SolarEdge Solar Inverter - First time powerup - Activation, Setup, and Pairing
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 21 ส.ค. 2024
- A SolarEdge SE6000A-US, 6000-watt solar-power inverter is turned on for the first time. The inverter is connected to 30 solar panels, each with a SolarEdge power optimizer. The process for activation, setup, and power optimizer pairing is shown.
NEC 690.31(G) states DC wiring inside buildings must be in metal conduit or raceways. I got away with using PVC, but it looks like you can't do that anymore.
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Thank god I found this video. I was hooking up a LAN connection to my inverter and messed up something in the settings. I think I put it to “pair up” with my dc switch off so it wasn’t linking to my panels anymore. Thank you for making such a detailed step by step guide. You saved me at least $100 if not more to have someone come out to fix my stupid mistake.
The commissioning part of this video is pretty good, but the installation itself has a few things that would fail an electrical inspection.
1. DC power must be installed in EMT or rigid conduit.
2. PV wire can not be run in conduit. You must have a junction on the roof under the panels where you switch over from PV wire to #10 THHN. The reason behind this is heat disbursement.
3. The panels are exceeding the roof edge which will create a strong upward wind loading on the panel. No bueno...
Love the bruised thumbnail.. shows proof you did this all yourself! :) And I don't mean that in a bad way, it's just part of the job so to speak.
Excellent presentation, clear and concise. Sure seems like it's basic interface is totally intuitive and transparent, but yet offers one the ability to be far more interactive via ethernet. Great looking system.
DC circuits are required to be installed in a metal raceway. Also, the breaker for the inverter should be at the opposite end of the panel busbar from the main breaker.
NEC 690.31(G) states DC wiring inside buildings must be in metal conduit or raceways. I got away with using PVC, but it looks like you can't do that anymore.
Great video presentation. Clear, great video quality, description of all the steps were accurate and clear. I watched it several time to learn it by heart. Thank you for taking the time to do this presentation.
You're welcome! Thanks.
Hullspeed, Great work! I'm installing my own solar system as well. I have twenty five 315 watt panels on two strings of 12 and 13 going to my solar edge 10w inverter. Your video was very helpful. I may have some questions for you on my wiring. Thank you, Robert
Thanks Robert!
I solve the 246 VDC low voltage problem on the input of the Solaredge inverter, The temp was 105 f on the day in Sept that the solar system was tested. One month later in oct-The utilities finally installed their meters and The solar system is up and running today, the VDC reading is 370 vdc with all the different wattages outputs through the solar cycle. It peaked at 5600 watt which is good for this time of year. The solar panels have a negative temperature coefficient causing them to drop 100 Vdc with extreme heat here in southern NV with the solar panels on the roof. Thanks All
Very nice setup there, my friend. Congrats!
Great job, right to the point.
Very nicely done thank you very much for the information
Would your string inverter still function if any optimizer failed? Do you need to have optimizer on every single panel on a SolarEdge setup or can you place an optimizer only on those few panels that have shading issues?
If a power optimizer fails to communicate or fails to start up, the remainder of the optimizers on that string are able to produce power and the power is not blocked by the non-functioning optimizer. It will also continue to operate with other parallel strings, even though they may be mismatched (mismatched string length is allowable in normal operation, although there are limits). If the damage to the optimizer was gross and severe, because they are in series, in theory it could necessarily block the power of just that string (just as any connector or wire in series would). My experience so far is that, with 90 operating for me now, I have never had an optimizer fail. If one did fail, I would be able to see which serial number was failing, consult my map of the installation, and I would know precisely which one to replace.
All panels must conduct their power through an optimizer. No panels are to be connected "raw" into the string. It is possible to purchase a high power optimizer (for example 800 watts) and two panels could be connected to one optimizer. My installations are all one panel per optimizer, which give you the maximum performance in variable lighting conditions.
placing power optimizer ( switching power supplies ) on the roof and using plastic conduit you are going to have high levels of radio/tv/wifi static in the home and around your home for more then 100 feet... placing some fair-rite cores on the every wire longer then 2 feet would help...
