CPS SCA36KTL-DO/US User manual

Installation and Operation Manual
CPS SCA Series Grid-tied PV Inverter
CPS SCA36KTL-DO/US
SHANGHAI CHINT POWER SYSTEMS CO., LTD.

Table of Contents
Before You Start… ...................................................................................... 1
Chapter 1 IMPORTANT SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS .................................... 2
Chapter 2 Overview .................................................................................... 5
2.1 Inverter for grid-tied PV systems ................................................... 5
2.2 Product features ............................................................................ 5
2.3 Product protection functions .......................................................... 6
2.4 Circuit structure design .................................................................. 6
2.5 Appearance Description ................................................................ 7
Chapter 3 Installation ................................................................................. 9
3.1 Recommendations before installation ........................................... 11
3.2 Mechanical installation .................................................................. 12
3.3 Electrical installation ...................................................................... 24
3.3.1 DC connection ....................................................................... 26
3.3.2 AC and ground connection .................................................... 37
3.3.3 Communication connection ................................................... 43
Chapter 4 Commissioning ......................................................................... 52
4.1 Commissioning Checklist .............................................................. 52
4.1.1 Mechanical installation .......................................................... 52
4.1.2 Cable connections ................................................................. 52
4.1.3 Electrical check ...................................................................... 52
4.2 Commissioning steps .................................................................... 52
Chapter 5 User Interface ............................................................................ 55
5.1 Description of LCD panel .............................................................. 55
5.2 Operation state .............................................................................. 57
5.3 Interface types ............................................................................... 57
5.4 Menu functions .............................................................................. 59
5.4.1 Operation information ............................................................ 60
5.4.2 Alarm .....................................................................................
61

5.4.3 History ................................................................................... 61
5.4.4 System configuration ............................................................. 63
5.4.5 Power dispatch ...................................................................... 66
5.4.6 System protection parameters setup ..................................... 66
5.4.7 System control parameters ................................................... 68
5.4.8 Arcing fault current interruption ............................................. 75
Chapter 6 Operation ................................................................................... 77
6.1 Start-up ......................................................................................... 77
6.2 Shut-down ..................................................................................... 77
6.3 Operation mode ............................................................................ 77
6.4 Grid-tied power generation ........................................................... 79
Chapter 7 Maintenance and De-installation ............................................. 81
7.1 Fault shut down and troubleshooting ............................................ 81
7.1.1 LED fault and troubleshooting ............................................... 81
7.1.2 LCD fault and troubleshooting ............................................... 81
7.2 Product maintenance .................................................................... 89
7.2.1 Check the electrical connection ............................................. 89
7.2.2 Clean the air vent filter .......................................................... 89
7.2.3 Replace cooling fans ............................................................. 89
7.2.4 Replace the inverter .............................................................. 92
7.3 De-installing the inverter ............................................................... 94
Chapter 8 Technical Data ........................................................................... 95
Chapter 9 Limited Warranty ....................................................................... 99
Appendix: Instruction of inverter selection.………………………………100

1
Before You Start…
This manual contains important information regarding installation and safe
operation of this unit. Be sure to read this manual carefully before using.
Thank you for choosing this CPS Grid-tied PV Inverter. This PV Inverter is a
high performance and highly reliable product specifically designed for the
North American Solar market.
If you encounter any problems during installation or operation of this unit, first
check the user manual before contacting your local dealer or supplier. This
user manual is applicable for the following model: CPS SCA36KTL-DO/US.
Instructions inside this user manual will help you solve most installation and
operation difficulties. Contact your local supplier if the problem still exists.
Please keep this user manual on hand for quick reference.

