SMA CU 1000-US-11 User manual

CU1000-US-11-IA-en-13 | Version 1.3
CA
US
Installation Manual
SMA CONNECTION UNIT 1000-US

SMA Solar Technology America LLC Legal Provisions
Installation Manual CU1000-US-11-IA-en-13 3
Legal Provisions
Copyright © 2017 SMA Solar Technology America LLC. All rights reserved.
No part of this document may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form
or by any means, be it electronic, mechanical, photographic, magnetic or otherwise, without the prior
written permission of SMA Solar Technology America LLC.
Neither SMA Solar Technology America LLC nor SMA Solar Technology Canada Inc. makes
representations, express or implied, with respect to this documentation or any of the equipment and/
or software it may describe, including (with no limitation) any implied warranties of utility,
merchantability, or fitness for any particular purpose. All such warranties are expressly disclaimed.
Neither SMA Solar Technology America LLC nor its distributors or dealers nor SMA Solar Technology
Canada Inc. nor its distributors or dealers shall be liable for any indirect, incidental, or consequential
damages under any circumstances.
(The exclusion of implied warranties may not apply in all cases under some statutes, and thus the
above exclusion may not apply.)
Specifications are subject to change without notice. Every attempt has been made to make this
document complete, accurate and up-to-date. Readers are cautioned, however, that product
improvements and field usage experience may cause SMA Solar Technology America LLC and/or
SMA Solar Technology Canada Inc. to make changes to these specifications without advance notice,
or per contract provisions in those cases where a supply agreement requires advance notice. SMA
shall not be responsible for any damages, including indirect, incidental or consequential damages,
caused by reliance on the material presented, including, but not limited to, omissions, typographical
errors, arithmetical errors or listing errors in the content material.
Trademarks
All trademarks are recognized, even if not explicitly identified as such. Missing designations do not
mean that a product or brand is not a registered trademark.
Modbus® is a registered trademark of Schneider Electric and is licensed by the Modbus
Organization, Inc.
QR Code is a registered trademark of DENSO WAVE INCORPORATED.
Phillips® and Pozidriv® are registered trademarks of Phillips Screw Company.
Torx® is a registered trademark of Acument Global Technologies, Inc.
SMA Solar Technology America LLC
6020 West Oaks Blvd.
Suite 300 Rocklin, CA 95765 U.S.A.
SMA Solar Technology Canada Inc.
2425 Matheson Blvd. E
7th Floor
Mississauga, ON L4W 5K4
Canada

Important Safety Instructions SMA Solar Technology America LLC
4 CU1000-US-11-IA-en-13 Installation Manual
Important Safety Instructions
SAVE THESE INSTRUCTIONS
This manual contains important instructions for the following products:
• CU 1000-US-11 (SMA Connection Unit 1000-US)
This manual must be followed when using this product.
The product is designed and tested in accordance with international safety requirements, but as with
all electrical and electronic equipment, certain precautions must be observed when installing and/or
operating the product. To reduce the risk of personal injury and to ensure the safe installation and
operation of the product, you must carefully read and follow all instructions, cautions and warnings
in this manual.
Warnings in this Document
A warning describes a hazard to equipment or personnel. It calls attention to a procedure or practice,
which, if not correctly performed or adhered to, could result in damage to or destruction of part or all
of the SMA equipment and/or other equipment connected to the SMA equipment or personal injury.
Warnings on this product
The following symbols are used as product markings with the following meanings.
Symbol Description
DANGER indicates a hazardous situation which, if not avoided, will result in
death or serious injury.
WARNING indicates a hazardous situation which, if not avoided, could result
in death or serious injury.
CAUTION indicates a hazardous situation which, if not avoided, could result
in minor or moderate injury.
NOTICE is used to address practices not related to personal injury.
Symbol Description
Warning regarding dangerous voltage
The product works with high voltages. All work on the product must only
be performed as described in the documentation of the product.
Beware of hot surface
The product can become hot during operation. Do not touch the product
during operation.
Observe the operating instructions
Read the documentation of the product before working on it. Follow all
safety precautions and instructions as described in the documentation.