I haven't observed any indication of radio frequency noise or interference.
listen on 560 AM radio or 1.9 Mhz shortwave during the day.
Thank you for this video!
I am reading on solaredge's website that the P600/P700/P800 model optimizer is compatible with commercial inverters (3-phase). Can you tell me if it works with residential inverters (SE5000 single phase)?
Have you done any kind of testing with these P600 / P700 / P800 optimizers connected to the SE5000 inverter?
Good job. A riveting series.
Ahhh.. The gentle breeze of sarcasm.
Great job! i truly appreciated this is good class to learn more about solar edge inverter, thank you very much indeed.
What do the SolarEdge optimizers do? I see that you have 30 panels. Let's say if one is completely covered in shade for whatever reason. Do you still receive the benefit of the other 29 panels? Or only 15 panels, because you have two strings of 15.
Hi Robert,
The optimizers allow each panel to produce energy to the maximum extent, individually, regardless of what is happening elsewhere in the string. In your example, given a simple string, the entire string would be constricted because of the one shaded panel (which would block the current of the entire string to an extent). With optimizers, the power flows through the "shaded" optimizer without being blocked, plus the shaded optimizer adds its little bit of power to the string. Optimizers also allow strings of different length to be plugged into the same inverter (as parallel circuits) without a loss to efficiency. Optimizers are not micro inverters; they are more like remote-controlled DC to DC converters which appear to maintain a bit more than 400 VDC at the inverter terminals.
So in your example, if using optimizers, you would get the maximum benefit from all 30 panels - but the one shaded panel would provide less benefit.
This is an excellent video presentation. You did a great job. In the video you used 30 solar panels. What is the nameplate (sticker) wattage of each solar panel. There was a comment that you used 280 watt solar Panels (module) is that correct
Those are definitely either 275 watt or 280 watt; I'm having a hard time remembering which one. I'll go back and check my invoices. That is very interesting about the temperature response. I would expect some performance loss in the panels, but that is really dramatic. I wonder if the DC-DC converters were affected by the heat somehow?
Very informative, thank you for this. If I have the exact system with an LG RESUh 10 also, do you know if there is a way to control the discharge of the battery through the SolarEdge inverter? Thank you in advance for any help you can offer!
thank you for the walk through!
Thank you so so much Sir ! I really appreciate it sir!
Did you connect the ethernet cable later or used WIFI ? In the setup it displays as not connected which means you're missing out on the monitoring portal.
For a system which has the possibilty to hook it up I would say check it out.
Plug for ethernet cable is on bottom left from LCD Panel.
I would love to set that up. Sadly, we don't have good internet here. At least I have cell phone service. Nobody cares about us folks out at the end of the road! One day I hope to set that up.
@@HullspeedI need to connect Ethernet since 3g card is being discontinued… What all can I turn off before opening box , I need to be able to use the display to change to lan setting
THANK YOU FOR THIS WONDERFUL VIDEO
Thanks!
What possible reason would you need a serial number to turn it on? Do you own it or lease it?
I own it, but I don't know why they require an "activation".
Please disable this TH-cam "sake fixer" or "stabilizer" this makes the video very bad. Your video is amazing.
Thanks. I don't like the youtube stabilizer either. Makes me nauseous. Actually, this stabilization is much better than the youtube effect because I did it with Gunnar Thalin's "Deshake" plugin on Avery Lee's open source "VirtualDub" video editor. You have to convert to .avi to do the processing, but this is one of the best video stabilization effects out there (it's been around for years and years). I had a hard time shooting this and the stabilized version is the "lesser of evils".
so this inverter can be connected to the USA grid system( 2 phases on neutral)
Yes
Whats up with the neutral tied to the ground bar in the inverter? And the Romex running in Conduit? this stuff legal where your at?