2
Chapter 1 IMPORTANT SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS
(SAVE THESE INSTRUCTIONS)
Please read this user manual carefully before product installation. CPS
reserves the right to refuse warranty claims for equipment damage if the user
fails to install the equipment according to the instructions in this manual.
Warnings and symbols in this document
DANGER:
DANGER indicates a hazardous situation which, if not avoided, will
result in death or serious injury.
WARNING:
WARNING indicates a hazardous situation which, if not avoided,
could result in death or serious injury.
CAUTION:
CAUTION indicates a hazardous situation which, if not avoided,
could result in minor or moderate injury.
NOTICE:
NOTICE indicates a hazardous situation which, if not avoided,
could result in equipment working abnormally or property loss.
INSTRUCTION:
INSTRUCTION indicates important supplementary information or
provides skills or tips that can be used to help you solve a problem
or save you time.

3
Markings on the product
HIGH VOLTAGE:
The product works with high voltages. All work on the product
must only be performed as described in this document.
HOT SURFACE:
The equipment is designed to meet international safety
standards, but surfaces can become hot during operation. Do
not touch the heat sink or peripheral surfaces during or shortly
after operation.
EARTH GROUND:
This symbol marks the location of grounding terminal, which
must be securely connected to the earth through the PE
(protective earthing) cable to ensure operational safety.
WARNING:
All the installation and wiring connections should be performed only
by qualified technical personnel. Disconnect the inverter from PV
modules and the Power Grid before maintaining and operating the
equipment.
DANGER:
Please disconnect the inverter from AC grid and PV modules before
opening the equipment. Make sure hazardous high voltage and
energy inside the equipment has been discharged.
Do not operate or maintain the inverter until at least 5 minutes after
disconnecting all sources from DC and AC sides.

4
NOTICE:
This inverter is designed to connect AC power only to the public grid.
Do not connect the AC output of this equipment directly to any private
AC power equipment.
CAUTION:
CPS SCA36KTL-DO/US inverter is approx 66kg (145 pounds).
Please ensure the mounting is properly installed before hanging the
the inverter on the bracket.
INSTRUCTION:
Please check with your local electricity supply company before
selecting the grid standard. If the inverter is operated with a wrong
grid standard, the electricity supply company may cancel the
operation license.
Putting the inverter into operation before the overall system complies
with the national rules and safety regulation of the application is not
permitted.

5
Chapter 2 Overview
2.1 Inverter for grid-tied PV systems
CPS SCA36KTL-DO/US inverter is suitable for use with commercial and
large scale PV grid-tied systems. The system is generally made up of PV
modules, DC power distribution equipment, PV inverter and AC power
distribution equipment (Figure 2-1). The inverter converts the DC from PV
modules to AC with the same frequency and phase as the AC grid. All or part
of the AC power is supplied to local loads, and the surplus power is supplied to
the electricity grid.
DC power
distribution
equipments
AC Grid
Bidirectional
electric meter
AC power
distribution
equipments
Figure 2-1 Grid-tied PV system
2.2 Product features
 High conversion efficiency：Advanced 3-level conversion technology;
Max. efficiency: 98.4%；CEC efficiency: 98.0%
 Strong grid adaptability: 7 grid standards applicable; Reactive power
adjustable; PF value:±0.8, Remote Curtailment
 Flexible communication: Supports standard modbus communications to
ensure compatibility with 3
rd
party monitoring and control systems
 Wide DC input voltage range：Operating DC Input Voltage Range:
300-950Vdc; Max DC input voltage: 1000V
 Long service life: Uses thin-film capacitors to extend inverter’s service life

