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

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  • #1501 20562877
    guzol30
    Level 1  
    Hello.
    I have a certain problem.
    I have a Sofar 6.6 KTL-X G2 inverter, which worked with 455W panels in the amount of 14 pieces, which gave a total power of 6,370 Wp.
    I added 7 455W Bifacial panels, which gives a total of 9,555 Wp and switched the inverter to 10 KW with jumpers.
    From about 9 am today the inverter showed that the instantaneous power is 11.05 KW and it was like this all the time until about 4 pm.
    Throughout the day, the inverter recorded that 104.88 kWh was produced, but only 52.5 kWh entered the grid through the meter.
    I would like to add that I control production, consumption and self-consumption every day and I know that only about 59 kWh could actually pass through the inverter.
    I read that after changing the jumpers and "overclocking" the inverter - the inverter showed stupidity, but maybe someone managed to solve it somehow.

    The second thing is that today I noticed different currents on the strings. On 1, where there are "old" panels, the current at 556V was 9.7A, while on the string of "new" panels at 320V, the current was 2.5A.

    I would like to add that around 16 o'clock at different voltages the intensities were equalized and were comparable on both strings.
    Does anyone from the esteemed group have any idea for this situation, or just replacing the inverter with more power?

    Regards and thanks for all the replies.


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  • #1502 20563017
    msr99
    Level 20  
    actually that's what I'm guessing. do you have rectifier diodes on the strings? I absolutely do not know..
  • #1503 20563036
    3301
    Level 34  
    As for these currents, swap inputs and observe, and it's best to measure them physically with a meter
  • #1504 20563058
    tig2
    Level 11  
    >>20562877

    Jumpering in the case of 6.6kW does not make sense. This is the last power range for this series, i.e. from 4 to 6 kW. Later you will only have seemingly higher yields, the inverter will misinterpret the readings from the transformers on the AC side, they are up to 10A. Theoretically, something else to squeeze out.
    In the inverter settings there is "ChangePowerReting" but it is blocked, you can select a higher series of types there, probably
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  • #1505 20567761
    Rybus85
    Level 23  
    And listen. I have a question. The inverter has a USB port for updating. And so I thought that it could connect fans to cooling the inverter. I have some from a laptop cooling pad. Only again, it is not known what voltage there is and whether nothing will happen to the inverter: p
    And more and more often the temperature on the inverter is 70-72 degrees.
    3-pack fans with speed control from the Coolermaster pad.
  • #1506 20567775
    JEDD
    Level 29  
    Do your Sofars beep twice or once every now and then? Due to the fact that I have it in the stairwell, I can hear it well. I don't know what this beeping means, no errors on the display or in the application, and he beeps as he beeps :)
  • #1507 20573155
    archaikas
    Level 9  
    >>20562877
    @tig2
    For me, the same, 6.6 jumped to 8.8, the production on the inverter shows miracles, and the real energy given on the tauron meter is much less than it should be for 10 KW installations.

    Perfect weather, neighbor identical power on the sofa 8.8 - 65 kWh on the elec, 45 kWh for me.

    I'm wondering if something can be done about it, or just replacing the inverter with a larger one?
  • #1508 20579048
    Baqo
    Level 16  
    You won't achieve anything with jumpers, you only change the power of the inverter by moving them within the measuring range , the inverter itself, unfortunately, will not squeeze more.