I see your point. That might be a code issue, depending on your jurisdiction. I back-fed into an abandoned 10/2 wire for convenience. It passed as legacy wiring, perhaps.
What if your screen wont stay on even when I press the button on the bottom to wake the screen. I powered off the inverter,dc, ac, and breaker panel and reversed and was able to get the unit to turn back on for a brief period but then turned off.
great video, thanks.
Thanks for the video. Could you please say what kind of panel you used? How much did the whole venture cost? Is it still working ok?
Hi. I used 30 SolarWorld, mono-silicon, 280-watt panels with black frames and black backing. The all-black construction of the panels makes the entire array look more like a black "monolith", with the only shiny parts being the thin metallic conducting traces inside the panels, under the glass. I think they are the best looking conventional electric solar panels out there. They are also strong and reliable. See th-cam.com/video/M6v2lDa8Hos/w-d-xo.html
Including my first system (which as been operating for 1 year and 4 months now), I have not had a single component failure (this includes all of the SolarEdge equipment as well).
In about 2 months, I will publish a video showing the construction of a ground mounted system with 60 similar panels. I purchased most of the equipment through the California-based distributor, Renvu. Before jumping in with a major purchase, I purchased 1 or 2 of each component (not including rails or panels) so I could hold the mounting parts (mostly IronRidge) in my hands and get a feel for how everything connects together.
I have the same inverter se3500h but without the box below it? Currently have 14x260wp panels, but in heavy shadows. 3000w+ barely to never happens.
How would I add 4 to 6 extra panels myself? I mean like add the panels in online portal and stuff. Can't really find any information about that specifically
I'm looking into installing this same set up. but I wonder how is this posible of having 30 280 watt panels = 8400watts paired to a 6000 watt inverter. are you not getting any clipping? are you not loosing production? just learning here... maybe because the panel oarientation, still 2000 watt difference is a lot. I will duplicating your setup on a ground mount, so I might need a bigger inverter still learning here.
Great observation! Because of the orientation, I do not get full production out of each panel, so my maximum production is often just under 6000 watts. On a good sunny summer day, I actually do hit 6000 watts in the mid morning. The DC-DC power optimizers reduce the efficiency of each panel, slightly, to hold the main inverter production right at 6000 watts for several hours. It stays there until mid afternoon or until clouds come. I checked what I'm loosing by taking out a string temporarily. If I had a larger inverter I could get 6600 watts at the peak, but it's not worth chasing. Because of my state's power regulations, I'm not allowed to have more than a 6kw inverter on this meter anyway, so this arrangement lets me get a lot of energy out of what I'm allowed to have.
280 watts is produced in a perfect environment, in reality each panel only produces about 240watts x 30 =7200, in addition this series of inverters can be overloaded a bit as well I was told from a sales rep, and orientation plays a role in the system as well. We're pricing out a 60-270 poly panel system with the dc optimizers built into the panels and 2 of the 7.4kw Solar Edge Storedge inverters..it's about 15K so far our cost just for panels and inverters, no railing/mounting hardware/labor figured in, about .70 per watt cost on the panels.
The dc optimizer are need them or you can skip them. I have already running a off-grid 12kw inverter with a 70kw battery, but when is sunny I am making more energy than I'm using, so I was thinking use the same 12kw/array panel to send some energy to the grid. I need an advice
With this system, you must use the associated DC optimizers. It's a very good solution if you have un-even or shaded light on an array.
I hv the same exact set up as yours, except only 23 panels = 6.21kw. This week, weather shots over 100 deg f. The panel vac 40a circuit breaker tripped everyday. And it is very hot to touch. So I decided to replace it after research , trip breaker may be breaker is going bad. However, after the replacement of breaker, I turn on the inverter dial knob, the lcd screen not display, no leds. Can you help explain why? I check vac, it working properly after breaker switch on. Thanks in advance.
