straight to ID90). I was familiar with the network and these "errors" are related to the setting (in my case) of 6. Control On/Off. I tried to change this setting with the standard service code (0001) - code error. When you call the site, it turns out that there is no error on their side And that makes sense because it's done on purpose, not a mistake. This is the only setting on this inverter that requires a unique code generated by the sofar generator based on the serial number of the device . When asked "why did this setting start automatically" I heard "probably the sofar was doing some updates on its side and your inverter went wrong". Hands down. In turn, the question "I have two more such inverters. What if in a year/five/ten years the same situation will occur on the other ones but I will be out of warranty and the sofara service will not even remember that such models exist?" I heard "it shouldn't be like this". To the shore - the service technician generated (previously giving him the serial number of the inverter) a code that worked so that I could change the setting and after restarting he got up and works. Bottom line - if you don't use the sofar application for monitoring or you just don't need it and want to sleep peacefully, block all traffic from sofar loggers to wan and all traffic from wan to sofar loggers on the router. If you do not use anything for monitoring (e.g. you do not download data yourself via MODBUS loggers), disassemble the loggers. You never know when sofar will force you to update your inverters with consequences according to the principle - better is the enemy of good.


    sofar doesn't update online, upload files to do it via usb
  • #1390 20342171
    toma1981
    Level 12  
    Gentlemen, do I have to have fire protection I have two photovoltaic installations 3.5 kW and 6 kW installed or is there currently a protection required to receive PV installations.
  • #1391 20342202
    ja_pizgam
    Level 10  
    @toma1981, according to the regulations, it is required for installations above 6.5kW installed on the building, as I understand you have 2 installations installed somewhere else, so you don't have to add up, so you don't exceed it either.
  • #1392 20343627
    piotreksum
    Level 8  
    ja_pizgam wrote:
    @toma1981, according to the regulations, it is required for installations above 6.5kW installed on the building, as I understand you have 2 installations installed somewhere else, so you don't have to add up, so you don't exceed it either.[/quote
    Not required for single-family homes
  • #1393 20343643
    ja_pizgam
    Level 10  
    @piotreksum
    Quote:
    Although the legal situation regarding fire-fighting arrangements for photovoltaic installations is still unclear, the basis in this regard is the Construction Law Act, the new wording of which will come into force on September 19, 2020. Pursuant to Art. 29 section 4 point 3c (... ;) for photovoltaic devices with an installed electrical power of more than 6.5 kW, the obligation to agree with an expert on fire protection in terms of compliance with the requirements of fire protection applies (... ;) the design of these devices and the notification of the State Fire Service authorities referred to in Art. 56 sec. 1a.

    Although it might seem that the reference to the Fire Protection Act reduces the number of facilities subject to agreement, this is not the case. Each PV installation with a capacity of more than 6.5 kW is subject to agreement with a fire safety expert, regardless of which building it is located on. Thus, single-family houses with installations of such power are also not exempt from this obligation. All micro-installations with a capacity above 6.5 kW must be agreed with a fire protection expert. and notify the State Fire Service about the implementation of the PV installation in a given building.
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  • #1394 20344121
    piotreksum
    Level 8  
    thank you, I agree when I wrote back I meant P.POZ switches of photovoltaic installations in single-family buildings. I would use it for my own safety.
  • #1395 20344171
    Janusz_kk
    Level 39  
    This switch thing is confusing. I talked to the fire inspector and it turned out that this fire brigade switch is so averagely needed, it's more about cutting the cables from the panels to the inside of the building, so that in the event of a short circuit it is outside and not inside. As a result, this switch must be outside, i.e. on the roof or chimney, so I explain to him that there is a lightning rod there and I have to provide a distance, and we didn't get along, and since the cables in the attic are in metal conduits and grounded, I didn't whole circuit breaker. There are no sanctions for this, the guard de facto requires only stickers / markings (which I also learned from this fire protection), in my place even without them you can see from a distance that there is a PV installation because the entrance to the house is from the south.
  • #1396 20345267
    toma1981
    Level 12  
    I plan to give myself an additional DC switch on the gazebo pole and only from it in the casing pipe will the cables go underground about 15 m.
  • #1397 20345898
    MarkY_01
    Level 2  
    I have a problem with starting the LSW-3-C logger. Sofar 6.6ktl-x inverter updated to firmware 3.02. I don't want to accept higher ones, crashes when programming ARM. The logger after plugging into the inverter does not give signs of life. None of the LEDs are lit. Address set to 01. Can anything else be set besides the address? The inverter is normally ironing, production is going on.
    Is there any option to check the logger by connecting it to a computer? Any software for this? Will it work with Putty or something like that?
  • #1398 20362281
    Emi_B
    Level 9  
    MarkY_01 wrote:
    Is there any option to check the logger by connecting it to a computer?

