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2016 Single and 3Phase String
Issue 9.1, Jan/Feb '16 (/printissue/januaryfebruary2016)
Inverter Specifications
By: Joe Schwartz (/Profile/JoeSchwartz)
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9/8/2016 2016 Single and 3Phase String Inverter Specifications | SolarPro Magazine
2016 Single and 3Phase Stringer Inverter Specifications
(https://solarprofessional.com/sites/default/files/articles/images/1_SP9_1_Schwartz_Intro.jpg)
INSIDE THIS ARTICLE
2016 Single and 3Phase Inverter Specificiations (.xls)
(https://solarprofessional.com/sites/default/files/articles/25763/docs/SolarPro_9_1_2016_Single_and
_3Phase_Inverter_Specifications.xls)
Updated for 2016, SolarPro’s current stringinverter dataset includes 143 string inverter models from 13
manufacturers. A Nationally Recognized Testing Laboratory (NRTL) has listed all the products in the table to
the UL 1741 standard. In addition, most of the inverters are identified in the CEC list of eligible inverters per
SB1 guidelines. All of the manufacturers represented maintain one or more established US sales and technical
support offices.
The last edition of our stringinverter dataset (https://solarprofessional.com/articles/products
equipment/inverters/2014singleand3phasestringinverters) was published in the August/September 2014
https://solarprofessional.com/articles/designinstallation/2016singleand3phasestringinverterspecifications 2/7
9/8/2016 2016 Single and 3Phase String Inverter Specifications | SolarPro Magazine
issue of SolarPro, where I identified some highlevel trends that included an increasing shift to
transformerless, nonisolated topologies, and the development of higherpower, highervoltage 3phase string
inverters for commercial, industrial and select utility projects. These trends have continued over the past 18
months. More than 85% of the string inverters in this year’s dataset are nonisolated. As well, this year’s
dataset features 55 3phase units and 47 string inverters listed for applications over 600 Vdc. Notably, the
highestcapacity inverter represented has a rated power output of 60 kW and weighs a mere 121 pounds.
On the vendor front, Advanced Energy was a significant exit from the inverter market, taking Refusol’s
acquired line of 3phase string inverters with it. SolarMax was another market exit worth mentioning. Finally,
SolarEdge made a big splash at the Solar Power International conference with the announcement of its new
MOSFETbased HD Wave topology. Corresponding datasheets and installation manuals were not available
when I aggregated values for the 2016 edition of the SolarPro string inverter specifications dataset. I will
update the Excelbased version of this dataset when these specifications are released.
From the "Inside This Article" sidebar you can download a Microsoft Excel file containing the inverter
specifications compiled in this table. SolarPro permits and encourages solar design and installation companies
to integrate this data with their own sales and design databases.
CONTACT:
Joe Schwartz / SolarPro / Ashland, OR / / solarprofessional.com
Manufacturers
ABB / 877.261.1374 / abb.com/solarinverters (http://abb.com/solarinverters)
Chint Power Systems / 855.584.7168 / chintpower.com/na (http://chintpower.com/na)
Delta Americas / 510.668.5100 / deltaamericas.com (http://deltaamericas.com)
Fronius USA / 877.376.6487 / froniususa.com (http://froniususa.com)
Ginlong / 866.438.8408 / ginlongusa.com (http://ginlongusa.com)
HiQ Solar / 408.970.9580 / hiqsolar.com (http://hiqsolar.com)
Ingeteam / 408.524.2929 / ingeteam.com (http://ingeteam.com)
KACO new energy / 415.931.2046 / kaconewenergy.com (http://kaconewenergy.com)
Schneider Electric / 888.778.2733 / schneiderelectric.com (http://schneiderelectric.com)
SMA America / 916.625.0870 / smaamerica.com (http://smaamerica.com)
https://solarprofessional.com/articles/designinstallation/2016singleand3phasestringinverterspecifications 3/7
9/8/2016 2016 Single and 3Phase String Inverter Specifications | SolarPro Magazine
SolarEdge Technologies / 877.360.5292 / solaredge.us (http://solaredge.us)
Sungrow North America / 619.397.8000 / sungrow.ca (http://sungrow.ca)
Yaskawa (Solectria Solar) / 978.683.9700 / solectria.com (http://solectria.com)
Article Discussion
shortcircuit (/users/shortcircuit)
January 20, 2016
Good article and spreadseet.
(/users/shortcir Can you explain the column with "Max ShortCircuit Current"? What does this value mean?
cuit) How is it calculated?
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SolarPro (/users/solarpro)
January 20, 2016
This value is specified by the manufacturer. In some case you need to refer to the
installation manual to find the max shortcircuit current allowed to the inverter. It's not
(/users/solarpro necessarily a value you will find on a 1 or 2page data sheet.
)
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shortcircuit (/users/shortcircuit)
January 21, 2016
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9/8/2016 2016 Single and 3Phase String Inverter Specifications | SolarPro Magazine
January 21, 2016
So this is the max calculated Isc allowed to input to the inverter from the array. If this value
is exceeded, the inverter will do what?
(/users/shortcir
cuit)
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Marvin Hamon (/users/marvinhamon)
January 21, 2016
An inverter, like most enclosed electrical equipment, is designed to handle a maximum
amount of fault current. It's a matter of keeping the fire inside the box, too much fault
(/users/marvin current and the damage caused by a fault will escape the box and might cause damage to
hamon) the surrounding area. So the maximum fault current puts a cap on the size of the PV array
connected to an inverter.
Don't confuse this with the maximum input current of the inverter. That is just the maximum
current the inverter will accept but the PV array can be capable of providing more current
than this without causing a problem.
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156.25 (/users/15625)
January 21, 2016
I hear if you put a MW on a 5kW inverter, it will work and put out 5kW all day long.
(/users/15625)
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9/8/2016 2016 Single and 3Phase String Inverter Specifications | SolarPro Magazine
Marvin Hamon (/users/marvinhamon)
January 21, 2016
Maybe not all day.
(/users/marvin
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Jock (/users/jock)
February 10, 2016
Why cause the early end of life of that poor 5kW inverter, not to mention the wasting of
about 954kW of energy due to clipping, just to prove it can put out some AC for a while?
(/users/jock) That sounds like an electrocution and fire risk unworthy of such an experiment. :)
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budiman_ok... (/users/budimanok)
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