Thanks for posting this video. I do have the same model but only with 18 panels. Can you monitor your power consumption and the power produced at the same time on your "Dashboard"? Another question is - From time to time the monitoring signal goes out and it wouldn't display the power produced. Sometimes unplugging the wifi box works but sometimes its not and I have to power cycle the whole system itself, what is the safest way to cycle it.Thanks in advance..
I'm no help. We have no internet where this installation is located, so I haven't tried out any of the communication functions. Maybe one day...
does not look like the AC side is NEC compliant with wire colors
You're talking about L2 not being red insulation perhaps. I'm back feeding into a legacy 3-wire 240 volt circuit from an abandoned HVAC system. New construction would be different.
This would not be allowed here in California or Hawaii regardless of new or existing pre-installed electrical connections.
You are using the bare ground as a neutral. That is not legal or safe. The neutral wire is current carrying while the ground wire is not. The neutral and ground wires end up in the same place but until they get to the first service panel where they are bonded they should be separate.
Do I have to use the DC optimizers with Solar edge inverters? Can I just hook it up like a normal inverter??
Yes. The DC optimizers are a required and integral part of the system.
Needs the optimisers. There is no MPPT controller in the system, this is effectively done with the optimisers
Good information, thanks
after you use video stabilization you need to crop in so the frame does not move around
It's probably not his but TH-cam's stabilization, where that's not an option.
What happens if a string has 7 p300 optimizers which is less than the 8 module minimum, could this drop the voltage to 247 VDC
thats an old video but i am gonna give it a try and ask. i have a 40 panels with 40 optimizers ofc. whats the voltage i should be getting when measuring straight on the string + - cables? should it be 40v regardless if it is a sunny day or not OR something like 700-800v ? please get back to me if you see this because i have a problem with my system.
Hi. Allowable string lengths for SolarEdge have a maximum and a minimum. Check your spec sheet (cut sheet) for the model inverter you have. For example, if you had 24 panels - you would not be able to connect all 24 in a single string. Instead you could configure the 24 panels as 2 parallel stings with approximately half the number of panels (12) in series. Both strings can connect to the same lugs on the DC inputs of the inverter (both negatives on the negative lug and both positives on the positive lug). The string lengths do not have to match because the DC power optimizers will balance the voltages for the entire string, but there are limitations to how unbalance it can be.
I'm not certain what the reasons are for the string length limits, but I will guess that it is a reliable operation limit on the low side (effective DC boost limits) and a voltage safety limit on the high side in case of faults that could be present (and perhaps DC buck limits).
Depending on the inverter, you might be able to do 3 strings of 13, 13, and 14. Check the specs please.
Looks Great
Thanks for posting - I am just learning our new install. I guess our SD card got damaged - can you say how to get into the "manual activation" method you mentioned?
I'm sorry that I do not remember the exact step-by-step procedure for manual activation. I recommend calling SolarEdge. I ran into the problem on a weekend, but I was able to perform the manual activation on my own, using a number on a sticker on the side of the inverter. At the "Insert SD..." screen, try [the rest of this message is edited because of the reply below]. Consider letting me know how you resolve the issue.
Thanks - I actually figured it out:
- Cover off, all OFF except AC On
- at the "Insert SD..." display hit the "Enter" key (4th button)
once briefly, it should display "Activation Key:"
- Use the 2/3rd buttons ("Up/Down") to change each character
to 0...9 A B...F per the "activation code" (8 hex chars)
printed on the side of the inverter.
- for each correct char, hit Enter once to move to next or "Esc"
(button 1) to backup and try again.
- when all 8 hex chars are entered - press and hold Enter about
5 secs and it should display "Activating..."
Awesome! Thanks for posting.
Where is this code printed? I can't read any of this microfilm size print!!!! Silver tags i have4!
