SolarMax P series - · PDF fileThe SolarMax P series inverters are designed exclusively to convert the direct current ... CH-2504 Biel/Bienne Center

Instruction manual

SolarMax P series2000P / 3000P / 4000P / 4600P / 5000P

Sputnik Engineering AG

Länggasse 85

CH-2504 Biel/Bienne

Tel: +41 32 545 56 00

Fax: +41 32 346 56 09

E-Mail: [email protected]

© Sputnik Engineering AG 2014

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Contents1 Notes on the present instruction manual 6

1.1 Scope. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61.2 Target groups . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61.3 Where to keep this manual . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61.4 Symbols used. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

2 Safety 72.1 Intended use . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72.2 Safety instructions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72.3 Symbols on the inverter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

3 Description 93.1 Identification . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93.2 Functionality. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93.3 Safety installations. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93.4 Dimensions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103.5 Views of the unit. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .113.6 Block diagram . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12

4 Installation 134.1 Transporting and storing inverters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .134.2 Checking the delivery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .134.3 Selecting the installation location . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .144.4 Mounting the inverter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

5 Electrical connection 175.1 Opening the inverter. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17

5.1.1 Removing the cover. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .175.1.2 Removing the contact protection. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18

5.2 Connection area . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .195.3 Connecting the inverter to the mains . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 205.4 Connecting the inverter to the PV generator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 225.5 Network connections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25

6 Commissioning 266.1 Activating the inverter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 266.2 Initial start-up. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26

6.2.1 Requirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 266.2.2 Procedure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 276.2.3 Description of country-specific menus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28

6.3 Auto-test . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30

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6.4 Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 316.4.1 Setting the display language and system time. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 316.4.2 Setting the network parameters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32

6.5 Displaying the configuration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 336.6 Displaying the measured values . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 396.7 Registering for MaxView. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 406.8 Update firmware. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40

7 Operation 417.1 Graphics display . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 417.2 Menu structure. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 427.3 Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 437.4 Main menu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 437.5 Statistics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44

7.5.1 Displaying the daily statistics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 447.5.2 Displaying the monthly statistics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 447.5.3 Displaying the annual statistics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 457.5.4 Displaying the total statistics. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 457.5.5 Deleting the statistics values. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46

7.6 Displaying information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 467.7 Operating status. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47

7.7.1 Booting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 487.7.2 Mains operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48

8 Troubleshooting 498.1 SolarMax Service Center . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 498.2 Diagnosis & measures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49

8.2.1 General troubleshooting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 498.2.2 Warnings. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 508.2.3 Faults . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 508.2.4 Error . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 518.2.5 Blockings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52

9 Maintenance 52

10 Decommissioning 5310.1 Instructions for inverter replacement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5310.2 Inverter disassembly . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5310.3 Disposing of the inverter. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54

11 Technical data 55

12 Accessories and options 61

13 Warranty 62

6

1 Notes on the present instruction manual

11 ScopeThis instruction manual is applicable to the Solarmax 2000P, 3000P, 4000P, 4600P and 5000P inverters.

12 Target groups

Plant operators

Chapter 2 "Safety instructions" Chapter 7 "Operation"

Fitters

Chapter 2 "Safety instructions" The instructions in chapters 4 to 6 and 8 to 10 are only allowed to be performed by

trained skilled electricians (e.g. electricians, electric systems technicians, electrical mechanics, industrial electronics technicians).

13 Where to keep this manualThe plant operator must ensure that this instruction manual is available to the relevant persons at all times. If this original document is lost, an up-to-date version of this instruc-tion manual can be downloaded from our website at any time (www.solarmax.com).

14 Symbols usedThe following safety instructions and general information are used within this instruction manual.

DANGER!Non-observance of these safety instructions may immediately cause serious injuries or death.

WARNING!Non-observance of these safety instructions may cause serious injuries.

CAUTION!Non-observance of these safety instructions may cause minor or medium injuries.

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7

ATTENTION!Non-observance of these safety instructions may cause material damage.

Note

Notes contain additional information or facilitate the inverter operation.

2 Safety

21 Intended useThe SolarMax P series inverters are designed exclusively to convert the direct current generated by PV modules into alternating current which conforms to the parameters of the public grid. Any other use is contrary to the design purpose.

The inverters of the P series may only be connected to Class II PV generators.

22 Safety instructions

DANGER!Fatal electric shock hazard!In daylight the PV generator supplies the inverter with a dangerously high DC voltage.

Make sure that all electrical feed-in lines to the inverter are de-energized before starting any work on the inverter or the feed-in lines.

DANGER!Fatal electric shock hazard!Components within the inverter are charged with a high voltage.

Never open the inverter while it is in operation.

WARNING!Risk of injury from electric arc!Removing the DC connector when live can lead to dangerous electric arcs.

Switch off the DC disconnector at the inverter before removing the DC connectors.

8

23 Symbols on the inverter

Symbol DescriptionProtective conductor connection

The DC disconnector is switched off (the contacts are open).

The DC disconnector is switched on (the contacts are closed).

Risk of death through high voltages! Only qualified electricians may perform work on the inverter.

Careful - hot surfaces!

5 minRisk of death due to high voltages! De-energize the inverter. Proceed to wait for 5 minutes before opening the inverter.

Only qualified electricians may perform work on the inverter.

Read the operating instructions - Please read and follow the instruc-tions supplied with the inverter. Do not remove any symbols on the inverter. Replace damaged symbols.

CE marking - The inverter complies with the requirements of the European EMC Directive 2004/108/EC and the Low Voltage Directive 2006/95/EC (see Section 11).VDE-GS mark - The inverter complies with the relevant requirements of the German Product Safety Act.

Do not dispose of the inverter and its accessory components in the household waste.

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3 Description

31 IdentificationThe inverter can be identified on the basis of the information provided on the nameplate (see Section 3.5).

32 FunctionalityInverter operation is completely automatic and depends on the available output of the PV generator. If there is enough power, the inverter starts mains operation and feeds into the power grid. If there is not enough power available from the PV generator, the inverter disconnects from the grid and shuts down.

The graphics display with three function keys allows convenient inverter operation and reading of all important operating data. The graphics display is only switched on when the DC input voltage is high enough.

The inverter has configurable functions for grid monitoring, limitation of output and reac-tive power control.

For the purpose of monitoring the PV power plant remotely, the inverter can be connected directly to the Internet via Ethernet.

With the optional I/O module, the inverter can be remotely switched off and its output controlled.

33 Safety installations

Overvoltage protection

P series SolarMax inverters feature integrated surge arrestors (varistors) at both input and output. Each DC input (plus and minus connection) is fitted with a surge arrester. The surge arresters have a common gas discharge tube to ground. On the AC side a surge arrester is installed between the phase and neutral. A second surge arrester with gas discharge tube is fitted between neutral and ground (for details regarding the fitted surge arresters see section 11).

When designing the PV system, it may be necessary to provide additional external light-ning protection. The optional I/O module can be used to monitor external lightning protec-tion modules.

Fault current monitoring

The inverters in the SolarMax P series have an integrated AC/DC-sensitive fault current sensor. This sensor can distinguish between the operational capacitive stray currents

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(caused by capacities of the PV modules to ground) and leakage currents (caused by touching a pole of the PV generator). If the inverter detects an excess in the permissible leakage or stray currents, it will disconnect from the grid.

Functions for current and power limitation

The inverters of the P series limit the DC feed-in current, the output power and the AC output current.

Temperature limitation

At ambient temperatures of more than 45 °C the equipment temperature may reach more than 80 °C. In such cases, the maximum in-feed power is temporarily reduced. When the equipment temperature rises to over 85 °C, the inverter disconnects from the grid.

34 Dimensions

104.

5

480 189

[mm]

256.