    Of course, make the appropriate connector, expose the logger to power, output rx / tx and you're done.

    MarkY_01 wrote:
    Any software for this?

    Serial Monitor with non-binary view.

    MarkY_01 wrote:
    Will it work with Putty or something like that?

    Putty has the serial option, so it will be less suitable for interpreting modbus frames. Something with hex view would be useful, because a working logger spits out queries over and over again.
  • #1399 20422000
    Komodo
    Level 12  
    I have a very simple question for users of Sofar inverters, I recently had a completed photovoltaic installation and since then the inverter has not started up even once. I have a Sofar Solar 2700tl-g3 model. Is there any way to tell by eye if the inverter is damaged? i.e. is there any diode showing the status of the device, etc. I checked and the voltage "from home" 230V comes to it. I expected that when it is turned on, there will be some reaction, something will flash, something beep, but there is nothing here. Is this normal for these inverters? There was some sun today, but the snow was horizontal on the bottom 20cm of all panels, maybe this is causing zero production and not turning on the inverter?
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  • #1400 20422025
    LordZiemniak
    Level 15  
    is the inverter turned on? :D how many strings does it have? is there tension on them?
  • #1401 20422028
    ja_pizgam
    Level 10  
    @Komodo the inverter should start even if it is not able to produce, then it will just consume power. From what I've seen on the net, you have 2 LEDs on it for signaling the status, probably in the manual that came with it you have exactly explained the states (I think there are also such as 2 lights on or flashing because it must pass tests after starting, etc.) so read it. Because of course you have security turned on and the main switch in the inverter is set to on? It's best if you report it to the installer if the previous things are done (you probably had training on how to turn it on and off) and let him come and check himself.
  • #1402 20422031
    LordZiemniak
    Level 15  
    ja_pizgam wrote:
    @Komodo the inverter should start even if it is not able to produce, then it will just consume power. From what I've seen on the net, you have 2 LEDs on it for signaling the status, probably in the manual that came with it you have exactly explained the states (I think there are also such as 2 lights on or flashing because it must pass tests after starting, etc.) so read it. Because of course you have security turned on and the main switch in the inverter is set to on? It's best if you report it to the installer if the previous things are done (you probably had training on how to turn it on and off) and let him come and check himself.


    I don't know what to write, don't write anything ... sofar if there is no DC, it won't get up, in addition, if you checked it well on the net, you would know that it has a display ....
  • #1403 20422045
    Komodo
    Level 12  
    LordZiemniak wrote:
    is the inverter turned on? :D how many strings does it have? is there tension on them?

    The inverter is turned on, i.e. the black hard-running knob on the left - unless there is another switch?
    From the home side, everything is connected and measured and is OK.

    String is one (this driver doesn't support more). Whether there is tension on them I do not know, I have to "hunt" the Sun for this.
  • #1404 20422046
    ja_pizgam
    Level 10  
    LordZiemniak wrote:
    ja_pizgam wrote:
    @Komodo the inverter should start even if it is not able to produce, then it will just consume power. From what I've seen on the net, you have 2 LEDs on it for signaling the status, probably in the manual that came with it you have exactly explained the states (I think there are also such as 2 lights on or flashing because it must pass tests after starting, etc.) so read it. Because of course you have security turned on and the main switch in the inverter is set to on? It's best if you report it to the installer if the previous things are done (you probably had training on how to turn it on and off) and let him come and check himself.


    I don't know what to write, don't write anything ... sofar if there is no DC, it won't get up, in addition, if you checked it well on the net, you would know that it has a display ....


    Yes, I checked that it has a display, but it also has status lights and they will signal the current state earlier than the entire display will start ...
    And I know what I am writing because I have 2 installations on Sofara inverters and I will give you a very simple example from today:
    The inverter started at 7:10, at 7:12 the voltage on the string was still 0V, at 7:17 it was 329.9V, and at 7:30 it just started producing energy where the voltage on the string exceeded 350V ... And the second one had this : Start - 7:25, 7:27 string voltage - 357.2V, production start - 7:50
  • #1405 20422047
    LordZiemniak
    Level 15  
    Komodo wrote:
    LordZiemniak wrote:
    is the inverter turned on? :D how many strings does it have? is there tension on them?

