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

@lesiakjarek give it a rest, such a problem is not a problem. The equipment generally works, it is unlikely to break down, enjoy as I do the low voltage in the network.
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Does anyone have any accurate pictures of the interior of the Sofar 5.5 KTL-X or 6.6 KTL-X?

@rasell_ https://obrazki.elektroda.pl/8545037000_1582276752.jpg

>>20732067
I have 6.6 ktlx

Hi,
Version 8.8ktlx-g3.
I had the factory software 608 and just did an update to 611.

In the menu, there are a lot of new items, of course, despite the setting of the Polish language, some of these new functions are in English.

Could someone explain what is responsible for these settings in the 611 software?

How to set the reactive power control? Which settings are responsible for this?

Here are examples of items that I do not understand, original spelling:

Section Enter settings:
-10 SetAntiReflux (OFF ARPC / ON ARPC)
-12 ScanCurveIV
-13 PCC Select
-14 Reflux Mode (CTR TOTAL POWER/CTR PHASE POWER CTR SELLING POWER)
-17 ReactivePara (ENABLE: POWER FACTOR/FIXED REACTIVE; disable)
-18 HardReflux (disable ARPC / ENABLE ARPC)
-19 Set Insulation (Dis Insulation / En Insulation(value 00050K(?))

Section System info:
-14 DRMs0 off
-15 DRMn on
-19 PV-ISO 693k (?)
-20 GFCI 3mA
-22 Reactive Power -10.87kVar
-23 Power Ratio 1.0 ratio

In normal mode of the screen, in addition to the menu, there is also a new item. After clicking the down arrow, 'power' disappears and "PF:-0.950p.u. (this value changes with the production power)" appears. The next click down shows only the amount of production "today".

I'm especially concerned about the reactive power settings, which position and what is this Set Insulation, and whether it should be dis insulation or en insulation (and what value?)

Thanks in advance for your help.

@zdziseek this PF it looks like "Power Factor", or power factor, and the value given in your case is 95%. By the way, where did you get this soft? Did you write to the manufacturer, or did you find it somewhere on the Internet, or somewhere else?

https://sofarsolar.eu/download-overview/?fwp_categories=software

I don't know if this is the power factor, because first of all there is a minus sign in front and secondly I took the picture with a production of about 5.2 kWh and the max inverter is 8.8 kWh so it wasn't 95%.

Soft from Sofar website generally available


Anybody anything about these new items in v611 menu?

On the occasion of a power outage, I started the EPS in my HYD 3600 ES. Unfortunately, the power comes on for a few seconds, the alarm lights up for a while, the ID12 event appears, the inverter counts down 60 seconds and so on and so forth. No load on the EPS output. What could it be? Battery charge and discharge current set at 6A (I have small AGM batteries).

@pavvell Look into the instructions and set up.

Manual sucks, doesn't explain most of the settings

Hello, I have such a problem. 2 months ago, the company that installed the photovoltaics took away the Sofar inverter (KTL-X, 4.2 kW installation) because I reported a failure, it meant that everything was turned off in it and it did not turn on. After a month, they said it was the DC switch because "we connected it for a short time and everything works." Later they said the complaint was not accepted because I turned the knob and that caused the inverter to burn out, what do you think about it? Even if someone turned the switch, could the inverter burn out? although I'm 100% sure no one touched it

@szewczo86 how? Flipping the DC switch was supposed to cause it to fail?! Are the photos yours or did this company check the inverter every month? And what does "we connected it briefly" mean, did they bypass the switch or what?

@szewczo86

Hmm, since, as they wrote, " We connected it for a short time and everything works " this means that the inverter was working at that moment, not burned out. And if it was burned out at that time, they should have notified you then.

For me, an obvious topic for the Consumer Ombudsman.

Even if someone did something to the switch, it's probably there to turn it off and on, logical. I'll wait another week. If they don't respond, I'll report it somewhere higher. Best regards and thank you

What about your PV installation and production? Have you been on the ice for two months without an inverter? Do they offer anything substitute?

szewczo86 wrote:

Hello, I have such a problem...