    The jumpers are there to regulate the correct indications for individual inverters on the production line, the measuring unit is universal for several powers, that's why jumpers were used, if you bought a 6.6kW inverter, it will always have that much.
  • #1509 20579154
    xury
    Automation specialist  
    Not true. Inverters from 3.3kW to 6.6kW are the same inverters, their power is limited by software. The 8.8, and 11 kW inverters are also the same. Of course, we are talking about the G2 series.
    And I'm not writing this because I read somewhere, I just checked it myself, and it's not that it shows more and produces the same amount. I have everything measured and also the 350 range counter confirms it.
  • #1510 20579167
    toolpusher
    Level 23  
    Well, that's exactly what Baqo's friend writes above. And it's not wrong, you obviously didn't understand. 6.6 is the last of the series and you can't change it to 8.8 or 11 with jumpers.
  • #1512 20580891
    lukasz_prz
    Level 11  
    @mentos2504 Hi
    Did you connect Sofar to HA via NodeRed or mbus?
  • #1513 20586671
    Rybus85
    Level 23  
    listen. What about inverter replacement? I currently have Sofar 3.3. I would replace it with a Sofar 3.6KTLM. The letters and the application say that the power of the installation is 3.68 (it is known that 1F cannot be more), so theoretically it should be no problem, because I will not exceed the power. I have more (oversized) in the panels. I am wondering, because when replacing the meter, he took pictures of the inverter and panels.
  • #1514 20586695
    ja_pizgam
    Level 10  
    It's interesting that he took a photo, replaced my meter and told me to turn on the installation (because he personally can't do it) and that's it, but it doesn't matter, you reported the power of the installation and it does not result from the power of the inverter, only the power of the panels x number, I have an inverter 6.6kW panels 4.5kWp and I have a reported power of 4.5kW. I expanded the installations and put 2 on the ground (the one on the roof) with a separate inverter and reported only an increase in power according to the power of the panels, the inverter is also larger than the power of the panels (it would be ok here, but it turned out that I have to reduce the number of panels so as not to exceed the power of the connection, and I didn't want to change it so as not to go to 0.7 coefficient, so I have increased power to 9.9).
  • #1515 20588630
    bolek
    Level 35  
    I didn't read anything interesting in the manual. Do sofar inverters (especially this new model) test the string resistances in any way?. I mean that when the connectors start to fall, is there a chance for a message, or just smoke signs from the installation?
  • #1516 20590034
    AdamBig
    Level 8  
    I have a request to evaluate the selection of panels and inverter and the idea itself. I want to do the installation myself, on the ground, the panels are Jinko Solar 375W 24 pieces for STC is Vmp 34.63V, Imp 10.83A, VOC 41.6V, ISC 11.53A and the SOFAR 8.8KTL-X-G3 inverter. I have had 253V very often since February, hence the idea of dividing the panels into two parts, one tilted 20-30 degrees to the east, the other the same amount to the west, and connecting it to a separate MPPT. I mean "skipping" peak in netbilling - does it make sense? ZTCW such a deviation causes decreases of less than 5% per year? Currently, we use about 3500 kWh per year and on Friday a 12 KW heat pump arrived, which supposedly uses 5500 kWh per year. Thank you for your help.
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  • #1518 20590174
    k_pec
    Level 32  
    AdamBig wrote:
    hence the idea of dividing the panels into two parts, one tilted 20-30 degrees to the east, the other the same amount to the west, and connecting them to separate MPPT. I mean "skipping" peak in netbilling - does it make sense? ZTCW such a deviation causes decreases of less than 5% per year?

    You will save something, but with such a small deviation, the main peak of generated power will come out at noon anyway, so in the potential period of the most frequent outages.

    The best is tracking (even single-axis), which actually maximizes the generation in the morning and afternoon, but it's a big expense.

    Regardless of the separation of the string directions, immediately prepare yourself and the installation for an active fight against outages - regulating the ratio of generated reactive to active power or switching on artificial loads that cancel exports, but give self-consumption. There's a bit about it on the forum.
  • #1519 20590219
    AdamBig
    Level 8  
    k_pec wrote:
    Regardless of the separation of the string directions, immediately prepare yourself and the installation for an active fight against outages - regulating the ratio of generated reactive to active power or switching on artificial loads that cancel exports, but give self-consumption. There's a bit about it on the forum.


    Thank you, yes I count on the fight - I have a cool basement where I have to heat with a heat pump, plus I want to run an 800L DHW tank with heaters. Maybe it is enough...
  • #1520 20590255
    Janusz_kk
    Level 39  
    AdamBig wrote:
    where do i need to heat with a heat pump,

    Do you have it for 3 phases? because if not, it will be bad, for this reason I bought a 3-phase heater for the HUW tank because only equal load on the phases will not turn off the inverter. Of course, there must be a thermostat and a time switch for it to turn on, for example, before 12 and turn off after.
  • #1522 20590397
    AdamBig
    Level 8  
    Janusz_kk wrote:
    Do you have it for 3 phases? because if not, it will be bad, for this reason I bought a 3-phase heater for the HUW tank because only equal load on the phases will not turn off the inverter. Of course, there must be a thermostat and a time switch for it to turn on, for example, before 12 and turn off after.