6
 2 MPPTs: Dual and independent MPPT (Maximum Power Point Tracking)
enable maximum design flexibility and optimize energy harvest over the life
of the system
 High protection degree: NEMA 4 protection degree meets the needs of
both indoor and outdoor use;
 Intelligent Integration: Embedded DC/AC switches and up to 8 fused
string inputs eliminates the need for external combiner boxes and
simplifies installation.
2.3 Product protection functions
 Polarity reverse protection of DC input
 Short circuit protection
 DC input insulation against ground monitoring
 AC output voltage and frequency monitoring
 Leakage current against ground monitoring
 Monitoring of DC injection from AC output
 Anti-islanding protection
 Input and output over-voltage protection
 Input over-current protection
 Environmental temperature monitoring
 Module temperature monitoring
 Arc Fault Circuit Interruption
2.4 Circuit structure design
The basic schematic diagram of CPS SCA36KTL-DO/US inverter is
shown in Figure 2-2.
The input of PV modules passes through surge protection circuitry, DC
EMI wave filter, and the front-end boost circuitry to achieve maximum power
tracking and boost up voltages. The output of the inverter converts the DC

7
voltage to 3-phase AC voltage. The high frequency AC components are
removed with a wave filter. Then the 3-phase AC voltage is passed through
two-stage relays and EMI wave filter to produce high quality AC power.
PE
Three level
inverter
N
L1
L2
L3
PV1+
PV1+
PV1+
PV1+
PV1-
PV1-
PV1-
PV1-
DC
Switch MPPT1
MPPT2
PV1+
PV1-
PV2+
PV2-
AC
Output
PV
Input
PV2+
PV2+
PV2+
PV2+
PV2-
PV2-
PV2-
PV2-
AFD
AC
Switch
Fuses
Figure 2-2 Schematic diagram of CPS SCA36KTL-DO/US inverter
2.5 Appearance Description
1
2
3
4
4
5 6 7
8
9
Figure 2-3 Appearance sketch of CPS SCA36KTL-DO/US inverter

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Main items of the inverter:
1) Main housing of the inverter
2) Wiring box of the inverter
3) Mounting bracket
4) External cooling fans
5) LED indication lights
6) LCD display
7) Key buttons
8) DC switch: DC power on/off
9) AC switch: AC power on/off

9
Chapter 3 Installation
Below is the installation procedure for the inverter. Please read carefully and
install the product step-by-step.
Before installation, please check that the following items are included in
the package:
Table 3 - 1 M a i n i t e m s
No. Item Q’ty Note
(1) Main housing of the PV
inverter 1
(2) Wiring box of the PV
inverter 1
(3) Mounting bracket 1 Upon which inverter is hung and
mounted onto a wall
(4) User manual 1 Installation and operation manual
(5) Accessory kit 1 Contains all necessary accessories
The (5) Accessory kit contains items listed below:
Table 3 - 2 Accessor i e s
No. Item Q’ty Note
(1) M8 Expansion tubes 8 For mounting bracket
(2) M8×25 assembling
bolts 8 For mounting bracket

10
(3) M6 X16 screw 6 For wiring box and main housing; 2
spare parts
(4) M5X10 screw 10
8 for mounting bracket and inverter,
external ground connection; 2 for install-
ing jumper busbar.
(5) M5 flange nut 2 For internal ground stud connection; 1
spare part
(6) Lifting eye nut M10 2 For lifting the main housing
(7) OT type terminal 2 For ground connection
(8) Pre-insulated end
ferrule for AC side 5 For AC output cables, 1 spare parts
(9) Pre-insulated end
ferrule for grounding 8 For AC ground cables
(10) Pre-insulated end
ferrule for DC side 20 For DC input cables, 4arts spare p
(11) RJ45 connecter 4 For RS485 or Ethernet communication,
2 spare parts
(12) 5 pin connector 1 For RS485 communication
(13) 3 pin connector 1 For dry contact communication
(14) Jumper busbar 2 For parallel mode use
INSTRUCTION:
The items in the accessory kit table above are for the standard
configuration. The accessories may vary if optional parts are

11
3.1 Recommendations before installation
 Check that the product environmental specifications (protection degree,
operating temperature range, humidity and altitude, etc) meet the
requirements of the specific project location;
 Make sure that the power grid voltage is within normal range;
 Ensure that the local electricity supply authority has granted permission
to connect to the grid;
 Installation personnel must be qualified electricians or people who have
received professional training;
 Sufficient space is provided to allow the inverter cooling system to
operate normally;
 Install the inverter away from flammable and explosive substances;
 Avoid installing the inverter in locations that exceed the temperature
limits specified in the inverter data sheet to limit undesirable power loss;
 Do not install the inverter near the electromagnetic source which can
compromise the normal operation of electronic equipment;
purchased.