    The inverter is turned on, i.e. the black hard-running knob on the left - unless there is another switch?
    From the home side, everything is connected and measured and is OK.


    and from the DC side? I've asked this before... still no answer

    Added after 31 [seconds]:

    ja_pizgam wrote:
    LordZiemniak wrote:
    ja_pizgam wrote:
    @Komodo the inverter should start even if it is not able to produce, then it will just consume power. From what I've seen on the net, you have 2 LEDs on it for signaling the status, probably in the manual that came with it you have exactly explained the states (I think there are also such as 2 lights on or flashing because it must pass tests after starting, etc.) so read it. Because of course you have security turned on and the main switch in the inverter is set to on? It's best if you report it to the installer if the previous things are done (you probably had training on how to turn it on and off) and let him come and check himself.


    I don't know what to write, don't write anything ... sofar if there is no DC, it won't get up, in addition, if you checked it well on the net, you would know that it has a display ....


    Yes, I checked that it has a display, but it also has status lights and they will signal the current state earlier than the entire display will start ...
    And I know what I am writing because I have 2 installations on Sofara inverters and I will give you a very simple example from today:
    The inverter started at 7:10 am, at 7:12 am the voltage on the string was still 0V, at 7:17 am 329.9V appeared and at 7:30 am only started to produce energy where the voltage on the string exceeded 350V...


    not true, but ok :) you know better, I have about 150 installations on the sofar, which I launched myself, and about 1000 in monitoring ;]
  • #1406 20422055
    Komodo
    Level 12  
    LordZiemniak wrote:
    and from the DC side? I've asked this before... still no answer

    On the DC side, protections are also turned on, I have not measured the voltage. SOFAR 8kW PV Installation: Opinions, Durability, Failures & Experiences with Inverters
  • #1407 20422064
    LordZiemniak
    Level 15  
    and what kind of magic is someone practicing there, why is the switch disconnector next to the inverter which is a disconnector in itself :D
  • #1408 20422074
    ja_pizgam
    Level 10  
    LordZiemniak wrote:
    Komodo wrote:
    LordZiemniak wrote:
    is the inverter turned on? :D how many strings does it have? is there tension on them?

    The inverter is turned on, i.e. the black hard-running knob on the left - unless there is another switch?
    From the home side, everything is connected and measured and is OK.


    and from the DC side? I've asked this before... still no response

    Added after 31 [seconds]:

    ja_pizgam wrote:
    LordZiemniak wrote:
    ja_pizgam wrote:
    @Komodo the inverter should start even if it is not able to produce, then it will just consume power. From what I've seen on the net, you have 2 LEDs on it for signaling the status, probably in the manual that came with it you have exactly explained the states (I think there are also such as 2 lights on or flashing because it must pass tests after starting, etc.) so read it. Because of course you have security turned on and the main switch in the inverter is set to on? It's best if you report it to the installer if the previous things are done (you probably had training on how to turn it on and off) and let him come and check himself.


    I don't know what to write, don't write anything ... sofar if there is no DC, it won't get up, in addition, if you checked it well on the net, you would know that it has a display ....


    Yes, I checked that it has a display, but it also has status lights and they will signal the current state earlier than the entire display will start ...
    And I know what I am writing because I have 2 installations on Sofara inverters and I will give you a very simple example from today:
    The inverter started up at 7:10 AM, at 7:12 AM the string voltage was still 0V, at 7:17 AM it was 329.9V and at 7:30 AM it just started producing power where the string voltage exceeded 350V...


    not true, but ok :) you know better, I have about 150 installations on sofar, which I launched myself, and about 1000 in monitoring ;]


    You claim that you know better than the inverters themselves are recorded in the logs?
  • #1409 20422081
    Komodo
    Level 12  
    LordZiemniak wrote:
    why the switch-disconnector next to the inverter, which is itself a switch-disconnector

    And I don't know, if it doesn't spoil anything, why not? :)
    LordZiemniak wrote:
    so far if there is no DC it won't work

    Am I to understand that this is already the end of the topic? So until it's sunny, no diode / display will light up for me?
  • #1410 20422089
    ja_pizgam
    Level 10  
    @Komodo no, it doesn't have to be sunny, as you can see from my examples, 7:10 am today, when my inverter turned on, it's not sunny at this time of year, the weather station registered 0W/m2 of sunshine at this time , at 7:15 there was 0.4W/m2 of insolation, so the sun had not yet risen and the inverter started up.
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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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