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

I tried to pull gently and it didn't work, and I couldn't see the extra screws. I did not think about the gaskets. Thanks for the hint.

In connection with the upcoming changes, it plans to expand the photovoltaic installation to the maximum, i.e. as much as the inverter will allow
I have installations east west inverter Sofarsolar 11ktl-x and panels Risen RSM 120-60-330M with the following data:
Panel: temperature coefficient Voc -0.29% / C
STC:
Voc 40.3V
Vmpp 34.05V
NOTC
Voc 37V
Vmpp 31.2V
In my opinion, the voltage limits me, the temperature coefficient at -15C was 1.116
now with STC data 1.116x40.3V = 44.97V or 1000V / 45V = 22 panels per string
but with NOTC data 1.116X37V = 41.29V that is 1000V / 41.29V = 24 panels per string
I would like to add panels to 48 2x24 pieces, visually it would be better ? I reckon with cutting power in the summer
I have had installations since 01/08/2020 and after looking at the data day by day, I have never noticed a voltage above 40V per panel.
Can I accept NOTC data and have 24 panels per page?
Thank you in advance

Hi,

I have a HYD 5000 es. Can you give me a link with all firmwares please ?
I tried the 3.01, it works only one day. Before, it was 2.2 and it didn't work.

welcome back
I have one more question, how many panels can be connected to one MPPT (max panel power) for the 11ktl-x inverter (from 2020 purchase) so that it does not cut. Software version V2.20. I found a table that shows that the MPPT can be 8800 W, on another - 6200W. What do you think about it.
Regards Robert

brodadk wrote:

I would like to add panels to 48 2x24 pieces, visually it would be better ? I reckon with cutting power in the summer

But Voc will appear in the winter when it will be -25, then the inverter will crash the overvoltage error and you can even damage it.

@Pochitos I have downloaded version 2.80. It works fine for me.
Version 3.02 is currently available on Azzurro - https://www.zcsazzurro.com/en/documentazione/...torage-inverter-hyd-hyd-3000-zss-hyd-6000-zss

Another month flies and I still have no inverter under warranty .... I recommend Sofar Solar Poland!

If you wait that long, I would go to the poviat consumer ombudsman and write to the service with his help. Failure to meet the warranty deadlines and I would require immediate delivery of a new inverter or a cashback.

ter12 wrote:

another month and I still have no inverter under warranty ..

Then make an "ad" to the company responsible for it. Now the question is which one, the one that assumed the installation, or the SOFAR distributor.
As far as I know from the source, currently, due to the evident piling up of orders, there is a big problem with the equipment for warranties,
because most of them go into new investments, which of course does not explain anyone.
Take comfort only that you have hit a "good" period of failure, because production is nowhere to be done ...

Okay, and who downloaded your inverter? They had nothing to replace? Do such changes need to be reported to the ZE?

marucha79 wrote:

@Pochitos I have downloaded version 2.80. It works fine for me.
Version 3.02 is currently available on Azzurro - https://www.zcsazzurro.com/en/documentazione/...torage-inverter-hyd-hyd-3000-zss-hyd-6000-zss

Thank you.

I called and asked the website what was stopping them from returning my property ... I found out that the Chinese allowed me to replace the inverter with a new one. I am waiting now when he "crawls" because he has been walking from Rotterdam (or something similar in name) for ~ 2 weeks already. You wanted fancy island installations.

The inverter was installed and downloaded and sent under the guarantee by a "company" from the Tri-City. They do not provide a replacement for the duration of the repair. Everyone apologizes (service and installer) for such a situation and I have a piss and money in the back. In fact, the only consolation is that winter and little sun.

And this website is in Poland?
With such a brand, a replacement for the so-called "service" for the time of repair should be the norm if the brand wants to count.
For me personally, the failure itself is not a problem, as long as the repair / replacement is functional, I will feel taken care of.
Of course, the ideal is when nothing breaks ...

I would like to ask you for help in checking the modules match to the inverter. Take a look at my thoughts and revise as needed anywhere.

I estimate the annual consumption at approx. 4,700 kWh, but in the near future I plan to install air conditioning to a total area of approx. 62 m2 (although the rooms are open to other ones, so it may be necessary to increase the planned power), so I plan air conditioning with a total capacity of 6 kW (1 kW reportedly generates about 0.8 kWh), which gives 6 * 0.8 = 4.8 kWh, I multiply this times 2 hours a day, times 60 days (approx. 2 months of cooling in summer), which gives 576 kWh of additional planned consumption. A total of 5276 kWh.

Therefore, I am planning an installation with a capacity of 6.64 kWp, on the ground facing south. I assume an average yield of 1 kWp is 950 kWh, so 6308 kWh. Of which the self-consumption from the Internet will amount to 30%, i.e. 1892 kWh, and from the rest I will recover 80%, i.e. 3532 kWh - a total of 5424 kWh. Although it is known that air conditioning will increase self-consumption, so a larger reserve will be left for the future (probably larger TVs, children's laptops, etc.).