12
3.2 Mechanical installation
1) Dimensions
Figure 3-1 Dimensions of CPS SCA36KTL-DO/US inverter
2) Installation method (see Figure 3-2):
Make sure that the mounting structure (wall, rack, etc) is suitable to support
the inverter weight. Follow the mounting guidelines below:
(a) If the location permits, install the inverter vertically.

13
(b) If the inverter cannot be mounted vertically, it may be tilted backward
by no lower than 15 degrees from horizontal.
(c) Do NOT mount the inverter leaning forward.
(d) Do NOT mount the inverter in a horizontal position (<15 degrees).
(e) Do NOT mount the inverter upside down.
(a)
(c) (d) (e)
(b)
Figure 3-2 Mount the inverter correctly
NOTICE:
When the inverter is mounted backward by ≤15° outdoor, shield

14
3) Installation space requirement (see Figure 3-3):
The distances between the inverters or the surrounding objects should
meet the following conditions:
≥300mm
(11.8in.)
≥500mm
(19.7in.)
≥600mm
(23.6in.)
≥500mm
(19.7in.)
Figure 3-3 Inverter wall mounting dimensions
cover is recommended to be installed above the inverter to avoid
direct sunlight.
NOTICE:
The spacing between two adjacently mounted inverters should be
≥500mm (19.7 inches). Ensure that the air space around the inverter
is well ventilated.

15
24in.
12in.
12in.
12in.
8in.
Figure 3-4 Inverter pillar mounting dimensions
NOTICE:
The installation clearance between two inverters needs to be
enlarged when the ambient temperature is higher than 45℃.
INSTRUCTION:
If the inverter is tilted backward by no lower than 15° from horizontal,
the bottom clearance distance can be reduced according to specific
conditions.
INSTRUCTION:
If the inverter is installed on the metal bracket (instead of solid wall),

16
4) Mount the inverter onto the bracket
(1) Mark the 8 holes on the bearing surface for mounting the bracket as
shown in Figure 3-5;
813mm(min.)
425mm(min)
550mm(min.)
522mm
140mm(5.51in.)
1100mm(min.)
(21.7in.)
(16.7in.)
(32in.)
(43.3in)
(20.55in.)
Figure 3-5 Dimensions of holes on the bearing surface
(2) Drill holes at the marked positions with a 10mm (0.4in.) drill and put the
M8 expansion tubes① into the holes; Fasten the mounting bracket②
with the M8x25 assembling bolts③ in the accessory kit. Figure 3-6.
Tool: E l e c t r ic drill (Ф10mm/0.4in. head), No. 13 wrench
the top clearance distance can be reduced to as minimum as 100mm
(3.94in.).

17
1
2
3
Figure 3-6 Secure the mounting bracket
(3) Hang the inverter onto the mounting bracket as shown in Figure 3-7 and
Figure 3-8;
Lift mounting: Take out the lifting eye nut M10 (2pcs) from the
accessory kit, and screw them on the bolts at the top of the inverter. Use
sling rope or bar (inserted through both lifting eye nuts) to lift the inverter
onto the bracket. The minimum angle between the two sling ropes
should be less than 90 degrees.
Manual mounting: Two people grab the handle positions marked in
Figure 3-8, and mount the inverter onto the bracket.
CAUTION:
The main housing of the CPS SCA36KTL-DO/US inverter is
about 55kg (≈122 pounds).
Please ensure the mounting is properly installed before hanging
the the inverter on the bracket. It is recommended to have at least
2 people to mount the inverter due to the weight of the equipment.