5

361

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35 Views of the unit

4 1

5

7

23

6

No Description1 Cover2 Graphics display3 Type plate4 DC disconnector5 Cooling fins 6 Connection area7 Mounting rail

12

36 Block diagram

−−+ +

I

0

UU

U

Status signalling contact

Ethernet

DC m

easu

rem

ent

AC measurement

Internal fan

RS485

External shutdown

Monitoringlightning protection

Inverter control

Boos

ter c

ontro

l

Inve

rter

LCL

lte

r

Boos

ter 2

Boos

ter 1

Sola

rMax

P s

erie

s

DC

DC

AC

K2K1

DC

DC

DC

External power control

Cont

rol u

nit

Com

mun

icat

ion

mod

ule

Grap

hics

dis

play

* Tra

cker

2 o

nly

Sola

rMax

400

0P /

4600

P / 5

000P

***

optio

nal

**

tted

ex w

orks

DC d

isco

nnec

tor

DC inputTracker 1

DC inputTracker 2 *

I/O m

odul

e **

*

AC output

EMC

lte

r

EMC

lte

r

EMC

lte

r

DC b

ridge

s **

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4 Installation

41 Transporting and storing invertersMake sure that the ambient conditions during transportation and storage are within the specified limits (for details see section 11).

42 Checking the deliveryCheck the contents of the delivered package for completeness and possible damage. In the case of an inadequate delivery please contact your dealer or the SolarMax Service Center.

3

1

2

6 7

8 9 11 12 13 1410

54

Gerätedokumentation

SolarMax P-Serie2000P / 3000P / 4000P / 4600P / 5000P

No Quantity Description1 1 Inverter2 1 Instruction manual3 1 Mounting rail4 2 Plastic dowels 8 x 40 (for fixing in brickwork)

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No Quantity Description5 2 Washers M6 x 18 INOX (for the installation of the inverter)6 2 External hexagon wood screws 6 x 50 INOX (for the installation of the

inverter)7 2 Phillips head sheet metal screws 4.8 x 13 (for locking the inverter on the

mounting rail)8 3 Locking pins (for plugging unused holes in multiple cable connectors)9 4 Locking clips (for DC plugs)10 1 Toothed lock washer M5

(for connection of 2nd protective conductor)

11 1 Cable lug M5 x 10mm2

12 1 Washer M513 1 Spring lock washer M514 1 Phillips head screw M5 x 12

43 Selecting the installation location

DANGER!Fatal fire or explosion hazard!The inverter is an electrical device with heat generation and the possibility of sparking.

Install the inverter in an environment that is free of flammable gases and fluids.

Never install the inverter near combustible materials. The installation base must be non-combustible.

Follow the local fire safety regulations.

The ambient conditions are specified in the specifications, see Section 11.

Location and installation conditions

Select a dry location protected from water and snow. Install the inverter in an easily accessible location, so that maintenance work can be

carried out easily. Do not expose the inverter to direct sunlight. Never install one inverter above another (this would reduce the cooling effect; see

Section “Temperature dependent output reduction”; page 60).

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Maintain the following installation distances:

50

50

[cm]

°C2020

The installation base must be vertical. Do not install the inverter in a horizontal or inclined position.

OK !

The optimal cooling of the inverter is only guaranteed when the cooling fins (see sec-tion 3.5) are absolutely free of dust and dirt.

When installing the inverter on a mast, a mounting plate with at least the same dimensions as the back of the inverter is needed.

The ambient air around the inverter must be free from dust, salt and ammonium vapors.

The location must meet the requirements regarding electromagnetic immunity and interference emission.

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44 Mounting the inverterThe inverter is fixed to the wall by a mounting rail. The mounting rail and the necessary fixing accessories are included in the delivery package.

Procedure

1. Use the mounting rail as a template for drilling the holes.2. Use a spirit level to position the mounting rail horizontally.3. Mark two drilling holes.

446

376

26 [mm]

26

6.5

6.5

– For the other measurements see section 3.4.4. Drill two holes ø8 x 50 mm.5. Fix the mounting rail.

– Assembly sequence: plastic dowels 8 x 40, mounting rail, M6 washers, hexagon head wood screws 6 x 50.

6. Attach the inverter to the mounting rail (A).7. Fix the inverter on both sides with the Phillips head sheet metal screws 4.8 x 13 (B)

and (C):

(A)

(B)

(C)

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5 Electrical connection51 Opening the inverterFor the purpose of connecting the AC and communication lines, the inverter has to be opened.

511 Removing the coverOnce the cover is removed, the low voltage and communication terminals are accessible.

Procedure

1. Disconnect the AC power supply to the inverter.2. Disconnect all control cables connected to the inverter (status relays, external grid

monitoring and shut-down).3. Switch off the DC disconnector at the inverter.

DANGER!Fatal electric shock hazard!Components within the inverter are charged with a high voltage. After the inverter has been disconnected, high residual voltages remain in the inverter for approx. 5 minutes.

Wait 5 minutes until the voltages inside the inverter have reduced before removing the cover and carrying out connection work.

4. Loosen the two M5 screws at the bottom of the cover.5. Remove the cover by gripping it at the bottom and pulling it away.

5 min

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512 Removing the contact protectionWhen the contact protection has been removed, the internal connections - with dan-gerous voltage charges - are accessible.

Procedure

1. Press slightly on the two side snap closures and take the contact protection out of the holder.

2. Use a voltage tester to check that all connections at the inverter and, if applicable, at the I/O module, are de-energized.

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52 Connection areaThe connection area with the cover removed and without contact protection.

10 9 8

7

6

5

4

3

2

1

No Description1 DC connections2 Left-hand cable pass-through (multiple cable gland for the communication cables)

3 Right-hand cable pass-through (AC connection)

4 Locking screw (the locking screw is replaced by the cable gland when the I/O module is installed)

5 Connection option for 2nd protective conductor

6 Slot for the optional I/O module

7 AC connection

8 RS485 socket

9 Ethernet socket

10 DC bridges for single tracking (fitted ex works)

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53 Connecting the inverter to the mains

DANGER!Fatal electric shock hazard!

Make sure the AC line is not live during connection work.

Connection conditions

Comply with the connecting conditions set by the grid operator in charge. Connectable cable diameter: min. 9.5 mm / max. 12.5 mm Permissible conductor cross-sections:

– flexible conductors (with or without ferrule) or rigid conductors: max. 16 mm2

– flexible conductors with ferrules (with plastic sleeves): max. 10 mm2

The AC feed cable must be fused. Minimum conductor cross sections and suggested mains fuses:

SM2000P SM3000P SM4000P SM4600P SM5000PMinimum conductor cross-section 1.5 mm2 1.5 mm2 2.5 mm2 4 mm2 4 mm2

Mains fuses (characteristic C) 10 A 16 A 20 A 25 A 25 A

Temperature resistance of the AC feed cable: ≥ 80 °C Make sure the ambient temperatures for the mains fuses specified by the producer

are not exceeded.

WARNING!Risk of death by fire!

Provide separate fuses for each inverter. Do not attach any loads between inverter and fuse.

If you use an external leakage current circuit breaker (RCD switch), you must comply with the following connection conditions:

– Use an A or B type RCD (residual current device) switch with a rated fault current of at least 100 mA.

– In PV power plants with high leakage capacities, an RCD switch with a rated fault current of at least 300 mA. must be used.

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Procedure

1. Open the inverter as described in section 5.1.2. Route the AC conductor through the right-hand cable gland to the AC connection

terminals.3. Remove an 18 mm length of conductor isolation (A).4. Connect the wires in the following sequence:

– the protective conductor to the "PE" terminal – the neutral conductor to the "N" terminal – the live conductor (phase L) to the "L" terminal – press and close the levers (B) and (C) completely. If a lever is not completely closed, the conductor connection is not secured.

(C)

(D)

(B)(A)

[mm]

N PEL

18 Abbildungen Klemme: Phoenix Contact

5. Check the cable connections for firm seating.6. Tighten the cable gland (wrench size: 34 mm).7. Check the cable strain relief.8. Connect the second protective conductor (D).

– Assembly sequence: toothed lock washer M5, lug, washer M5, spring washer M5, Phillips head screw M5 x 12

9. Close the inverter: – insert the contact protection until it engages; – then tighten the cover.

22

54 Connecting the inverter to the PV generatorThe inverters of the P series can be operated in single tracking or dual tracking mode, depending on the configuration of the PV plant. In the dual tracking mode a separate MPP tracker is available for each DC input (2 trackers). The ex works configuration of the P series inverters is for single tracking (1 tracker).


Connection of maximum 2 strings (1 string in the case of SM2000P / SM3000P)

DANGER!Risk of death by fire!High return currents can cause a fire risk for the PV generator.