SMA Solar Technology America LLC General Warnings
Installation Manual CU1000-US-11-IA-en-13 5
General Warnings
All electrical installations must be carried out in accordance with the local electrical standards and
the National Electrical Code® ANSI/NFPA 70 or the Canadian Electrical Code® CSA C22.1.
This document does not replace and is not intended to replace any local, state, provincial, federal
or national laws, regulations or codes applicable to the installation and use of the product, including
without limitation applicable electrical safety codes. All installations must conform with the laws,
regulations, codes and standards applicable in the jurisdiction of installation. SMA assumes no
responsibility for the compliance or non-compliance with such laws or codes in connection with the
installation of the product.
The product contains no user-serviceable parts.
Before installing or using the product, read all of the instructions, cautions, and warnings in this
manual.
Before connecting the product to the electrical utility grid, contact the local utility company.
This connection must be made only by qualified personnel.
Wiring of the product must be made by qualified personnel only.

General Warnings SMA Solar Technology America LLC
6 CU1000-US-11-IA-en-13 Installation Manual

SMA Solar Technology America LLC Table of Contents
Installation Manual CU1000-US-11-IA-en-13 7
Table of Contents
1 Information on this Document. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
2 Safety . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
2.1 Intended Use . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
2.2 Skills of Qualified Persons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
2.3 Safety Precautions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
3 Scope of Delivery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
4 Product Description . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
4.1 Connection Unit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
4.2 Type Label . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
4.3 DC Switch-Disconnector. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
4.4 Integration Kit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
4.5 String Fuses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
5 Mounting. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
5.1 Requirements for Mounting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
5.2 Mounting the Connection Unit. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
6 Electrical Connection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
6.1 Safety during Electrical Connection. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
6.2 Overview of the Connection Area. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
6.2.1 Enclosure Openings. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
6.2.2 Interior View. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
6.3 Connecting Conduits to the Connection Unit. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
6.4 Connecting the Grounding Conductor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
6.5 Connecting the PV Array . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
6.6 Connecting the Output Cables . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
7 Commissioning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
7.1 Inserting the String Fuses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
7.2 Commissioning the Connection Unit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
8 Disconnecting the Connection Unit from Voltage Sources . . . 37

Table of Contents SMA Solar Technology America LLC
8 CU1000-US-11-IA-en-13 Installation Manual
9 Troubleshooting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
9.1 Replacing the String Fuses. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
10 Decommissioning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
10.1 Disassembling the Connection Unit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
10.2 Packing the Connection Unit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
10.3 Disposing of the Connection Unit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
11 Technical Data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
12 Contact . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43

SMA Solar Technology America LLC 1 Information on this Document
Installation Manual CU1000-US-11-IA-en-13 9
1 Information on this Document
Validity
This document is valid for the following device types:
• CU 1000-US-11 (SMA Connection Unit 1000-US)
Target Group
This document is intended for qualified persons. Only qualified personnel with the appropriate skills
are allowed to perform the tasks described in this document (see Section 2.2 "Skills of Qualified
Persons", page 11).
Additional Information
Links to additional information can be found at www.SMA-Solar.com:
Symbols
Nomenclature
Document title Document type
Sunny Tripower 12000TL-US / 15000TL-US / 20000TL-US /
24000TL-US / 30000TL-US
Installation manual
Symbol Explanation
Information that is important for a specific topic or goal, but is not
safety-relevant
☐ Indicates an essential requirement for achieving a specific goal
☑ Desired result
✖ A problem that could occur
Complete designation Designation in this document
SMA Solar Technology America LLC SMA
SMA Solar Technology Canada Inc. SMA
SMA Connection Unit 1000-US Connection Unit, product

