FRO­NIUS SYMO Series User manual

Fronius prints on elemental chlorine free paper (ECF) sourced from certified sustainable forests (FSC).
/ Perfect Charging / Perfect Welding / Solar Energy
Fronius Symo 10 - 20 kW
Fronius Eco
EN
Installation instructions
42,0426,0175,EN 027-11102021

Contents
Installation location and position 5
Explanation of safety notices 5
Safety 5
Proper use/intended purpose 6
Choice of location 7
Installation position 8
General comments regarding choice of location 9
Attaching the Mounting Bracket 11
Safety 11
Selecting wall plugs and screws 11
Recommended screws 11
Opening the inverter 11
Fitting the mounting bracket to a wall 12
Installing the mounting bracket on a mast or beam 13
Fitting the mounting bracket to metal supports 13
Do not warp or deform the mounting bracket 14
Connecting the inverter to the public grid (AC side) 15
Safety 15
Monitoring the grid 15
Type of AC cable 15
Preparing the aluminium cables for connection 15
AC terminals 16
Cross-section of the AC cable 16
Connecting the inverter to the public grid (AC) 17
Maximum fuse rating on alternating current side 19
String fuses 21
Fronius Eco - string fuses 21
Connection variants on multi-MPP and single-MPP tracker inverters 23
General 23
Multi MPP tracker - Fronius Symo -M inverter 23
Single MPP tracker - Fronius Eco inverter 25
Connecting solar module strings to the inverter 28
Safety 28
General comments regarding solar modules 29
DC terminals 29
Connecting aluminium cables 30
Solar module strings - checking the polarity and voltage 30
Connecting the solar module strings to the inverter 31
Data communication 34
Routing data communication cables 34
Installing the Datamanager in the inverter 34
Attaching the inverter to the mounting bracket 37
Attaching the inverter to the mounting bracket 37
Attaching the metall bracket 40
Starting for the first time 41
Starting the inverter for the first time 41
Notes regarding software updates 44
Notes regarding software updates 44
USB Stick as a Data Logger and for Updating Inverter Software 45
USB flash drive as a datalogger 45
Data on the USB flash drive 45
Data volume and storage capacity 46
Buffer memory 47
Suitable USB flash drives 47
USB stick for updating the inverter software 48
Removing the USB flash drive 48
Notes regarding maintenance 49
Maintenance 49
Cleaning 49
Australian Conduits 50
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Tightly sealing the conduits 50
Seal conduits 50
Serial Number Sticker for Customer Use 51
Serial number sticker for customer use 51
DC SPD option 52
Installing the DC SPD option 52
Circuit Diagram 52
Cabling the DC SPD option 53
Settings in the Basic menu 54
DC-plug +- pair MC4 option 56
General 56
4

Installation location and position
Explanation of
safety notices DANGER!
Indicates immediate danger.
▶If not avoided, death or serious injury will result.
WARNING!
Indicates a potentially hazardous situation.
▶If not avoided, death or serious injury may result.
CAUTION!
Indicates a situation where damage or injury could occur.
▶If not avoided, minor injury and/or damage to property may result.
NOTE!
Indicates a risk of flawed results and possible damage to the equipment.
Safety WARNING!
Danger due to incorrect operation and incorrectly performed work.
This can result in serious injury and damage to property.
▶Only qualified personnel are authorised to commission your inverter and only within
the scope of the respective technical regulations.
▶Read the Installation and Operating Instructions before installing and commissioning
the equipment.
WARNING!
Danger due to work that has been carried out incorrectly.
This may result in serious injury and damage to property.
▶Surge protective devices must only ever be installed and connected by a qualified
electrical installation engineer!
▶Follow the safety rules.
▶Ensure that both the AC side and the DC side of the inverter are de-energised be-
fore carrying out any installation and connection work.
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Fire prevention
CAUTION!
Danger due to poor or unprofessional installation.
This may result in damage to inverters and other live photovoltaic system components.
Poor or unprofessional installation can cause overheating of cables and terminal connec-
tions and result in arcs. These can cause heat damage, which in turn may lead to fires.
Observe the following when connecting AC and DC cables:
▶Tighten all terminals to the torque specified in the operating instructions
▶Tighten all grounding terminals (PE / GND), including free ones, to the torque spe-
cified in the operating instructions
▶Do not overload cables
▶Check cables for damage and verify that they are laid correctly
▶Take note of the safety instructions, Operating Instructions and any local connection
regulations
▶Using fastening screws, always screw the inverter firmly to the mounting bracket to
the torque specified in the Operating Instructions.
▶Ensure that the fastening screws are tight before starting the inverter!
Note! Fronius will not accept any costs associated with production downtimes, installer
costs, etc., that may arise as the result of a detected arc and its consequences. Fronius
accepts no liability for fires that can occur despite the presence of the integrated arc de-
tection/extinguishing system (e.g. fires caused by a parallel arc).
Note! After an arc has been detected, the entire photovoltaic system must be checked
for possible damage before resetting the inverter.
Observe the manufacturer's connection, installation and operating instructions at all
times. To reduce the hazard potential to a minimum, perform all installation and connec-
tion work carefully according to the instructions and regulations.
Refer to the device Installation Instructions for the tightening torques to be used at the
relevant terminal connections.
Proper use/inten-
ded purpose
The inverter is intended exclusively to convert direct current from solar modules into al-
ternating current and to feed this into the public grid.
Utilisation not in accordance with the intended purpose comprises:
- Any use above and beyond this purpose
- Making any modifications to the inverter that have not been expressly approved by
Fronius
- the installation of components that are not distributed or expressly approved by
Fronius.
Fronius shall not be liable for any damage resulting from such action.
No warranty claims will be entertained.
Proper use also includes:
- Carefully reading and obeying all the instructions and all the safety and danger no-
tices in the Operating Instructions and Installation Instructions
- Performing all stipulated maintenance work
- Installation as specified in the Installation Instructions
When designing the photovoltaic system, ensure that all components are operated within
their permitted operating ranges at all times.
6