Part number? Not likely.... Serial number ? Too many digits
Great information
Thank you 😊
Thanks, good video...looking to do exactly what you have done. Where roughly are you located and what is your daily AVERAGE power generated with your current setup? Thanks, Norman
Hullspeed good sir, any chance i could pick your brain? In NoVA looking to put together an east/west 7kwh install next month, sounds similar to your setup perhaps. Super curious how the system has panned for the long term, sun-hour performance, etc :) would greatly appreciate it!
I'm near Washington DC. From July 2016 to July 2017, this 6kw system produced 9175 kwh. During sunny summer days, the unit is pegged at 6000 watts for a few hours. The array is at a relatively flat incline (about 10 degrees) facing east.
Egad! I said 1 degree slope in my reply. I meant 10 degrees!!! I re-posted the reply with the correct number. So... this array faces east, so it cranks out the power in the morning and mid day. It wanes off heavy during the sunset hours, producing just 100 to 200 watts. It goes to sleep as the sun it's the horizon. Maybe I'll post some production graphs in my next video. You can do east facing and west facing on the same inverter and the power production shifts from one set to the other as the sun goes across the sky. A lot of times, you don't get to pick the orientation. You just have to go with what your roof dictates and that's that. As far as reliability is concerned, I have had ZERO breakdowns and the panels don't seem to have lost any efficiency at all at 3 years old. Really neat. Regulations limited me to a 6kw inverter, otherwise I would have put in a slightly larger one.
Hullspeed a gentleman and a scholar, thank you :) graphs would be amazing! This info is already great though :) appreciate it!
Nice information
Hi, I'm going to be using 3 strings of 10 panels. So I will be having 3 pairs of wire coming in. I see how you easily had space to put 2 pairs of wire inside, but how would you be able to do 3?
The 2 pairs of the DC terminal blocks are electrically connected. The two positive lugs are simply on the same bus - as are the two negative. Even though it looks like it could be, it is not two separate circuit inputs into the inverter. The DC optimizers allow all the DC power to flow together as it enters the inverter. So for 3 or more strings, you just need to figure a way to "Y" the strings together - perhaps with an insulated cable clamp or you could connect the strings in an adjoining junction box. So you might be wondering... does that mean all the strings end up having the same DC voltage as they enter the inverter? Yes they do. The DC optimizers make that happen while continuing to hold the individual panels at their maximum power production point voltages. Even if the strings are different lengths (within limits).
Hi ZPaul,
I just completed a test where I connected 3 strings of 14 to this model 6kW inverter. I clamped the string's ends to a single wire and plugged those single wires into one of the DC inputs. All the optimizers paired and the system generated without trouble. This was a cloudy day; I would not want to do this experiment on a sunny day because it would likely be too much DC input power. The specs for the 6kW stay this unit supports 1 or 2 strings.
I understand that, ordinarily, the best way to wire up 30 panels would be 2 strings of 15, but depending on where the panel groups are located, you might not be able to easily do that. I can't tell you what Solaredge would recommend; all I can say is that I did this test and it worked. I plan to do a longer term test in the future, with this inverter, running three strings of 9, 9, and 10.
Best,
Hullspeed
Hi Refuso,
I did the test and it worked. See above.
Best,
Hullspeed
Hi is there a Solar Edge 1 phase Inverter that can integrate a Generator?
If I have a LG 12 panels 3.6kW system, should I go with a 3800W or 2900W inverter?
Definitely the larger. If you're applying to connect to the grid for net metering, go with the largest inverter you can (more or less). You can always under utilize it and increase capacity in the future. Please check out this video:
th-cam.com/video/wLxiOGb11ZM/w-d-xo.html
Mine won't change off Night Mode. Do you have any ideas on how to correct this?
Verify your DC-DC optimizers are initialized and that you have at least a the minimum number of optimizers and panels in each string. It should move out of night mode automatically when the sun is out.