2 Safety SMA Solar Technology America LLC
10 CU1000-US-11-IA-en-13 Installation Manual
2 Safety
2.1 Intended Use
The Connection Unit is a String-Combiner to which up to eight strings can be connected.
Figure 1: Example design of a PV system with Connection Unit
The Connection Unit is suitable for indoor and outdoor use.
The Connection Unit must only be used in ungrounded PV systems. Do not use grounded PV modules
with the Connection Unit. Only ground the mounting frame of the PV modules.
All DC inputs of an ungrounded PV system must be equipped with an overcurrent protection
according to the National Electrical Code® NEC 690. The Connection Unit shall be installed per the
requirements contained in Section 690.35 of the National Electrical Code®, ANSI/NFPA 70.
The Connection Unit is intended for use with the following transformerless SMA inverters:
• STP 12000TL-US-10 / 15000TL-US-10 / 20000TL-US-10 / 24000TL-US-10 / 30000TL-US-10
The installer is responsible for determining the appropriateness and safety of any modifications to the
product or any installed components that are not explicitly recommended for this product or
distributed by SMA.
Use this product only in accordance with the enclosed documentation and with the local standards
and directives. Any other use can result in personal injury or property damage.
• Do not mount the product in areas where flammable gases may occur.
• Do not mount the product in areas where highly flammable materials are stored.
• Do not install the product in potentially explosive atmospheres.
The enclosed documentation is an integral part of this product.
• Read and observe the documentation.
• Keep the documentation in a convenient place for future reference.
Item Description
APV modules
B Connection Unit
C Sunny Tripower
D Circuit breaker
E Utility grid
ABCDE

SMA Solar Technology America LLC 2 Safety
Installation Manual CU1000-US-11-IA-en-13 11
2.2 Skills of Qualified Persons
The tasks described in this document must be performed by qualified persons only. Qualified persons
must have the following skills:
• Knowledge of how electrical devices and plants work and are operated
• Training in how to deal with the dangers and risks associated with installing and using electrical
devices and plants
• Training in the installation and commissioning of electrical devices and plants
• Knowledge of all applicable standards and directives
• Knowledge of and adherence to this document and all safety precautions

2 Safety SMA Solar Technology America LLC
12 CU1000-US-11-IA-en-13 Installation Manual
2.3 Safety Precautions
This section contains safety precautions that must be observed at all times when working on or with
the product.
To prevent personal injury or property damage and to ensure long-term operation of the product, read
this section carefully and follow all safety precautions at all times.
Danger to life due to high voltages in the Connection Unit
High voltages that can cause fatal electric shocks when touched are present in the live components
of the Connection Unit.
• All work on the Connection Unit must be carried out by qualified persons only.
• Before working on the Connection Unit carry out the following steps:
– Switch off all devices that are connected to the Connection Unit (e.g. inverter) and protect
against reconnection.
–Cover the PV modules.
– Turn the DC switch-disconnector of the Connection Unit counterclockwise by 90° and set
to OFF.
• While in operation, ensure all openings in the Connection Unit are sealed with appropriately
sized conduit fittings or hole covers.
• All work on the Connection Unit should only be carried out as described in this document.
Danger to life due to operating a damaged Connection Unit
Using a damaged Connection Unit can lead to serious or lethal injuries through electric shock.
• Only operate the Connection Unit when it is functioning properly and safely.
• Regularly check the Connection Unit for visible damage.
• Ensure that all safety equipment is freely accessible at all times.
Damage to the Connection Unit due to electrostatic discharges
By touching electronic components you can damage or destroy the Connection Unit through
electrostatic discharge.
• Ground yourself before touching any components.