When Y plugs are used in order to connect more than 2 conductors (more than 1 conductor in the case of SM2000P and SM3000P), each DC con-ductor must be protected individually against dangerous return currents.

Maximum DC input current: 10 A per DC input / 20 A when operating in single tracker mode (only SM4000P SM4600P and SM5000P)

Maximum DC input voltage: 600 V Select the conductor cross-section to suit the system configuration. Exclusively use Wieland PST40i1C connectors (the mating connectors are not

included in the package supplied) Do not fit a ground connection to either the negative terminal or the positive terminal

of the PV generator.

Procedure

1. Make sure the DC disconnector and the external AC disconnector are off.2. Connect the pre-fitted DC conductors (A).3. Use the locking clips (included in the delivery package) to secure the connectors

against manual opening (B).

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DC− DC+DC+ DC−

(A) (B)

Configure the inverter for dual tracking operation

If necessary, configure the inverter for dual tracking operation (only SM4000P, SM4600P and SM5000P).4. Remove the cover as described in section 5.1.1.5. Remove both DC bridges (see Section 5.2 / No.10) using a size 2 screwdriver.

6. Close the inverter by fitting and tightening the cover.

Close off any unused DC connection points

Any unused DC connection points must be closed off to ensure that the installation com-plies with the IP65 protection rating requirements. Please use the following closing parts made by Wieland (www.wieland-electric.com):

for plug components: order number 05.566.6380.0 for socket components: order number 05.566.6480.0

24

Increasing overvoltage protection

If you want to increase the overvoltage protection on the DC side using additional external surge arresters, the following connection conditions must be met:

Use a surge arrester with a response voltage of > 600 V. Connect the external surge arresters as follows:

> 600 V > 600 V > 600 V> 600 V

Install the connector cables close together to avoid overvoltages in the case of a lightning strike.

Avoid ground loops in the wiring. Wire the earth connections in a star configuration with the neutral point close to the

inverter.

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55 Network connectionsThe inverter is fitted with two RJ45 sockets as standard to provide an interface to an Ethernet or RS485 network.

Note

You will find more details about data communications in the technical informa-tion “MaxComm network”. This document can be downloaded from our web-site at: www. solarmax.com; Downloads/Data communication/MaxComm.


Use shielded RJ45 cable Connectable cable diameter: min. 5.5 mm / max. 7.0 mm

Procedure

1. Remove the cover of the inverter as described in section 5.1.1.2. Thread the network cables through the multiple cable gland (see Section 5.2) to the

network terminals.

Note

The RJ45 connectors can be pulled through the multiple cable gland.

3. Depending on the type of network, connect the cable either to the "Ethernet" or "RS485" connection.

4. Close off any unused holes in the multiple cable gland using the locking pins (see No. 8 in Section 4.2).

5. Tighten the multiple cable gland (wrench size: 34 mm).6. After that, check the cable strain relief.7. Close the inverter by installing and tightening the cover.

26

6 Commissioning

61 Activating the inverter

Procedure

1. Check that the cover is installed. – If the cover is not fitted, close the inverter as follows: – insert the contact protection until you hear the two snap closures engage – then fit the cover and tighten.

2. Switch on the DC disconnector at the inverter.

– The graphics display shows the "Overview". The status message "Start up..." appears.

3. Switch on the AC power supply to the inverter. – Wait for the "Mains operation" status message to be displayed. This indicates that the inverter is in mains operation.

– During initial start-up of the inverter, instead of the “Overview” menu, an “Initial setup” menu appears (see Section 6.2).

62 Initial start-upThis section describes the initial start-up of the inverter and the graphics display set-tings required for this purpose. Once initial start-up has been successfully completed, the inverter will start feeding into the public network.

621 Requirements The inverter has been installed and is fully connected. The contact protection and cover of the inverter are fitted. There is sufficient solar irradiation (sufficiently high DC input voltage). When operating the inverter in dual tracking mode (2 trackers) the DC bridges have to

be removed (see Section “Configure the inverter for dual tracking operation”; page 23).

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Note

Entering an incorrect country setting may lead to problems regarding inverter operation and to the withdrawal of the operating license by the respective grid operator.

Contact your grid operator or the SolarMax Service Center if you have any doubt regarding the settings you must select.

You can restart initial start-up by pressing in the "Confirmation" menu at any time.

622 Procedure1. Switch on the inverter as described in section 6.1. The "Initial setup" menu will be

displayed:

2. Select the display language from the "Language" menu.3. If necessary, update the time and the date.

– The inverter saves the date entered as the initial start-up date. – The "DC input config." menu will be displayed (only with the SM4000P, SM4600P and SM5000P):

4. Select the required setting:

Setting Description1 Tracker The inverter has been configured for single tracking mode operation.

The DC bridges have been fitted in the inverter (default configuration ex works).

2 Tracker The inverter has been configured for dual tracking mode operation. The DC bridges have been removed from the inverter.

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5. Confirm that the DC bridges have been fitted (for "1 Tracker" setting) or that the DC bridges have been removed (for "2 Tracker" setting).

Note

If you select the "2 Tracker" setting while the DC bridges are still in place in the inverter, you must abort the start-up at this point.

Open the inverter as described in Section 5.1 in order to remove the DC bridges as per Section 5.4.

You can then carry out the initial start-up.

– The "Country" menu will be displayed:

6. Select the correct country setting. – Press to confirm your entry. – Depending on the country setting selected, additional menus may be displayed (see Section 6.2.3).

– The "Confirmation" menu is then displayed.7. Check the data in the "Confirmation" menu.8. To complete initial start-up, press .

– The main menu will then be displayed (see section 7.4). – Should commissioning be taking place in Italy, the auto-test must be carried out after the initial start-up (see Section 6.3).

623 Description of country-specific menusDepending on the country setting, additional menus will be displayed during initial start-up. This section describes these menus.

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Country setting "Germany"

Menu Setting DescriptionSystem power ≤ 3.68 kVA The maximum plant system rating is 3.68 kVA.

> 3.68 – 13.8 kVA The plant system rating is higher than 3.68 kVA and/or does not exceed 13.8 kVA.

> 13.8 kVA – 30 kVA The plant system rating is higher than 13.8 kVA and/or does not exceed 30 kVA.

> 30 kVA The plant system rating is higher than 30 kVA. An external grid monitoring and remote shut-down will be used.

I/O module1) Inactive The function for the external shutdown is deactivated (EISD-ENA status: Disabled).

On The function for the external shutdown is activated (EISD-ENA status: Enabled).

CosPhi(Pac) - QMCPP Inactive The "cosφ(Pac)" function is deactivated (no reactive power feed-in, cosφ=1).

On The "cosφ(Pac)" function for the feed-in / input of reactive power is activated.

1) the menu is only displayed when the optional I/O module has been fitted.

Country setting "Great Britain"

Menu Setting DescriptionSystem power ≤ 16 A per phase The output current is max. 16 A (inverter

settings in accordance with standard G83/2; available only for SM2000P, SM3000P and SM4000P.)

> 16 A per phase The output current is greater than 16 A (inverter settings in accordance with standard G59/2; available only for SM4000P, SM4600P and SM5000P).

Country setting "Italy"

Menu Setting DescriptionSystem power ≤ 3 kW The maximum plant system rating is 3 kW.

> 3 kW – 6 kW The plant system rating is higher than 3 kW and/or does not exceed 6 kW.

I/O module1) Inactive Remote control of the inverter via SPI logic is deactivated (SPIL-ENA status: Disabled).

On Remote control of the inverter via SPI logic is activated (SPIL-ENA status: Enabled).

1) the menu is only displayed when the optional I/O module has been fitted.

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Country setting “Greece”

Menu Setting DescriptionLocation Mainland The PV power plant is to be installed on the

Greek mainland.Islands The PV power plant is to be installed on an

island in Greece.

63 Auto-testThe auto-test (only available in the "Italy" country setting) checks the grid monitoring of the inverter. The auto-test consists of 7 test steps in which the triggering behavior is checked in the case that the voltage and frequency limits are exceeded.