Observe all the measures recommended by the solar module manufacturer to ensure
that the solar module retains its properties in the long term.
Obey the regulations of the power supply company regarding connection methods and
energy fed into the grid.
Choice of loca-
tion
The inverter is suitable for indoor installation.
IP 66
The inverter is suitable for outdoor installation.
Because of its IP 66 protection class, the inverter is resistant to water
jets from any direction and can also be used in damp environments.
In order to minimise the heating up of the inverter, do not expose it to
direct insolation. Install the inverter in a protected location, e.g. in the
vicinity of the solar modules or beneath the eaves.
Fronius Symo:
UDCmax at an altitude of:
0 to 2000 m = 1000 V
2001 to 2500 m = 950 V
2501 to 3000 m = 900 V
3001 to 3400 m = 850 V
IMPORTANT! The inverter must not be installed or used at altitudes
above 3400 m.
Fronius Eco:
UDCmax at an altitude of:
0 to 2000 m = 1000 V
2001 to 2500 m = 950 V
IMPORTANT! The inverter must not be installed or used at altitudes
above 2500 m.
NH3
Do not install the inverter in:
- Areas where ammonia, corrosive vapours, acids or salts are
present
(e.g. fertiliser stores, ventilation openings from cattle sheds,
chemical plants, tanneries, etc.)
During certain operating phases the inverter may produce a slight
noise. For this reason it should not be installed in an occupied living
area.
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Do not install the inverter in:
- Places where there is an increased risk of damage from farm an-
imals (horses, cattle, sheep, pigs, etc.)
- Stables or adjoining areas
- Storage areas for hay, straw, chaff, animal feed, fertilisers, etc.
All inverters are designed to be dust-tight. However, in areas with a
heavy build-up of dust, the thermal efficiency may still be impaired by
dust forming on the cooling surfaces. Regular cleaning is necessary in
such situations. We therefore recommend not installing the inverter in
areas and environments with high dust accumulation.
Do not install the inverter in:
- Greenhouses
- Storage or processing areas for fruit, vegetables or viticulture
products
- Areas used in the preparation of grain, green fodder or animal
feeds
Installation posi-
tion
The inverter is suitable for vertical installation on a vertical wall or
column.
The inverter is suitable for a horizontal installation position.
The inverter is suitable for installation on a sloping surface.
Do not install the inverter on a sloping surface with its connection sock-
ets at the top.
Do not install the inverter at an angle on a vertical wall or column.
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Do not install the inverter horizontally on a vertical wall or pillar.
Do not install the inverter on a vertical wall or pillar with its connection
sockets facing upwards.
Do not install the inverter overhanging with the connection sockets at the
top.
Do not install the inverter overhanging with the connection sockets at the
bottom.
Do not install the inverter on the ceiling.
General com-
ments regarding
choice of location
Please note the following criteria when choosing a location for the inverter:
Install only on a solid, non-flammable surface
Max. ambient temperatures:
-40 °C / +60 °C
Relative humidity:
0-100%
The airflow within the inverter is from the
right to the top (cold air taken in from the
right, hot air dissipated out of the top).
The exhaust air can reach a temperat-
ure of 70 °C.
If the inverter is installed in a switch cabinet or a similar sealed area, then forced-air
ventilation must be provided to ensure adequate heat dissipation.
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EN