The selected modules are Longi 415W LR4-66HPH-415M - 16 pieces, I could have 2 panels less, but probably due to lower efficiency over time, it is not worth adding to such a small amount already in use, so better immediately. In addition, I was thinking about the Huawei Sun2000 6kW M1, although installers highly recommend the Sofara KTL-X. I think 6.6 kW is better, because Sofara is probably not worth oversizing due to a slight decrease in efficiency, but still above 100%. Although from the thread about them, I learned that it is just a matter of switching the jumper. At the moment, I do not think to add up to 10 kWp, because I have invested in a gas connection, so it will be condensing for a longer time, but would it be worth considering an inverter with a view to expansion with a power of about 8 kW? Here is also a request for Sofar or Huawei opinions? Generally, it has good opinions on the Internet in various Huawei rankings, while installers are pushing towards Sofar (probably a higher margin, because it's cheaper?)

However, I also started to check the compatibility of modules and inverters according to the STC conditions, for temperatures of -25 and 25 according to the guide from the instasani website (http://www.instsani.pl/524/dobor-falownikow). I am asking you to check whether I have inserted good parameters into the formulas, or do these calculations for STC conditions and extreme temperatures make sense at all? The calculations show that the voltage of 11.9V may be exceeded vs the allowed 11V, maximum 19 or 21 modules in 1 string, minimum number of modules 5 or 6 in a string, 9 maximum number of modules in a string due to MPPT. According to you, would it be good to combine these modules with both inverters, would you see 16 modules in 1 string or 2 strings of 8 each? On the sofa, I think 6640 Wp would exceed the Maximum DC power for one MPPT 6250 W in 1 string. But Huawei? I am a bit confused whether the given parameters in the catalog cards apply to both inputs jointly or to a single MPPT.

slayeros wrote:

with a total power of 6 kW (1 kW reportedly generates about 0.8 kWh), which gives 6 * 0.8 = 4.8 kWh

If I understand you correctly, you made a calculation error, because you have to divide, not multiply.
6 kW / 0.8 = 7.5 kW

Added after 1 [minutes]:

slayeros wrote:

I think 6.6 kW is better, because Sofara is probably not worth oversizing due to a slight decrease in efficiency, but still above 100%. Although from the thread about them, I learned that it is just a matter of switching the jumper

How do you think about jumpers is 8.8, unfortunately, because it's the next hardware version. 6.6 you are unlikely to move up.

I multiply because the average consumption of 0.8 kWh for 1 kW of air conditioning power is assumed.

slayeros wrote:

I multiply because the average consumption of 0.8 kWh for 1kW of air conditioning power is assumed.

Hmmm, any more perpetual motion machines ..?
What about the efficiency of the system, greater than 100%?
Where did you get this data?

Added after 17 [minutes]:

slayeros wrote:

I plan to install air conditioning to a total area of approx. 62 m2 (although open spaces

According to theory, you need about 100 W of power for every square meter, which means 6.2 kW of air conditioner power.
Where did the idea to multiply (or divide) it come from?
The above principle takes into account the efficiency of current refrigeration equipment and houses currently under construction.
On the other hand, for HEATING, it is assumed to be about 80 W / m2 and maybe that's where you took this multiplication by 0.8.
(Or confusing the efficiency of air conditioners - on average about 80%).
The cooling capacity given in the specification is three times higher than the maximum power consumption, because:
EER - cooling energy index 3.1-4.2
COP - heating energy index 3.5-4.4
With an electric power of e.g. 1kW, we have ~ 3.5 kW cooling and ~ 4.0 kW heating.
This is why my surprise with this factor of 0.8 ...

ter12 wrote:

I called and asked the website what was stopping them from returning my property ... I found out that the Chinese allowed me to replace the inverter with a new one. I am waiting now when he "crawls" because he has been walking from Rotterdam (or something similar in name) for ~ 2 weeks already. You wanted fancy island installations.

The inverter was set up and downloaded and sent under the guarantee by a "company" from the Tri-City. They do not provide a replacement for the duration of the repair. Everyone apologizes (service and installer) for such a situation and I have a piss and money in the back. In fact, the only consolation is that winter and little sun.

Buddy, you will wait a little longer, as long as you wait at all. I had exactly the same situation, they also said that it was already coming from China, a new one for me, later they stopped answering my calls, after about two months the case ended up at the consumer ombudsman, then they deign to send back a new working one. Unfortunately, the best months flew to me - failure at the beginning of July, I got a new one at the end of November.

Krzychooo wrote:

Hmmm, any more perpetual motion machines ..?
What about the efficiency of the system, greater than 100%?
Where did you get this data?