In the auto-test, the respective limit value is successively changed until it reaches the triggering threshold (i.e. the current reading). If the grid monitoring function is working, the inverter triggers the grid monitoring. For each step of the test, the graphics display shows the current reading, the trigger value, the trip time and the set limit. During the test of the frequency limits, the activation status of the limit value is also displayed.

The auto-test is performed automatically. Following completion of the auto-test, the inverter returns to normal operation. If an error occurs or irradiation is insufficient during the auto-test, the auto-test is aborted. In this case the message "Auto-test aborted" is shown on the display. The auto-test takes approximately 5 minutes.

Requirements

Sufficient solar irradiation The inverter has been connected to the mains and switched on for at least 10

minutes.

Procedure

1. In the main menu, select the "Auto Test" menu.2. To start the auto-test, press .3. Wait for the display of the successful completion of the auto-test:

4. Ensure that the inverter resumes normal operation (in this case the status message "Mains operation" will be shown on the graphics display).

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64 SettingsDifferent communication parameters and monitoring functions can be set in the "Set-tings" menu of the graphics display. All settings except the IP mode can also be made using the MaxTalk service software.

In the "Main menu" select the "Settings" menu. The settings can then be made as follows:

back to the main menu / select parameter (e.g. "Time")

Edit parameter

Confirm parameter / increase number / highlight next number

641 Setting the display language and system timeAfter initial start-up, set the display language and check the system time of the inverter.

In the "Settings" menu, select the following parameters and enter the desired values:

Parameter DescriptionLanguage Selection of the display language: German, English, French, Italian or

Spanish. The display language selection does not depend on the selected country.

Time System time of the inverterDate The date displayed by the inverter

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642 Setting the network parameters

Device address

In order to communicate via RS485 or Ethernet interface the inverter needs a unique device address on the network.

1. In the "Settings" menu, select the "Device address" parameter.2. Set the parameter to the required value:

Parameter DescriptionDevice address Address range: 1…249

Configuring the Ethernet interface

In addition to the device address, the following settings must be made to communicate via Ethernet:

1. In the "Main menu" select the "Network" menu.2. Select the necessary setting in the "IP-Mode" menu:

Setting DescriptionDHCP-Client The inverter is a DHCP client and is connected to a network with DHCP

server (factory setting).Static The inverter is connected to a network with static IP addresses and has

to be configured in accordance with step 3.

3. If appropriate, configure the following parameters. These settings are only required in “Static” IP mode (see step 2):

Parameter DescriptionIP IP address (192.168.1.123)

Gateway (192.168.1.1)TCP Port (1234)DNS1 Domain Name Server 1 (192.168.1.1)DNS2 Domain Name Server 2 (192.168.1.1)Netmask Subnet mask (255.255.255.0)

(in brackets: factory settings)

4. Check whether the indicator for the Ethernet connection appears on the graphics display (see Section 7.1).

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65 Displaying the configurationAll available operating parameters, standard-specific functions and their parameteriza-tion can be retrieved in the "Configuration" menu. Configuration of the standard-specific function depends on the country setting selected.

Note

MaxTalk 2 Pro allows authorized qualified technicians to adjust the operating parameters individually (see section 12).

In the main menu, select the "Configuration" menu.

back to main menu / select parameter or menu / confirm selection

The following parameters and menus are available:

Menu / parameter DescriptionCountry Country setting selected at the time of initial start-up.DC input config. Configuration selected at initial start-up: 1 tracker (single

tracking) or 2 trackers (dual tracking, only available with SM4000P, SM4600P and SM5000P).

System power Plant rating selected at initial start-up (only available with "Ger-many", "Italy" and "Great Britain" country settings).

I/O module Status display of I/O module

Location Part of country selected at initial start-up (only available with "Greece" country setting).

SSF Menu of standard-specific functions and parameters

To display the menus of the standard-specific functions, select "SSF". The following menus are available:

Menu DescriptionExternal input Display of external control functions (external shutdown and

external output control). To use these functions, the optional I/O module is required.

Inverter start-up Those functions are displayed which are active before the inverter is connected to the network (start conditions).

Grid operation Those functions are displayed which are active during the inverter's grid operation (grid monitoring).

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Menu DescriptionLimitation Those functions are displayed which limit the inverter‘s output

values, such as active and reactive powers and AC output cur-rent (output limitation).

Reactive power Those functions are displayed that have an impact on the reac-tive power taken up or given off by the inverter (reactive power control).

Reference parameters Display of nominal values and reference parameters.

External input

Function / arameter Description Unit / statusEISD Monitoring the "external shutdown" input at the I/O

module.-

EISD-ENA EISD function status Disabled/enabledEISD-SL "External shutdown" input logic High active /

low activeEPC Output control by radio ripple control receiver or

similar external control unit.-

EPC-ENA EPC function status Disabled/enabledSPIL Remote control using SPI logic (only available with

"Italy" country setting)-

SPIL-ENA SPIL function status Disabled/enabledSPIL-SESL Signal logic of input "Segnale Esterno" (Input "K6"

on I/O module)High active / low active

SPIL-CL Logic state of "Comando Locale" 0/1SPILFM1 SPI frequency monitoring mode 1 -SPILFM1-ENA SPILFM1 function status Disabled/enabledSPILFM1-THRMIN Minimum permissible mains frequency, mode 1 HzSPILFM1-DLYMIN Tripping time sSPILFM1-THRMAX Maximum permissible mains frequency, mode 1 HzSPILFM1-DLYMAX Tripping time sSPILFM2 SPI frequency monitoring mode 2 -SPILFM2-ENA SPILFM2 function status Disabled/enabledSPILFM2-THRMIN Minimum permissible mains frequency, mode 2 HzSPILFM2-DLYMIN Tripping time s

SPILFM2-THRMAX Maximum permissible mains frequency, mode 2 HzSPILFM2-DLYMAX Tripping time sSPILFM3 SPI frequency monitoring mode 3 -SPILFM3-ENA SPILFM3 function status Disabled/enabledSPILFM3-THRMIN Minimum permissible mains frequency, mode 3 HzSPILFM3-DLYMIN Tripping time sSPILFM3-THRMAX Maximum permissible mains frequency, mode 3 Hz

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Function / arameter Description Unit / statusSPILFM3-DLYMAX Tripping time s

Inverter start-up

Function / parameter Description Unit / statusPVGIT Checking the insulation resistance of the PV

generator to ground-

PVGIT-ENA PVGIT function status Disabled/enabledPVGIT-THR Minimum permissible insulation resistance ΩRCMUT Checking the integrated fault current monitoring -RCMUT-ENA RCMUT function status Disabled/enabledIST Checking the grid relayIST-ENA IST function status Disabled/enabledGPT Checking the grid parameters -GPT-ENA GPT function status Disabled/enabledGPTVMIN-THR Minimum permissible mains voltage VGPTVMAX-THR Maximum permissible mains voltage VGPTFMIN-THR Minimum permissible mains frequency HzGPTFMAX-THR Maximum permissible mains frequency HzGPT-MOT Checking duration s

Grid operation

Function / parameter Description Unit / statusGVMMIN1 Checking the minimum permissible mains voltage

(limit 1)-

GVMMIN1-ENA GVMMIN1 function status Disabled/enabledGVMMIN1-THR Limit value VGVMMIN1-DLY Tripping time sGVMMAX1 Checking the maximum permissible mains voltage

(limit 1)-

GVMMAX1-ENA GVMMAX1 function status Disabled/enabledGVMMAX1-THR Limit value VGVMMAX1-DLY Tripping time sGVMMIN2 Checking the minimum permissible mains voltage

(limit 2)-

GVMMIN2-ENA GVMMIN2 function status Disabled/enabledGVMMIN2-THR Limit value VGVMMIN2-DLY Tripping time sGVMMAX2 Checking the maximum permissible mains voltage