If the inverter is to be installed on the outer wall of a cattle shed, maintain a minimum
all-round clearance of 2 m between the inverter and all ventilation and other openings
in the building.
The installation location must not be exposed to ammonia, corrosive vapours, salts or
acids.
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Attaching the Mounting Bracket
Safety WARNING!
Danger due to residual voltage in capacitors.
This may result in an electric shock.
▶Wait for the capacitors to discharge. The discharge time is five minutes.
CAUTION!
Danger due to dirt or water on the terminals and contacts of the inverter's connec-
tion area.
This may result in damage to the inverter.
▶When drilling, ensure that terminals and contacts in the connection area do not be-
come dirty or wet.
▶The mounting bracket without a power stage set does not conform to the protection
class of the inverter as a whole, and therefore must not be installed without a power
stage set.
▶The mounting bracket should be protected from dirt and moisture during installation.
Note!
Degree of protection IP 66 is only applicable if
- the inverter is placed in the mounting bracket and permanently attached using
screws，
- the cover for the data communication area is permanently attached to the inverter
with screws.
Degree of protection IP 20 applies to the mounting bracket with no inverter.
Selecting wall
plugs and screws
Important! Different fixings may be required to fit the mounting bracket depending on the
type of underlying surface. Fixings are therefore not included in the scope of supply of
the inverter. The installer is responsible for selecting the right type of fixing.
Recommended
screws
To install the inverter, the manufacturer recommends the use of steel or aluminium
screws with a diameter of 6 - 8 mm.
Opening the in-
verter WARNING!
Danger from inadequate ground conductor connection.
This can result in serious injury and damage to property.
▶The housing screws provide a suitable ground conductor connection for earthing the
housing and must NOT be replaced by any other screws that do not provide a reli-
able ground conductor connection.
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EN

ON
OFF
Lock
1 2
3 4
Fitting the mount-
ing bracket to a
wall
1 2
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3
Installing the
mounting bracket
on a mast or
beam
When installing the inverter on a mast or
support, Fronius recommends the "Pole
Clamp" kit from Rittal GmbH (order no. SZ
2584.000).
This kit enables the inverter to be installed
on round or rectangular masts with the fol-
lowing diameters: Æ from 40 to 190 mm
(round mast), ÿ from 50 to 150 mm (rect-
angular mast)
Fitting the mount-
ing bracket to
metal supports
NOTE!
When mounted on metal supports, the inverter must not be exposed to rainwater
or splashing water from the rear.
Provide suitable rainwater protection or splash water protection.
The mounting bracket must be securely screwed to at least four points.
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1
Do not warp or
deform the
mounting bracket
Note! When fitting the mounting bracket to the wall, ensure that the mounting bracket
does not become warped or deformed.
14