Easy to mistake "enter" for "escape"...
hard to always remember: Am I going or coming?
was the external dc disconnect dual string? can you link it thanks
Part number SI25-PEL64R-44 Pole, 600VDC, 25A (8 connections, makes/breaks 4 wires (which is 2 strings))
www.industrialcontroldirect.com/dc-disconnects-316/enclosed-dc-disconnects-317/dc-disconnect-4089.html
+rachit10 nice that's a handy little disconnect, thanks for sharing it!
I hava a 10k model..I can not find, if the DC input is 12volt or 24volts. Can someone advice?
The solar DC input runs around 400v DC. There is no battery storage on this grid-tied system.
Can this be used as backup power or grid power needs to be on?
David Martins it can be used as backup power ONLY if you had a battery system to store the power being generated.
Activation key ? 12312312 does not work!
Hi. 12312312 is the password to access the menu. The activation key is a different number and it was printed on the front of an SD card that came with the inverter (my video on the SolarEdge HD Wave shows a picture of the SD card). In my case, the activation number was also printed on a label on the side of the inverter. Because my SD card or the reader was defective, I had to enter the activation number manually. There was a menu prompt for entering this activation number but I don't recall the details.
Franchement, a part changer les optimiseurs défectueux ou rarement des onduleurs, je confirme que depuis que je travaille dans le photovoltaïque (15 ans), je n'ai jamais fait autant de maintenance qu'avec des optimiseurs Solar-Edge ! Ils tombent en panne comme des mouches. L'idée de base est pourtant bonne. Mais la fiabilité pas du tout au point. Au fur et à mesure que j'installe leurs produits, je suis de plus en plus déçu au point de détester poser du Solar-Edge. A chaque fois que nous faisons une installation Solar Edge, nous savons que nous allons revenir pour changer des optis (100 % de chance). Qualité des produits pas au point. Visserie des capots onduleurs souvent défectueuses, compteur d'autoconso mal fini et mal conçu. Bref, je vous conseille de vous éloigner de Solar-Edge pour votre installation photovoltaïque.
I had a solar edge SE7600A inverter with twenty eight 300 watt modules and twenty eight p300 optimizers installed. the optimizer are connected in 3 strings of 10-9-9. The system was design to be overdriven 125 percent because solar edge allows inverters be overdriven to 135 perecent to compensate for clipping. The system was bumped to test it- the system paired all 28 optimizers with no error.The inverter was running okay producing power. The reading on the inverter window was 240vdc-246 Vdc-5250 watts.I thought The inverter should be reading about 360 vdc but instead it's reading 240 VDC. The hot line to Solaredge said that there were to many panels on the system. what is why the VDC is lower. Does anyone have experience when the system is over driven that it lowers the dc voltage.
Made a typo s/b 240 vac-246 vdc-5250 watts pac
Hey Anthony. You're not overdriven until the sun comes out real good and you hit 7600 watts, then it should hold right at 7600. I don't think you have too many panels. I'm running 30 (275 watt) panels on a 6000 watt inverter and it works great (2 strings of 15) and holds right at 6000 watts for a few hours of the day. Although my theoretical maximum wattage should be 8250 watts, the most I would get with a larger inverter would be about 6600 watts. I have checked by pulling a string and I get about 3300 watts on 1 string of 15 during best conditions. I also have another system with 2 strings of 9; I'll check the DC voltage incoming. 9 in a string is on the low end of what's allowable. I might have run 2 strings of 14 to keep the optimizers from having to boost the voltage so much, but by putting in an extra string you added more DC copper, so... nothing wrong with that really. But I wonder if you hit a limit on how much your optimizers can boost (I don't know). The panels themselves are probably sourcing around 30 volts each at the most efficient production point - maybe even less if the sun is not great.
Thanks that's good information. it helps a lot.
Turns out the heat on the solar panels were causing the low voltage
how many power optimizer dose the inverter come with?
The SolarEdge inverter does not come with any optimizers; they are purchased in addition to the inverter.