SMA Solar Technology America LLC 3 Scope of Delivery
Installation Manual CU1000-US-11-IA-en-13 13
3 Scope of Delivery
Check the scope of delivery for completeness and any externally visible damage. Contact your
distributor if the scope of delivery is incomplete or damaged.
Figure 2: Components included in the scope of delivery
Item Quantity Description
A1Connection Unit
B1Integration kit
C 1 Installation manual, Production Test Report
CA B

4 Product Description SMA Solar Technology America LLC
14 CU1000-US-11-IA-en-13 Installation Manual
4 Product Description
4.1 Connection Unit
The Connection Unit is a String-Combiner to which up to eight strings can be connected.
Figure 3: Design of the Connection Unit
In the Connection Unit the PV array strings are combined and routed into the inverter via cables.
The integrated fuse holders are designed to be used with string fuses for overcurrent protection.
The Connection Unit is equipped with a DC switch-disconnector and therefore serves as a DC
disconnection unit.
Symbols on the Connection Unit
Item Description
A DC switch-disconnector
B Captive screws of the lid
CType label
Symbol Explanation
Equipment grounding
No galvanic isolation
ConnectionUnit
A
B
C
B
B
B

SMA Solar Technology America LLC 4 Product Description
Installation Manual CU1000-US-11-IA-en-13 15
4.2 Type Label
The type label clearly identifies the Connection Unit. The type label is located on the right-hand side
of the enclosure. You will find the following information on the type label:
• Device type (Item No.)
•Serial number (Serial No.)
• Date of manufacture,
• Device-specific characteristics
You will require the information on the type label to use the Connection Unit safely and when seeking
customer support from the SMA Service Line. The type label must be permanently attached to the
Connection Unit.
Symbols on the Type Label
Symbol Explanation
Danger to life due to high voltages
The product operates at high voltages. All work on the product must be
carried out by qualified persons only.
Risk of burns from hot surfaces
The product can get hot during operation. Avoid contact during operation.
Allow the product to cool down sufficiently before carrying out any work.
Wear personal protective equipment such as safety gloves.
Observe the documentation
Observe all documentation that is supplied with the product.
UL certification mark
UL1741 is the standard applied by Underwriters Laboratories to the
product to certify that it meets the requirements of the
National Electrical Code®, the Canadian Electrical Code® CSA C22.1
and IEEE-929-2000. IEEE 929-2000 provides recommendations
regarding the proper equipment and functionality necessary to ensure
compatible operation when power generation is connected to the utility
grid.

4 Product Description SMA Solar Technology America LLC
16 CU1000-US-11-IA-en-13 Installation Manual
4.3 DC Switch-Disconnector
The Connection Unit is equipped with a DC switch-disconnector. The DC switch-disconnector enables
disconnection of the inverter from the PV array. The disconnection takes place at all poles.
Figure 4: DC switch-disconnector of the Connection Unit
When the DC switch-disconnector is switched OFF, it can be protected against restarting with a
padlock via one of the three openings.
4.4 Integration Kit
The Integration Kit included in the scope of delivery of the Connection Unit contains components that
may be used to integrate the Connection Unit with the SMA Sunny Tripower inverter. The use of
Integration Kit components is not mandatory and it is the responsibility of the system designer and
installer to determine the appropriateness of Integration Kit components for any particular installation.
Specification and sourcing of alternative integration components is the responsibility of the system
designer and installer.
Figure 5: Integration Kit components
Item Description
A Switch position ON
B Switch position OFF
Opening for padlock to protect against restarting
A
B
AE FB D
C