(limit 2)-

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Function / parameter Description Unit / statusGVMMAX2-ENA GVMMAX2 function status Disabled/enabledGVMMAX2-THR Limit value VGVMMAX2-DLY Tripping time sGVM10AMAX Checking the maximum permissible average value

for mains voltage over the last 10 minutesV

GVM10AMAX-ENA GVM10AMAX function status Disabled/enabledGVM10AMAX-THR Limit value VGVM10AMAX-DLY Tripping time sGFMMIN1 Checking the minimum permissible mains fre-

quency (limit 1)-

GFMMIN1-ENA GFMMIN1 function status Disabled/enabledGFMMIN1-THR Limit value HzGFMMIN1-DLY Tripping time sGFMMAX1 Checking the maximum permissible mains fre-

quency (limit 1)-

GFMMAX1-ENA GFMMAX1 function status Disabled/enabledGFMMAX1-THR Limit value HzGFMMAX1-DLY Tripping time sGFMMIN2 Checking the minimum permissible mains fre-

quency (limit 2)-

GFMMIN2-ENA GFMMIN2 function status Disabled/enabledGFMMIN2-THR Limit value HzGFMMIN2-DLY Tripping time sGFMMAX2 Checking the maximum permissible mains fre-

quency (limit 2)-

GFMMAX2-ENA GFMMAX2 function status Disabled/enabledGFMMAX2-THR Limit value HzGFMMAX2-DLY Tripping time sAIS Detection of island operation -AIS-ENA AiS function status Disabled/enabledAIS-DLY Tripping time sRSCD Detection of recurring short circuits on the AC side -RSCD-ENA RSCD function status Disabled/enabledRBCM Monitoring the continuous leakage current -RBCM-ENA RBCM function status Disabled/enabledRBCM-THR Maximum permissible leakage current ARSCM Monitoring the leakage current step value -RSCM-ENA RSCM function status Disabled/enabledAOT Auto-test (only available with the "Italy" country

setting)-

AOT-ENA AOT function status Disabled/enabled

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Function / parameter Description Unit / statusDCCIM Monitoring the DC component in the AC current -DCCIM-ENA DCCIM function status Disabled/enabledDCCIM-THR Maximum permissible DC component in AC current ADCCIM-DLY Tripping time s

Limitation

Function / parameter Description Unit / statusACPPL Maximum increase of the active power during grid

connection-

ACPPL-ENA ACPPL function status Disabled/enabledACPPL-MGDT Increase % of Pac nom/

minACPPL-INI ACPPL at every boot Disabled/enabledACPPL-RCN ACPPL at boot after grid disconnection through

coupler breakerDisabled/enabled

ACPL Limit of active output power -ACPL-LMT Limit value WAPPL Limit of the apparent power -APPL-LMT Limit value VAOCL Limit of the output current -OCL-LMT Limit value APFLM2 P(f) mode 2 -PFLM2-STRTFQ Start frequency HzPFLM2-RDN Reduction of active power % of PM/HzPFLM2-RNC Increase to rated output power % of Pac nom/

minPFLM3 P(f) mode 3 -PFLM3-STRTFQ Start frequency HzPFLM3-STOPFQ Stop frequency HzPFLM3-RDN Reduction of active power % of PM/HzPFLM3-RNC Increase to rated output power % of Pac nom/

minPFLM3-UFQTHR Maximum permissible mains frequency HzPFLM3-LFQTHR Minimum permissible mains frequency HzPFLM3-UVTHR Maximum permissible mains voltage VPFLM3-LVTHR Minimum permissible mains voltage VPFLM3-MOT Checking duration s

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Reactive power

Function / parameter Description Unit / statusQMO-AM Reactive power control 0=OFF

QMCQ Reactive power mode constant "Q" -QMCQ-QSV Reactive power value % of Pac nom

[OEX/UEX]QMCQ-VLE Status of the voltage-dependent reactive power

control hysteresis for QMCQDisabled/enabled

QMCQ-VLIH Upper limit value of the mains voltage VQMCQ-VLOL Lower limit value of the mains voltage VQMCQ-PLE Status of the active power-dependent reactive

power control hysteresis for QMCQDisabled/enabled

QMCQ-PLI Upper limit value of the active power W

QMCQ-PLO Lower limit value of the active power WQMCPP Reactive power mode "cosφ(Pac)" -

QMCPP-PSP1…PSP10 Characteristic values 1 to 10 of Pac active power % of Pac nomQMCPP-CPSP1…CPSP10

Characteristic values 1 to 10 of power factor cosφ - [UEX/OEX]

QMCPP-VLE Status of mains voltage-dependent reactive power control hysteresis for QMCPP

Disabled/enabled

QMCPP-VLIH Upper limit value of the mains voltage VQMCPP-VLOL Lower limit value of the mains voltage VQMCCP Reactive power mode "cosφ" -

QMCCP-CPSV cosφ value - [UEX/OEX]

QMCCP-VLE Status of mains voltage-dependent reactive power control hysteresis for QMCCP

Disabled/enabled

QMCCP-VLIH Upper limit value of the mains voltage VQMCCP-VLOL Lower limit value of the mains voltage VQMCCP-PLE Status of active power-dependent reactive power

control hysteresis for QMCCP-

QMCCP-PLI Upper limit value of the active power WQMCCP-PLO Lower limit value of the active power W

Reference parameters

Function / parameter Description UnitNAP Rated output power (Pac nom) -

NAP-VAL Value WNOC Rated output current -NOC-VAL Value AGCD Switching delay of the coupler breaker -GCD-CDLY Tripping time s

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66 Displaying the measured valuesThe current measured inverter values can be accessed in the “Measured values” menu.

In the main menu, select the "Measured values" menu.

back to the main menu / scrolling measured values

Measured value Description UnitVdc / Vdc1 / Vdc2 Input voltage / at tracker 1* / at tracker 2* V

Idc / Idc1 / Idc2 Input current / at tracker 1* / at tracker 2* A

Pdc / Pdc1 / Pdc2 Input power / at tracker 1* / at tracker 2* W

Vac Mains voltage V

Iac Output current A

Pac Output power W

Q Reactive power (+: overexcited / −: underexcited) var

cosφ Power factor (OEX: overexcited / UEX: underexcited) -

Frequency Mains frequency Hz

Temperature Equipment temperature °C

* in dual tracking mode operation (only with the SM4000P, SM4600P and SM5000P)

Note

The measured inverter values are not suitable for billing purposes or calcu-lating the efficiency. The measuring error may amount to up to ±5% depending on the measured value. Only the measured values of a calibrated electricity meter can be relied upon for billing purposes.

MaxTalk measured values

The following additional values can be viewed with the MaxTalk 2 service software:

Measured value Description UnitVac 10 min 10 minute average value of the mains voltage VIac mean Mean value of output current AIerr Ground leakage current mAIerr DC Leakage current mA

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67 Registering for MaxViewRegister for the free web-based MaxView application. With MaxView it is possible to view and graphically display the yield data of your PV power plant from anywhere.

Note

Frequently asked questions about MaxView and the replies to these can be found on our website at https://maxview.solarmax.com/faq.xhtml.

Procedure

1. Connect the inverter to the Internet via the Ethernet interface (see Sections 5.5 and 6.4.2).

2. Enter your registration data in a web browser under https://maxview.solarmax.com.3. Learn about the various functions of MaxView.

68 Update firmwareThe inverter firmware can be updated with the help of the MaxTalk 2 service software. For further information, please refer to the MaxTalk 2 operating manual, which you can download from our website (www.solarmax.com; Downloads/Software/MaxTalk 2).

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7 Operation

71 Graphics displayThe graphics display shows the system values, status information, and the inverter’s fault messages. The graphics display can be used for obtaining information on the current operating status, accessing the integrated data logger and entering various settings on the inverter.

1

3

4

2

5

No Description1 Graphics display with backlighting2 Status LED: operating status display (see section 7.7)

3 Function keys (membrane keypad)

4 Display with Ethernet connection (link display)

5 Display when data transfer takes place (communication).

The function keys can be used for navigating within the menu structure:

Symbol DescriptionSelect menu or parameter

Edit parameter

Highlight number (parameter editing)

Increase highlighted number / select menu or parameter

Confirm

Cancel

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72 Menu structure

Main menu

Overview

Statistics

Conguration

Auto-test**

Information

Measured values

* only if I/O module is installed

** only for country setting “Italy”

Time

Language

Date

Device adress

Days

Months

Years

Total

Reset

Network

IP

IP-Mode

Netmask

Gateway

TCP Port

DNS1

DNS2

Status relay*

Status relay delay*

SPD Monitor*

SSF

Settings

Grid operation

External input

Inverter start-up

Limitation

Reactive power

Reference parameter

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73 OverviewThe overview shows the most important operating data of the inverter. The graphics display automatically switches to the "Overview" if no function button is pressed for 120 seconds.