Connecting the inverter to the public grid (AC side)
Safety WARNING!
Danger due to incorrect operation and incorrectly performed work.
This may result in serious injury and damage to property.
▶Only qualified staff are authorised to commission your inverter and only within the
scope of the respective technical regulations.
▶Read the Installation and Operating Instructions before installing and commissioning
the equipment.
WARNING!
Danger due to grid voltage and DC voltage from solar modules that are exposed to
light.
This may result in an electric shock.
▶Ensure that both the AC side and the DC side of the inverter are de-energised be-
fore carrying out any connection work.
▶Only an authorised electrical engineer is permitted to connect this equipment to the
public grid.
CAUTION!
Danger due to incorrectly tightened terminals.
This may result in heat damage to the inverter, which may lead to fire.
▶When connecting AC and DC cables, ensure that all the terminals are tightened to
the specified torque.
Monitoring the
grid
To provide the best possible grid monitoring, the resistance in the leads to the AC-side
terminals should be as low as possible.
Type of AC cable The following types of AC cable can be connected to the AC terminals of the inverter:
- Copper or aluminium: solid round conductor
- Copper: fine-stranded round conductor, up to conductor class 4
Preparing the alu-
minium cables
for connection
The AC-side terminals are suitable for connecting single-wire, round aluminium cables.
Because of the formation of a non-conductive oxide layer due to the reaction of alumini-
um with air, the following points must be considered when connecting aluminium cables:
- the reduced rated currents for aluminium cables
- the connection conditions listed below
Always follow the cable manufacturer instructions when using aluminium cables.
When designing cable cross-sections, take local regulations into account.
Connection conditions:
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1Carefully clean the oxide layer from the bare end of the cable by scraping it, e.g. with
a knife
IMPORTANT! Do not use brushes, files or emery paper, as the aluminium particles get
trapped and can be transferred to other conductors.
2Once the oxide layer is removed, rub the end of the cable with a neutral grease,
such as non-acidic and non-alkaline Vaseline
3Immediately connect the cable end to the terminal
IMPORTANT!Repeat the procedure if the cable has been disconnected and is to be re-
connected.
AC terminals
Fronius Symo Fronius Eco
PE Ground conductor / earthing
L1-L3 Phase conductor
N Neutral conductor
Max. cross-section of each conductor cable:
16 mm²
Min. cross-section of each conductor cable:
in accordance with the fuse rating on the AC side, but at least 2.5 mm²
The AC cables can be connected to the AC terminals without ferrules.
IMPORTANT! When using ferrules for AC cables with a cross-section of 16 mm², the fer-
rules must be crimped with a right-angled cross-section.
The use of ferrules with insulating collars is only permitted up to a max. cable cross-sec-
tion of 10 mm².
For a power category of 10-12 kW, an M32 PG gland (ø 7-15 mm) is fitted.
For a power category of 15-17.5 kW, an M32 PG gland is fitted (ø 18-25 mm) and an
M32 PG gland (ø 7-15 mm) supplied.
From a power category of 20 kW upwards, an M32 PG gland (ø 18-25 mm) is fitted.
Cross-section of
the AC cable
When using an M32 metric screw joint (reducer removed):
cable diameter 11 - 21 mm
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(with a cable diameter of 11 mm the strain-relief force is reduced from 100 N to a maxim-
um of 80 N)
With cable diameters greater than 21 mm, the M32 screw joint must be replaced by an
M32 screw joint with a larger clamping area - item number: 42,0407,0780 - strain-relief
device M32x15 KB 18-25.
Connecting the
inverter to the
public grid (AC)
Note!
- Form loops with the AC cables when connecting them to the AC terminals.
- When securing the AC cables using a metric screw joint, ensure that the loops do
not protrude beyond the connection area.
Otherwise, under certain circumstances it may no longer be possible to close the invert-
er.
Note!
- Make sure that the grid's neutral conductor is grounded. This may not be the case
for IT grids (insulated grids with no earthing); it will then not be possible to use the
inverter.
- The neutral conductor must be connected in order to operate the inverter. A neutral
conductor that is too small may adversely affect the inverter feeding energy into the
grid. The neutral conductor must have an amperage of at least 1 A.
IMPORTANT! The PE ground conductor of the AC cable must be laid in such a way that
it is the last to be disconnected in the event that the strain-relief device should fail.
This can be ensured, for example, by making it somewhat longer and by laying it in a
loop.
1
Fronius Symo
2
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Fronius Eco
3With the Fronius Eco, the three phases
and the neutral conductor must be passed
through a ferrite ring. The ferrite ring is
supplied with the inverter.
The ground conductor (PE) must not be
passed through the ferrite ring.
4The fastening screw must also be
tightened for an unassigned ground con-
ductor (PE) connection.
Note! Observe the torque values marked
on the side underneath the terminals.
If AC cables are laid over the shaft of the
DC main switch or across the connection
block of the DC main switch, they may be
damaged when the inverter is swung in or
they may even prevent the inverter from
being fully swung in.
IMPORTANT! Do not lay AC cables over
the shaft of the DC main switch or across
the connection block of the DC main
switch.
If overlength AC or DC cables are to be laid in loops in the connection area, attach the
cables with cable ties to the eyelets provided on the top and bottom of the connection
block.
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Fronius Symo Fronius Eco
Maximum fuse
rating on alternat-
ing current side
Inverter Phases AC output Maximum output overcur-
rent protection
Fronius Symo 10.0-3-M 3 10,000 W C 80 A
Fronius Symo 12.0-3-M 3 12,000 W C 80 A
Fronius Symo 12.5-3-M 3 12,500 W C 80 A
Fronius Symo 15.0-3-M 3 15,000 W C 80 A
Fronius Symo 17.5-3-M 3 17,500 W C 80 A
Fronius Symo 20.0-3-M 3 20,000 W C 80 A
Fronius Eco 25.0-3-M 3 25,000 W C 80 A
Fronius Eco 27.0-3-M 3 27,000 W C 80 A
Note!
Local regulations, the electricity retailer or other factors may require a residual-current
protective device in the AC connection lead.
A type A residual-current circuit breaker with a trip current of at least 100 mA is generally
sufficient in this case. In particular cases, and depending on local factors, however, the
type A residual-current circuit breaker may trip at the wrong time. For this reason, Froni-
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us recommends that a residual-current circuit breaker that is suitable for frequency con-
verters should be used.
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