    Yes it is for 3 phases - I know it will be difficult with this.
  • #1523 20590418
    Janusz_kk
    Level 39  
    Check how this PC will heat this tank, because from certain temperatures in the tank it will start clocking and this is not good for the compressor, unless it has power modulation, if not, the final water heating may pay off more with heaters in terms of PC consumption.
  • #1524 20590423
    AdamBig
    Level 8  
    Janusz_kk wrote:
    Check how this PC will heat this tank, because from certain temperatures in the tank it will start clocking and this is not good for the compressor, unless it has power modulation, if not, the final water heating may pay off more with heaters in terms of PC consumption.


    The heat pump will heat the house (cold basement), it is only connected to central heating. I want to make a hot water boiler from an 800L old CO buffer and install a 3-phase heater. Yes, I have ideas for breaking 253V to be able to send something to the grid - on my street, every neighbor already has PV :(
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  • #1525 20590505
    Rowan
    Level 20  
    xury wrote:
    Not true. Inverters from 3.3kW to 6.6kW are the same inverters, their power is limited by software. The 8.8, and 11 kW inverters are also the same. Of course, we are talking about the G2 series.
    And I'm not writing this because I read somewhere, I just checked it myself, and it's not that it shows more and produces the same amount. I have everything measured and also the 350 range counter confirms it.

    So if I had 5.5kW, I have 9kWp panels, then changing the jumpers to the 6.6kW version will unlock the power up to 6.6kW, or will only the indications change?
  • #1526 20590624
    AdamBig
    Level 8  
    Can someone confirm to me what parameters the SOFAR 8.8KTL-X-G3 currently has - in the store where one spec says 13A / 13A, the newer documentation says 15A / 15A, and on the sofar's website there is even 15A / 30A - really so parameters changed?
  • #1527 20610594
    ja_pizgam
    Level 10  
    @AdamBig According to the physical "User manual" I have for the SOFAR 8.8KTL-X-G3 mounted in July 2022 it is stated as follows:
    SOFAR 8.8KTL-X-G3: 15/15A
    SOFAR 8.8KTL-X-G3-A: 15/30A
  • #1529 20613009
    tomasz.ryszard
    Level 11  
    Hello
    Since June 01, I have been observing strange behavior of my Sofar Solar 3300TL-G3 inverter (single phase 3.3 kW with single MPPT). For a year from new until then it worked impeccably.
    The inverter now runs in the following cycle:
    1. waiting for launch ("wait") - 60 s
    2. pre-work check ("check") - approx. 5 sec
    3. operation ("normal") in the power range from 0 kW at start up to 1 kW, at which power the inverter turns off. This stage lasts about 4 minutes, after which the inverter goes to standby phase 1 and continues to operate like this.
    A question for experts on the subject why the inverter behaves like this and does it mean that it is damaged?
    I would like to add that the voltage measured with 2 different digital meters in the socket between the inverter and the meter varies between 234 - 247 V, while the voltage recorded in the Solarman Smart program often exceeds 253 V, which can be seen in the attached graphs. For example, the AC voltage recorded by the inverter recorder today at 12:59:08 is 255.8 V, while the voltage measured with a digital meter at the same time is 236 V. I don't understand these discrepancies in voltage readings. Could the voltage measuring system of the inverter start to lie? It is characteristic that since the beginning of June, when anomalies appeared, the inverter turns off (restarts) when it reaches 1 kW
    Is there something I can do myself or do I have to send the inverter for repair?
    Attachments:
  • #1530 20613039
    AT PRO
    Level 23  
    The inverter seems to be fine. The problem is too high voltage. If you have much lower in the socket at the same time, you may have poor connections somewhere or too small a cross-section of wires.
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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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