In the main menu, select the "Overview" menu.

Display DescriptionDate and system time -Pac Current output power [W]Today Daily yield [kWh]Total Total yield since commissioning [kWh]

Status Current operating status (see section 7.7)

74 Main menuFrom the "Main menu", you can open all menus.

In order to switch from "Overview" to the "Main menu", press any function key.

: select menu / confirm your selection

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75 StatisticsThe "Statistics" menu can be used for accessing the inverter's data logger. The data logger saves the statistics values of the past 25 years. The daily, monthly, yearly and total statistics can be displayed. All statistics values can be deleted.

751 Displaying the daily statisticsThe daily statistics displays the statistics values for the last 31 days.

In the "Statistics" menu, select the "Day" sub-menu.

Select day / back to the Statistics menu

Statistics value DescriptionYield Daily yield [kWh]Maximum Fed-in maximum power [W]

Hours Number of operating hours in the "Mains operation" operating status

752 Displaying the monthly statisticsThe monthly statistics displays the statistics values for the last 12 months.

In the "Statistics" menu, select the "Month" sub-menu.

Select month / back to the Statistics menu

Statistics value DescriptionYield Monthly yield [kWh]Maximum Fed-in maximum power [W]

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Statistics value DescriptionHours Number of operating hours in the "Mains operation" operating status

753 Displaying the annual statisticsThe annual statistics displays the statistics values for the last 25 years.

In the "Statistics" menu, select the "Year" sub-menu.

: select year / back to the Statistics menu

Statistics value DescriptionYield Annual yield [kWh]Maximum Fed-in maximum power [W]

Hours Number of operating hours in the "Mains operation" operating status

754 Displaying the total statisticsThe total statistics shows the statistics values since commissioning.

In the "Statistics" menu, select the "Total" sub-menu.

back to the Statistics menu

Statistics value DescriptionYield Total yield [kWh]Hours Total operating hours in the operating status "Mains operation"

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755 Deleting the statistics valuesThe statistics values of the data logger can be deleted.

In the "Statistics" menu, select the "Reset" sub-menu.

Note

The deletion process cannot be undone!

Cancel / Confirm deletion

76 Displaying informationThis menu displays information about the inverter. The menu can be used to identify the inverter.

In the main menu, select the "Information" menu.

back to the main menu / scroll display

Display DescriptionDevice type Inverter typeSerial No. Inverter serial numberFirmware Firmware version installed in the inverterStatus Current operating statusWarning Current warning messageCommissioning Date of initial start-upOperating hours Total operating hours in mains operationMac address Mac address of the inverter

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77 Operating statusThe status message displayed on the graphics display describes the current operating status of the inverter. Each status message relates to one of five possible operating sta-tuses. The status LED has different colors with which to indicate one of these operating statuses.

In addition to the status messages, the inverter also displays warnings. Warnings result from device errors or external malfunctions. The inverter continues to feed power into the mains, but it is possible that yield is reduced. Warnings are independent of the oper-ating status and are displayed on the graphics display alternately with the current status message.

Status LED Operating status Description

Off - Inverter is switched off

Flashes green Booting Inverter is starting up

Green Mains operation Mains feed-in (normal operation)

Flashes orange - Warning → no grid disconnection

Orange Fault External fault → grid disconnection

Red Error Device error → grid disconnection

Flashes red Blocked Inverter is blocked → grid disconnection

The "Fault", "Error", and "Blocked" operating status messages, as well as the warnings, usually require certain measures to be carried out by the qualified electrician in charge (see section 8).

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771 BootingStatus LED: flashes green

Status message DescriptionIrradiation too low The solar irradiation or rather the available output is too low for

mains operation.Startup… The inverter checks the internal hardware and software compo-

nents before connecting to the mains.Restart delay The inverter delays connection to the grid (after a disconnection

from the grid or when starting up).

772 Mains operationThe status LED lights up green.

Status message DescriptionMaximum power The inverter limits the in-feed power to the maximum permissible

value. This may occur if the PV generator is oversized.Mains operation The inverter is in feed mode.Idc limitation The inverter limits the PV generator current to the maximum

permissible value. This may occur if the PV generator is designed such that the current at Maximum Power Point (MPP) exceeds the maximum permissible input current of the inverter.

Iac limitation The inverter limits the output current to the maximum admissible value (where the PV generator is oversized).

Restart limitation Following an external output limitation the inverter increases the active power with a defined progression (Pac progression and/or Soft Start).

Frequency limitation The inverter temporarily limits the active power owing to an active frequency-dependent power reduction.

External limitation The inverter's fed-in active power is limited by external output control.

Temperature limitation The output power is temporarily reduced in order to limit the inverter‘s temperature.

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8 Troubleshooting

81 SolarMax Service CenterIf you have technical questions or difficulties, our Service Center will be happy to help you. To do that we need the following information:

Device type Serial number (S/N) Installation location Information about the failure you are experiencing (status message, etc.)

Contacting the SolarMax Service Center

The contact details of the SolarMax Service Center can be found on the back of this instruction manual.

Sputnik Engineering AGLänggasse 85CH-2504 Biel/Bienne

82 Diagnosis & measuresThe following tables describe possible actions for remedying faults. If the actions sug-gested do not correct the fault, please contact the SolarMax Service Center.

821 General troubleshooting

Problem Cause ActionsThe graphics display remains blank

The DC disconnector is switched off.

Switch on the DC disconnector.

The irradiation is too low. Wait until irradiation is high enough.

The strings are interrupted. Check the PV generator and eliminate the interruption.

It is possible that the inverter is defective.

Contact the SolarMax Service Center.

The graphics display only flashes briefly.

The irradiation is too low. Wait until irradiation is high enough.

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822 WarningsThe status LED flashes orange.

Warning Cause ActionsTemperature limitation The output power is temporarily

reduced in order to limit the inverter‘s temperature.

Ensure that the recommended maximum ambient temperature is not exceeded; that the cooling fins are free from dust and dirt.

Fan failure A fan is defective or soiled. Contact the SolarMax Service Center.

RTC error Date and time in the RTC (real-time clock) were reset due to a malfunction.

Set the date and time (see section 6.4.1). If this problem occurs frequently, contact the SolarMax Service Center.

Firmware mismatch The firmware versions of the inverter controllers do not match.


Flash error An error has occurred in the flash memory.


SPD failure An active signal is present at the "SPD Monitor" input of the I/O module (monitoring lightning protection).

Check the external lightning protection module (or the device connected to the "SPD Monitor" input).

823 FaultsThe status LED lights up orange.

Note

MaxTalk can be used to read out the last error messages.

Status message Cause ActionsVdc too high The DC input voltage of the

inverter is too high.Switch off the DC discon-nector. Check the PV genera-tor’s configuration.

Ierr too high The ground leakage current has exceeded the permissible RBCM-THR limit value. Check the PV generator.

Ierr step too high The leakage current has exceeded the admissible RSCM step value.

No mains There is no mains voltage. Check the AC conductor (fuses).

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Status message Cause ActionsFrequency too high The mains frequency is outside

the GFMMAX1-THR, GFMMAX2-THR or GPTFMAX-THR limit values. If this problem recurs, contact

the grid operator in charge.Frequency too low The mains frequency is outside

the GFMMIN1-THR, GFMMIN2-THR or GPTFMIN-THR limit values.

Mains error The inverter detects island mode. If this problem recurs, contact the grid operator in charge.

Vac too high The mains voltage is outside the GVMMAX1-THR, GVMMAX2-THR or GPTVMAX-THR limit values.

If this problem recurs, contact the grid operator in charge.

Vac too low The mains voltage is outside the GVMMIN1-THR, GVMMIN2-THR or GPTVMIN-THR limit values.

Vac 10 min too high The maximum 10-minute average value of the mains voltage GVM10AMAX-THR is too high.

Insulation fault DC The insulation resistance of the PV generator to ground is too low.

Check the PV generator.

Phase and neutral conductor are interchanged.

Connect the AC supply conductors as described in section 5.3.