Googled. For air conditioning, 1 kW of cooling power is assumed for 10 m2. On the other hand, on the first better side: "Cooling power and power consumption. Cooling power is a different parameter than the power of the device, which determines the maximum energy consumption of a given model. The power of the air conditioner is also given in kW - for an example air conditioner with a cooling capacity of 3.5 kW power consumption is approx. 1.1 kW (it is about 3 times smaller than the cooling capacity.) As good quality air conditioners rarely operate at full power, in practice energy consumption is lower - it amounts to 0.3-0.8 kWh. " Therefore, the value of 0.8 kWh was multiplied by the cooling capacity to my minimum area and multiplied by 2 hours a day and by the number of days of using the air conditioning (I took the whole 2 months, in practice probably 3 with "holes".

And someone could be tempted to help with the rest of my doubts?

igorelectronics wrote:

Buddy, you will wait a little longer, as long as you wait at all. I had exactly the same situation, they also said that it was already coming from China, a new one for me, later they stopped answering my calls, after about two months the case ended up at the consumer ombudsman, then they deign to send back a new working one. Unfortunately, the best months flew to me - failure at the beginning of July, I got a new one at the end of November.

You cheered me up ... I called this pseudo Sofara service and the inverter still has not arrived - it has not arrived or has not been shipped from China.
In that case, I am already looking for a consumer ombudsman because there is probably no other advice for trash.

To potential buyers:
If you want to have problems, I invite you to buy this junk from Sofar Solar

A bit weird because only one opinion is about the sofarze. Another thing, for example, foxess and other Chinese, are you sure that they are exchanging immediately and there would be no such situation?

rustin wrote:

A bit weird because only one opinion is about the sofarze.

My friend with the sofa had no problem, they immediately replaced the damaged one with a new one.

Added after 1 [minutes]:

I will add that he did not come from China.

Do anyone know if this data is sent somewhere when changing the inverter power jumpers? Can they see remotely I changed it?

lary504 wrote:

Do anyone know if this data is sent somewhere when changing the inverter power jumpers? Can they see remotely I changed it?

It is possible to read the power of the inverter from the connected logger, so it is possible that the value of the responsible register is forwarded. Neither in the application nor on the solarman website I can see this parameter for my inverter, but the power can also be read from the serial number.

Krawietz

Hello.
I have a SOFAR 4.4 kW inverter. I changed its power by setting the jumpers to 5kW. I saw here in the thread in the photo sent by one of the forum members that the display showed the value of the inverter after the change (5kW). Where can I check the power after the change in the inverter? My home screen displays the word Normal.
greetings

I am writing from memory because it is dark.
You press the left button
System Info (down arrow 3 times I think)
Right = Enter
I don't remember now, but probably the first position, you will see the amount of kW above the frame.

lary504 wrote:

Do anyone know if this data is sent somewhere when changing the inverter power jumpers? Can they see remotely I changed it?

Gentlemen, all of you are trying to increase the power with jumpers, but the inverter with a different power, after a different configuration of jumpers, has other current transformers and voltage dividers, so the measurements will differ from the actual state, not to mention that correct measurements are needed for control MPPT module. If the MPPT module receives incorrect measurements, the entire inverter will have lower efficiency.

Are you talking nonsense, what does MPPT have to do with power output? nothing, these are two separate things. The inverters are divided into two groups and they differ only in the setting of the jumpers in a given group, it was previously explained and shown, it is enough to read and not rely on unverified theories.

igorelectronics Hello. You tell fairy tales or you are a seller and they don't come off haha. Only the well-matched power of the panels with jumpers change does the job. The inverter was set to 8.8 with panels of 7.600 kWp on a sunny day, even now 8.3 can do for me. The most important, at lower power, he heated up twice as much after adding 12 panels, one 8-string, the second 380 kWp, flashes like gold.
He helped a friend from the forum without nicks, maybe but he has knowledge and thanks to him for sharing it and not talking stupid things.

prose a great brewery is a must.

Merry Christmas everyone

Hello, I am writing to my colleague leon3029, write something more, what inverter you changed to 8.8kW, how much power did you have on the panels before adding it. I have 5.5kW, switched to 6.6kW with the power of 5920 panels, it uses the full available power of the panels at the moment, the maximum that I noticed is 6.1kW. Before the switch, it cut everything above 5.5kW, the inverter temperature in summer hit 60 degrees in the heat, after parallel connection of both inputs to one 16x370W string, the temperature reached 57 degrees, after adding a cooling fan, according to the idea of a colleague from the forum, the temperature dropped by another three degrees. I am going to add a few more pieces because, surprisingly, after installing the installation, the electricity consumption in the house has increased, I am curious how much you can get out of such a sofarka.