Do you have two different chains with the same MPPT?
I read somewhere.
Two photovoltaic strings must use the same number of photovoltaic modules.

Quote:

When the DC switch is turned off, two PV strings connected to the same MPPT are still connected in parallel. In this case, two voltage sources are connected in parallel. When two voltage sources have different electromotive forces, a circulating current is generated.

Hi all,

I finally got to the end of reading the entire thread. It took me a while, a whole 54 pages 😊 And it's time to give a little shout-out to all of you who have more knowledge than me.

Well, I have photovoltaic for several years, on board:

SOFAR 5.5 KTL-X firmware v2.01
18x RUNDA 300Wp Full Black which gives a pure-theoretical 5.4kW

Switched under 2 separate MPPT of 9 Panels

Analyzing the voltages and currents and power since July this year because there was a change of platform, I conclude that the panels operate in such parameters:
- PV1 - PV2 voltages oscillate between 250V and 310V of course during operation.
- Currents PV1 - PV2 do not exceed 10A when it is sunny all day will not exceed 9A
- Power, which I obtained in the peak MAX is 5.25kW, mostly does not exceed 5kW, by default it oscillates at the limit of 4.3-4.8kW

- Of course, the time of 3 years has passed since the subsidy where you cannot move anything, and it was time for modifications.

First inverter up to 6.6kW, of course update to ver firmware 2.20, so that it certainly does not cut, but what next.

Analyzing my installation, I'm thinking about 2 solutions.

AD.1

Connect all panels under 1 string 18x300 of course connected to both MPPT through transitions.
Recalculating the panels, should all fit, - voltage max 18x40.24V at Voc gives 723 V "limit to 1000V". - current max 9.23A

Only question is it going to make a difference, will I have better results?
Because the operating range of the voltage would be higher "2 times higher" i.e. now on 2MPPT are at 290V, and after plugging all together in series and split into 2 MPPT inputs will be 580V.
This is within the operating limit of the Inverter (240V-850V).
But will it change anything when it comes to power given to the grid?

AD.2

I leave as above all the current panels plugged into one MPPT i.e. 18x300Wp "because they hang on one slope of the roof, and I have no way to add panels there"
And to the second MPPT, I connect another panels - about 8 pcs. Some 400Wp, paying attention to the maximum current of the inverter, so that the panels do not exceed 11A

For the day, I would not want to replace the inverter for a larger one, I reckon that in the case of peak operation of the panels in the combination of 18x300Wp + 8x400Wp will be heavily oversized,
which will involve a power cut above 6.6kW, but in case of anything I count on the surplus on those cloudy days.

Of course, on the second new string 8x400Wp, I cannot have less because there will not be adequate operating voltage, and the problem is that this string 8x400Wp must be installed on the other slope of the roof. But the alignment relative to the old panels is about the same angle the same insolation.

Do such modifications make any sense?

Maybe you can suggest a better solution to the situation?

.

>>18111924
I've had it with the magazine since April. I don't recommend it, every now and then there are some errors, the service seems to have deleted it again after some time, and when needed it didn't work. There was some lack of communication with the warehouse and finally it stopped working completely, the sun was shining, the warehouse was full and there was no electricity, nothing. They are also in no rush to repair it. They last for weeks. A lot of money was spent and... I also have a Foxes - there was also a problem, but they came and took it to the service center in 2 days, sent a new one and it has been working for 2 years without being checked.

Hi,

I have a question about the configuration I want to change. I have a Sofar KTL5.5 inverter and 9 320W panels, which gives ~2.9kW, connected as one string. The voltage is enough to turn on the inverter.
I am now going to add a second string to the second input on the inverter, but these panels will only be 5x600W -> 3kW.
They are supposed to be on the same roof surface as the first string. (SW).

The new panels have U at Pmax - 34V, which with 5 pieces will give me ~150V.

Will this small number have a negative impact on the operation of the inverter (low voltage on the second string)?
The inverter has a starting voltage of ~190V, but since the first string provides sufficient voltage to start, I assume that the second string
does not have to meet this parameter,

Regards

The Vmax of this KTL is too low, if it is high, connect them all in series, you will have a greater profit.