Error ext. input 1 The external grid monitoring (NA protection / Teledistacco) has disconnected the inverter from the grid. An active signal is present at the "NA" input (external shutdown) of the I/O module.

If this problem recurs, contact the grid operator in charge.

824 ErrorThe status LED lights up red.

Status message Cause ActionsDevice error (+ error code) The inverter is defective. Note the displayed two-digit

error code and contact the SolarMax Service Center.

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825 BlockingsThe status LED will flash red.

Status message Cause ActionProgramar firmware The inverter's firmware is being

updated.None. The inverter automati-cally resumes mains operation once the firmware update is complete.

9 MaintenanceThe following maintenance work should be carried out when required:

Regularly check the operating status of the inverter on the graphics display, see sec-tion 7.7.

Clean the graphics display with a damp cloth. Do not use harsh or abrasive cleansing agents.

Check the inverter for external damage. If any damage is found, inform the respective qualified electrician.

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10 Decommissioning

101 Instructions for inverter replacementWhen replacing the inverter, note the following:

Before replacing the inverter, write down the total yield. The procedure for viewing the total yield is described in Section 7.5.4.

If an I/O module was used in the existing inverter, this can be re-used in the replace-ment inverter.

102 Inverter disassembly

DANGER!Fatal electric shock hazard!Components within the inverter are charged with a high voltage. After the inverter has been disconnected, high residual voltages remain in the inverter for approx. 5 minutes.

Before starting inverter disassembly, the inverter must be fully discon-nected in accordance with the procedure described in this chapter.

WARNING!Risk of injury from electric arc!Dangerous electric arcs could occur when removing live DC conductors.

Switch off the inverter DC disconnector before removing the DC conductors.

ATTENTION!Electrostatic discharge can damage the inverter

Do not touch any electronic components inside the inverter.

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Procedure

1. Switch off the external AC disconnector. – The "No grid" status message is shown on the inverter.

2. Switch off the DC disconnector at the inverter.

3. Use a size 2 screwdriver to remove the locking clips on the DC plugs.4. Pull out the DC conductors to fully separate the inverter from the PV generator.5. Loosen the two M5 screws on the cover.6. Open the inverter as described in Section 5.1.7. Use a suitable charge indicator to check that all terminals are free from voltage.

– When all terminals are de-energized, you can remove the AC supply conductor, the second protective conductor and all communication lines from the inverter.

CAUTION!Risk of burns due to hot casing components!

Wait until the back of the casing has cooled down.

8. Close the inverter: – insert the contact protection until it engages; – then tighten the cover.

9. Remove the 2 Phillips head sheet metal screws (4.8 x 13) on the side which secure the inverter on the mounting rail.

10. Disengage the inverter from the mounting rail.11. Remove the I/O module if there is one.

103 Disposing of the inverterDispose of the inverter as indicated by the local waste disposal regulations. You can also return the inverter, at your own cost, to Sputnik Engineering AG for professional disposal. The contact details of the SolarMax Service Center can be found on the back of this instruction manual.

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11 Technical dataSM2000P SM3000P SM4000P SM4600P SM5000P

Input values

MPP voltage range1) 210…480 V 310…480 V 190…480 V 240…480 V 260…480 V

Minimum DC voltage 120 V 120 V 120 V 120 V 120 V

Maximum DC voltage 600 V 600 V 600 V 600 V 600 V

Maximum DC current 10 A 10 A 10 + 10 A 10 + 10 A 10 + 10 A

Number of MPP trackers

1 1 2 2 2

Number of string connections

1 1 2 2 2

Connection type Wieland PST40i1 (identical to MC4)

Overvoltage category II

Output values

Rated output power2) 2 000 W 3 000 W 4 000 W 4 600 W 5 000 W

Maximum apparent output power2)

2 000 VA 3 000 VA 4 000 VA 4 600 Va 5 000 VA

Maximum AC current2) 9 A 13.5 A 17.5 A 22A 22A

Nominal mains voltage / range 230 / 184 … 276 V

Mains nominal frequency / range 50 / 45…55 Hz

Power factor cosφ Adjustable from 0.8 overexcited to 0.8 underexcited

Distortion factor at rated output power < 1.5 %

Connection type Terminal 2.5 - 10 mm2

Grid connection Single phase (L / N / PE)

Overvoltage category III

Efficiency Max. efficiency 97.5 % 97.5 % 98 % 98 % 98 %

Europ. Efficiency 97 % 97 % 97.5 % 97.5 % 97.5 %

Power input

Own consumption night

0 W

Environ-ment

Protection rating IP 65

Ambient temperature range (for rated power output)

−20 to +60 °C (−20 to +45 °C)

Max. operating level above sea level 2000 m

Relative humidity 0 … 100 % (condensation)

Fire protection class V0

Environ-ment

Environmental category

In the open

Suitable for wet rooms

Yes

Degree of soiling 3

Noise emissions < 30 dB (A) (↔ 1.5 m)

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SM2000P SM3000P SM4000P SM4600P SM5000P

Configura-tion

Display Graphics display with backlighting and status LED

Inverter topology HERIC®, transformerless

DC disconnector Integrated

Data logger Energy yields, peak output and operating duration of the last 31 days, 12 months, 10 years / output curves of the last 7 days

Fault current monitoring

Internal, AC/DC sensitive

Casing / cover Aluminum / plastic ASA+PC

Overvoltage con-ductor, DC and AC Requirement class D (VDE 0675-6) and/or type 3 (EN 61643-11)

Stan-dards & guidelines

CE-compliant Yes3)

EMC EN 61000-3-2 / EN 61000-3-3 / EN 61000-3-11 / EN 61000-3-12 / EN 61000-6-2 / EN 61000-6-3

Grid connection VDE 0126-1-1 A1:2012 / VDE-AR-N 41054) / CEI 0-21 / RD 661 / RD 1699 / G83/2 / G59/2 / PPC Guide / C10/11 / EN 50438

Device safety IEC/ EN 62109-1/-2

Interfaces Data communication RS 485 / Ethernet

Status signaling contact

with optional I/O module

Connection to radio ripple control signal receiver

Connection to external lightning protection

Connection to external grid monitoring

Weight & dimensions

Weight 17 kg 17 kg 19 kg 19 kg 19 kg

Dimensions (W x H x D) 476 x 360 x 180 mm

Warranty Standard 5 years / extension to 10, 15, 20 or 25 years possible

1) for rated output power2) different values are possible depending on the country setting selected; for further information visit

www.solarmax.com3) the complete conformity declaration can be found on our website at www.solarmax.com4) not for SM5000P

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Efficiency curve SM5000P

100.0

97.5

95.0

92.5

90.0

87.50 5 102 15 20 25 30 40 50 7060 80 75 90 100

η 260 VDC

η 400 VDC

η 480 VDC

Standardised output Pac/Pac max [%]

Efc

ienc

y η [

%]

Pac/Pac max [%] η 260 VDC [%] η 400 VDC [%] η 480 VDC [%]5 92.21 92.32 91.7910 95.38 96.04 95.5720 96.66 97.52 97.2230 96.89 97.83 97.6350 96.92 97.88 97.78100 96.30 97.43 97.40

Europ. Efficiency ηEU [%] 96.52 97.46 97.30

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100.0

97.5

95.0

92.5

90.0

87.50 5 102 15 20 25 30 40 50 7060 80 75 90 100

η 260 VDC

η 400 VDC

η 480 VDC


Efc

ienc

y η [

%]



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100.0

97.5

95.0

92.5

90.0

87.50 5 102 15 20 25 30 40 50 7060 80 75 90 100

η 260 VDC

η 400 VDC

η 480 VDC


Efc

ienc

y η [

%]



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Temperature dependent output reduction

The inverter can feed 100 % of its rated output for an unlimited time up to an ambient temperature of 45 °C. When operating in ambient temperatures in excess of 45 °C it is possible that the yield is reduced. For this reason excessive ambient temperature should be avoided. In the specified ambient temperature range the power output of the SM2000P will be consistent.

110

100

90

80

70

60−20 −10 0 10 20 30 40 45 50 60

SM5000P

SM4600P

SM4000P

SM3000P

SM2000P

Outp

ut P

ac/P

ac n

om [%

]

Ambient temperature [°C]

Country-specific settings

The factory's default settings for different countries can be viewed in the technical infor-mation "SSF - Standard specific functions and parameters - Factory settings". This docu-ment can be downloaded from our website at: www.solarmax.com; Downloads/String inverters/P series/Manuals.