SMA Solar Technology America LLC 4 Product Description
Installation Manual CU1000-US-11-IA-en-13 17
4.5 String Fuses
String fuses are used to protect wiring and equipment from excessive currents that can cause damage,
heating, or in extreme cases, even fire.
In PV systems, the ampacity and voltage ratings of string fuses is determined by the electrical
specifications of the PV modules and National Electrical Code® requirements. Refer to the PV module
datasheet or contact the manufacturer for technical specifications to determine required string fuse
ratings.
The maximum ampacity rating for string fuses in the Connection Unit is 20 A. The Connection Unit
Integration Kit includes 15 A string fuses. It is the responsibility of the system designer and installer to
determine the appropriateness of the supplied string fuses for any particular installation.
The minimum ampacity rating of the string fuses is calculated by means of the short-circuit current
rating (Isc) of the PV module. The National Electrical Code® stipulates that all string fuses are
designed to be at least 1.56 times as large as the Isc of the PV module being used. The correct
ampacity rating of the string fuse is determined by calculating the minimum size and then rounding it
up to the nearest standard fuse rating.
Item Quantity Description
A 2 1-inch conduit sections
Liquidtight Flexible Non-Metallic Conduit (LFNC-B)
B 4 1-inch conduit fittings
Non-metallic Liquidtight (NMLT) with locknuts
C 2 1-inch conduit fitting sealing washers
(for sealing conduit fittings at top Connection Unit openings)
D 2 1-inch liquidtight hole plugs
E5 Output conductors leads
8 AWG, Copper, 1000 VDC, PV Wire
(2) - red (pos), (2) - black (neg), (1)-green (gnd)
F16 String fuses
15 A, 1000 VDC, PV Fuses
Liquidtight Flexible Non-Metallic Conduit (LFNC-B)
The liquidtight flexible non-metallic (LFNC-B) conduits supplied in the Integration Kit are suitable
for FCC Part 15 Class A compliance for use in business/industrial/commercial environments.
If FCC Part 15 Class B compliance is required for use in a residential environment, metal
conduits (supplied by the installer) must be used.

5 Mounting SMA Solar Technology America LLC
18 CU1000-US-11-IA-en-13 Installation Manual
5 Mounting
5.1 Requirements for Mounting
Requirements for the mounting location:
☐ A solid building ground is required for installation, e.g. a concrete wall, brick work, a post.
☐ Studs must be present behind the mounting points on plasterboard sheets or panels.
☐ The mounting location must be suitable for the weight and dimensions of the Connection Unit
(see Section 11 "Technical Data", page 41).
☐ When mounting directly below the inverter, the minimum clearances to the inverter must be
observed (see the inverter installation manual).
☐ The mounting location should be clear and safely accessible to perform the tasks described in
this document.
☐ The ambient temperature must be within a permissible range (see Section 11 "Technical Data",
page 41). This will ensure optimal operation of the Connection Unit.
Example: calculating the minimum size of the string fuses
For example, if the Isc of the PV module equals 8.2 A, then the size of the string fuses is determined
as follows: 1.56 x 8.2 = 12.8
The nearest standard size for string fuses would be a 15 A fuse.
Danger to life due to fire or explosion
Despite careful construction, electrical devices can cause fires.
• Do not mount the Connection Unit in areas where flammable gases may occur.
• Do not mount the Connection Unit near highly flammable materials.
• Do not mount the Connection Unit in potentially explosive atmospheres.
Risk of burns due to hot enclosure parts
Some parts of the enclosure can get hot during operation.
• Mount the Connection Unit in such a way that it cannot be touched inadvertently.

SMA Solar Technology America LLC 5 Mounting
Installation Manual CU1000-US-11-IA-en-13 19
Dimensions for mounting:
Figure 6: Dimensions of the mounting points
466 mm
(18.35 in)
20 mm
(0.79 in)
407 mm
(16 in)
398 mm
(15.67 in)
20 mm
(0.79 in)

5 Mounting SMA Solar Technology America LLC
20 CU1000-US-11-IA-en-13 Installation Manual
Information on mounting the Connection Unit below a Sunny Tripower
• You can mount the Connection Unit directly below the Sunny Tripower. The output
openings of the Connection Unit can be aligned directly below the openings for the DC
connection of the Sunny Tripower.
• Align the oblong holes of the mounting straps of the Connection Unit, the oblong holes
of the wall mounting brackets of the Sunny Tripower, and the drill holes for the screw in
the rear panel of the Sunny Tripower to each other.
• In order to have the conduits at the Sunny Tripower and at the Connection Unit correctly
positioned, the left oblong hole of the wall mounting bracket of the Sunny Tripower and
the left oblong hole of the Connection Unit must be aligned one below the other.
Example: Mounting the Connection Unit below the Sunny Tripower; minimum
clearance measurements
407 mm
(16 in)
529 mm
(20.23 in)