Added after 2 [minutes]:

14* around 40V gives 560 and he probably has 650, so it`s enough. 14*320W gives 4.5kW, so the power is also ok.

But the panels have different powers 9x320W and I want to add 5x600W, I will not connect them in series
The question is whether the second input on the KTL inverter is independent and requires 190V to start as well?

maciek.mr wrote:

But the panels have different powers 9x320W and I want to add 5x600W, I will not connect them in series

You can connect them, but they will work with weaker power, you should have asked before purchasing.
In an independent chain they will not work at all or only at noon, do what you want, you have already received advice.

😀 I haven`t bought it yet. I`m just planning. But if it works properly with one string, i.e. the inverter turns on, will adding a second string turn it off? I am trying to understand the principle of operation of this inverter. Is the switch-on voltage the voltage when the inverter turns on, or does this voltage only result in a change from DC to AC in a given circuit? And what does the setting of the inverter that connects the circuits do (I don`t remember the name of this option)?
The first string gives 300V, so there is no problem with it.

Regards

maciek.mr wrote:

I`m just planning. But if it works properly with one string, i.e. the inverter turns on, will adding a second string turn it off?

No, but if added it won`t work.

maciek.mr wrote:

Is the switch-on voltage the voltage when the inverter turns on, or does this voltage only result in a change from DC to AC in a given circuit?

There is a switch-on voltage (160V) and a minimum operating voltage at full power (240V). Because the inverter has to `raise` the voltage to convert it to AC and `push` it into the network, it won`t do it if it is too low. But this lifting also `costs`, the efficiency decreases, so the next parameter is the optimal or rated operating voltage, for this Sofar KTL5.5, when I look at the parameters now, it is 600V. So you can see that it is optimal to connect all panels in series to have the highest possible operating voltage, but not more than 1000V. This means that there is no point in buying a higher power one because it will not be used anyway. You have to buy the same ones as the previous ones or replace all of them.

maciek.mr wrote:

And what does the setting of the inverter that connects the circuits do (I don`t remember the name of this option)?

This is an option for higher power panels, to use higher current, you connect both inputs in parallel in the inverter, i.e. you buy 500W panels, e.g. 14 pieces (because you cannot exceed the power either and this is 7kW max), connect them in series and connect them to the MPPT inputs in in the inverter and in the options you set the connection of inputs so that the current is distributed over both inputs, which the inverter will take care of, otherwise a single input would be overloaded.

Thank you for the full explanation. Now I understand. Ok, I`ll look for 320W,

I have a photovoltaic installation with a Sofar Solar HYD 6 KTL-3PH inverter and a SOFAR BTS 5K energy storage facility.
Installation with a power of 7.2 kW with TIGO optimizers.
I have a problem with the "Warning" code 813 "Charge Forbidden Alarm" appearing, theoretically the entire installation works properly, but these alarms worry me both in the application and in the inverter when I enter the "Event List".

Do you also have so many events in this tab?
The alarm doesn`t seem to be displayed, but I think something is not working properly.

I will add that I reported the error to the installer. First, the Sofar service performed a remote software update, which led to the installation being disabled and, as it later turned out, damaging the control board in the inverter.
The inverter was dismantled and sent to the service center, where the controller was replaced.
The inverter came back repaired and with a newer version of the program, because it has more options, but the "events" are still saved.

Can this be somehow changed in the settings on the device?

So far 8.8 KTL-X
Max power 8000W
Max power 1 MPPT 6200W

If we exceed 8000W of the entire device, the peak will simply be cut off and the device will not provide any more electricity, and what about the overload of 1 MPPT above 6200W? Will it also cut off the top or restart the device?

It will cut when it exceeds 8800W, unless you set the jumpers to e.g. 11000W, it will be cut at 11kW. If the MPPT power is exceeded, it seems to me that the inverter will report an error and cut production.

I'm just reading about jumpers and software updates. If it exceeds and cuts the 6200W on MPPT, I understand it as a power limit from 7000W to 6200W and it will continue to work without any problems, there will be no reset? What do you understand by the term production cuts? Will it limit to 6200 or will it turn off completely?

Do I have to write to the service center to send the file for software updates? I think I still have v2.0