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12 Accessories and optionsAccessory/option DescriptionI/O module Communication module with the following configurable interfaces:

status signaling contact for remote monitoring of the inverter, inter-faces for remote control (external shutdown, external output control) and for lightning monitoring.

Y-type plug connectors Set consisting of two Y-type plug connectors for the parallel connec-tion of solar modules (1 plug connector socket/socket to plug, 1 plug connector plug/plug to socket, item No. 10 005 602).

MaxView Free web-based application with various functions for remote call-up, graphic visualization and export of yield data.

MaxTalk Free communication and service software for local monitoring of the PV plant.

MaxTalk Pro Professional version of MaxTalk for the configuration of inverters. The required "SolarMax P series parameter configuration using MaxTalk 2 Pro" operating manual can be downloaded from our website; www.solarmax.com ("Downloads" area).

MaxMonitoring Using the free MaxMonitoring software, you can display the per-formance data of your photovoltaic system at any time from home. MaxMonitoring is available for PC, MacOS and Linux and also as an app for Android and iOS.

MaxDesign Free software for determining the size of PV plants.

You can find further information on our website at www.solarmax.com.

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13 WarrantySputnik Engineering AG (hereafter SPUTNIK) guarantees full function and lack of defects of its technical devices for a warranty period as specified below for each type of device. Such warranty period can be extended by means of a warranty extension, subject to the conditions named below.

This manufacturer’s warranty exists next to the seller’s warranty (if any) as prescribed by law. As far as identical with regards to the content, the rights under this manufacturer’s warranty supersede any rights under the seller’s warranty. Please contact the seller with regard to any claims based on the seller’s warranty.

1 Warranty Period (Basic)

Central inverters and accessories: 24 months from the date of purchase, but at maximum 30 months after dispatch of the device by SPUTNIK.

String inverters: 60 months from the date of purchase, but at maximum 72 months after dis-patch of the device by SPUTNIK.

If in individual cases SPUTNIK has agreed in writing to a different warranty period, such arrange-ment supersedes the above provisions.

2 Scope of Manufacturer’s Warranty

In case of defect or malfunction of a device within the manufacturer’s warranty period, and upon fulfillment of the conditions for warranty claims named hereafter, the device will be repaired or replaced by SPUTNIK-service personnel within a reasonable time, in either case free of charge, unless this is impossible or disproportionate. SPUTNIK may decide at its own discretion whether a device will be repaired or replaced.

Replacement: Exchange of device free of charge. SPUTNIK’s separate conditions for exchange of devices apply: This warranty covers the free delivery of an equivalent replacement device. Further, your installer is entitled to claim a flat rate compensation for the replacement work from SPUTNIK. Please do not hesitate to ask us about the current amount of such flat rate compensation.

Repair: Repair of device free of charge. This warranty covers costs for material, work and travel by SPUTNIK personnel or by personnel authorized by SPUTNIK.

Please be aware that the performances of SPUTNIK under this warranty are only free of charge in countries approved by SPUTNIK. Please contact your seller for details. A current list of approved countries can be found on our homepage. Repair and replacement outside of the approved countries are only possible after prior consultation of and approval by SPUTNIK. In such case, travel and ship-ment costs are borne by the customer.

Any further claims, especially claims for compensation of damages resulting directly or indirectly from the defect or claims for replacement of further costs in connection with the installation and removal of devices or claims for loss of profits are not covered by this warranty.

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3 Extent of Repair and Replacement

SPUTNIK will maintain repair material and stock of each type of device during the warranty period only at its own reasonable discretion. In case repair materials for a certain type of inverter and/or an identical replacement device are not in stock anymore, the following applies:

SPUTNIK is allowed to replace the defective inverter with a comparable device of the same or superior performance. The costs (time and material) for technical adjustments necessary for the installation of such comparable devices are covered by this warranty only up to a limited amount; any flat rate compensation owed by SPUTNIK for the replacement is deductible. Please do not hesitate to ask us about the currently applicable amount. The exchange and connection of peripheral devices due to possible non-compatibility with the replacement device or other necessary adjustments to the surrounding installations of the device (including power lines, ventilation and safety installations) are not covered by this warranty. However, SPUTNIK shall within the bounds of reasonability do its best to minimize the effort of such adaptation work.

In case repair materials are not available with reasonable efforts anymore, SPUTNIK is allowed to replace the inverter, subject to the conditions mentioned in the paragraph above.

4 Warranty Period in Case of Repair/Replacement

In case of repair or replacement of devices under this warranty, the repaired respectively replaced device will inherit the remaining warranty time of the original device.

5 Exclusion of Warranty

Especially in the following cases, this manufacturer’s warranty does not apply: Transport damage;

Technical intrusions, modifications or repairs of the devices not authorized by SPUTNIK;

Use of devices for purposes they are not intended for, incorrect or unreasonable manipulation, incorrect or unreasonable installation;

Failure to observe the manufacturer’s operating, installation and maintenance directions;

Inadequate environmental conditions (e.g. insufficient ventilation of the device; humidity etc.);

Superior force (e.g. lightning strike, overvoltage, floods, fire, etc.).

6 Handling of Warranty Cases

For the processing of warranty cases, use of SPTUNIK’s hotline is mandatory. The handling of war-ranty cases must take place in accordance with the instructions provided by the hotline.The hotline number for your country can be found on SPUTNIK’s homepage. Please hold the serial number, article description, a short description of the defect and the purchase receipt ready for transmission to the hotline.

Any repair action taken by the buyer or third parties without authorization by SPUTNIK will not be compensated.

In case these terms on the handling of warranty cases are not respected, SPUTNIK may refuse its warranty performances.

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7 Suspension of Warranty

Sputnik reserves its right to suspend this manufacturer’s warranty temporarily or definitely in case a specific installation does not allow a correct functioning of the inverters (e.g. in case of one of the circumstances listed in cipher 5).

The suspension of the warranty can be lifted upon approval by SPUTNIK. Such approval must be issued by SPUTNIK in writing, confirming that the warranty has again become effective.

8 Warranty Extension

The warranty period can be extended through purchase of a warranty extension within the time limits mentioned hereafter. For certain types of devices, such warranty extensions can also be purchased only for a limited scope of warranty performances. The purchase of a warranty extension will be confirmed by SPUTNIK in form of a warranty certificate (including serial number of affected product). In case of replacement of a device, the serial number in such warranty certificate remains unchanged, without any influence on the validity of the warranty extension.

a) Time limitsString inverters: The extension of the basic warranty can be ordered within 60 months after pur-chase, but the latest within 72 months after dispatch of the device by SPUTNIK.Central Inverters: The extension of the basic warranty can be ordered within 3 months after pur-chase, but the latest within 12 months after dispatch by SPUTNIK.

b) ExtentFull warranty extension – FULL (available for central inverters and string inverters): A full warranty extension includes all the warranty performances as described in the manufacturer’s basic war-ranty terms.

Limited warranty extension– LIMITED (available only for central inverters):A limited warranty extension covers only the costs for the material required for the repair. The costs for travelling, labor and other expenses are not covered and will be invoiced on a time and expenses basis by SPUTNIK.

c) Effectiveness of Warranty ExtensionIt is a mandatory requirement for the warranty extension to provide the completely filled out applica-tion form to SPUTNIK. The warranty extension becomes effective only after written confirmation and provision of the warranty certificate by SPUTNIK.

9 After Expiration of Warranty Period

The costs for repair or replacement of devices after expiration of the warranty period are invoiced by SPUTNIK on a time and material basis. SPUTNIK will maintain repair and replacement capabilities beyond the warranty time only at its own discretion.

10 Applicable Law, Jurisdiction

Only Swiss Law applies. The exclusive place of jurisdiction lies in Biel/Bienne, Switzerland.(v2013/05)

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Notes

SolarMax Service Center:

[email protected]

www.solarmax.com/service

2014

/02

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Documents

SolarMax P series - · PDF fileThe SolarMax P series inverters are designed exclusively to convert the direct current ... CH-2504 Biel/Bienne Center