SMA SUNNY BOY US User manual

SB_CL_US-BUS094410 | TBUS-SBUS | Version 1.0
US
PV Inverter
SUNNY BOY US
User Manual

SMA America, LLC Legal Restrictions
User Manual SB_CL_US-BUS094401 3
Copyright © 2010 SMA 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, electronic, mechanical, photographic, magnetic or otherwise, without the prior
written permission of SMA America,LLC.
SMA America,LLC makes no 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 America,LLC 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
SMAAmerica,LLC reserves the right to make changes without notice and shall not be responsible for
any damages, including indirect, incidental or consequential damages, caused by reliance on the
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The Bluetooth® word mark and logos are registered trademarks owned by Bluetooth SIG, Inc. and
any use of such marks by SMA America,LLC is under license.
SMA America, LLC
3801 N. Havana Street
Denver, CO 80239 U.S.A.

Important Safety Instructions SMA America, LLC
4 SB_CL_US-BUS094401 User Manual
IMPORTANT SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS
SAVE THESE INSTRUCTIONS
This manual contains important instructions for Sunny Boy inverter, that must be followed during
installation and maintenance of the inverter.
The Sunny Boy is designed and tested according to international safety requirements, but as with all
electrical and electronic equipment, certain precautions must be observed when installing and/or
operating the Sunny Boy. To reduce the risk of personal injury and to ensure the safe installation and
operation of the Sunny Boy, you must carefully read and follow all instructions, cautions and warnings
in this user 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.
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 is used to address practices not related to personal injury.

SMA America, LLC Important Safety Instructions
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Other Symbols in this document
In addition to the safety and hazard symbols described on the previous pages, the following symbol
is also used in this User Manual:
Markings on this product
The following symbols are used as product markings with the following meanings.
Information
This symbol accompanies notes that call attention to supplementary information that you
must know and use to ensure optimal operation of the system.
Warning regarding dangerous voltage
The product works with high voltages. All work on the product must only be performed
as described in it‘s documentation.
Electric arc hazards
The product has large electrical potential differences between its conductors. Arc flashes
can occur through air when high-voltage current flows. Do not work on the product
during operation.
Beware of hot surface
The product can become hot during operation. Do not touch the product during
operation.
Observe the operating instructions
Read the product’s documentation before working on it. Follow all safety precautions
and instructions as described in the documentation.
AC current
DC current
Transformerless
Earth Ground
UL1741 is the standard applied by Underwriters Laboratories to the Sunny Boy to certify
that it meets the requirements of the National Electrical Code® 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.

General Warnings SMA America, LLC
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General Warnings
General Warnings
All electrical installations must be done in accordance with the local and National
Electrical Code® ANSI/NFPA 70. For installation in Canada the installations must be done
in accordance with applicable Canadian standards.
The Sunny Boy contains no user-serviceable parts except for the fans on the bottom of the
enclosure and the filters behind the fans as well as the handle covers on the sides of the
unit. For all repair and maintenance, always return the unit to an authorized SMA Service
Center.
Before installing or using the Sunny Boy, read all of the instructions, cautions, and warnings
on the Sunny Boy in this User Manual.
Before connecting the Sunny Boy to the electrical utility grid, contact the local utility
company. This connection must be made only by qualified personnel.
Wiring of the Sunny Boy must be made by qualified personnel only.

SMA America, LLC Table of Contents
User Manual SB_CL_US-BUS094401 7
Table of Contents
1 Notes on this manual. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
1.1 Validity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
1.2 Target group . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
1.3 Storage of the manuals. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
1.4 Additional information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
1.5 Nomenclature . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
2 Safety . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
2.1 Appropriate usage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
2.2 Safety precautions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
2.3 Identifying the Sunny Boy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
3 Operating modes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
3.1 LED operation indicators. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
3.1.1 All LEDs are off . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
3.1.2 All LEDs are on . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
3.1.3 The green LED is blinking rapidly . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
3.1.4 The green LED is blinking slowly . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
3.1.5 The green LED is continuously on . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
3.1.6 The green LED goes out briefly . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
3.2 LED fault indicators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
3.2.1 Red and Yellow LEDs are on. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
3.2.2 The Red LED is continously on. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
3.2.3 The yellow LED blinks twice. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
3.2.4 The yellow LED blinks 4 times . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
3.2.5 The yellow LED blinks 5 times . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
3.2.6 The yellow LED blinks 6 times . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
3.2.7 The yellow LED blinks 7 times . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
4 Information on the display . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
4.1 Activating the backlight. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21

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4.2 Display messages in the startup phase . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
4.3 Display messages during operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
4.4 Fault messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
4.4.1 Disturbance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
4.4.2 Warning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
4.4.3 Error . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
4.4.4 Rapid Blinking of background illumination . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
5 Maintenance and cleaning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
5.1 Checking heat dissipation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
5.1.1 Cleaning the fans . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
5.2 Cleaning the display. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
6 Measurement channels and messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
6.1 Measuring channels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
6.2 Status Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
6.3 Error messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
7 Glossary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
8 Contact . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37

SMA America, LLC Notes on this manual
User Manual SB_CL_US-BUS094410 9
1 Notes on this manual
1.1 Validity
This manual describes how to operate the following SMA inverters:
• Sunny Boy 8000TL-US (SB 8000TLUS-10)
• Sunny Boy 9000TL-US (SB 9000TLUS-10)
• Sunny Boy 10000TL-US (SB 10000TLUS-10)
This manual does not cover any details concerning equipment connected to the Sunny Boy (e. g. PV
modules). Information concerning the connected equipment is available from the manufacturer of the
equipment.
1.2 Target group
This manual is for qualified personnel an for the operator.
• Qualified personnel have received training and have demonstrated skills and knowledge in the
construction and operation of this device. Qualified personnel are trained to deal with the
dangers and hazards involved in installing electric devices.
• The operator has been adequately supervised by qualified personnel to ensure a save use of
the Sunny Boy.
1.3 Storage of the manuals
Keep all Sunny Boy manuals in a convenient place for future reference.
1.4 Additional information
You will find further information on special topics in the download area at www.SMA-America.com.
1.5 Nomenclature
In this document SMA America Production, LLC is referred to in the following as SMA.
The syntax specified here for menus and parameters applies throughout the entire manual:

Safety SMA America, LLC
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2 Safety
2.1 Appropriate usage
The Sunny Boy is a PV inverter which converts the DC current of the PV array to AC current and feeds
it into the grid.
More precise information on this subject and on your device can be found in the installation guide.
The operational limits specified in the installation guide for the particular inverter must be observed.
All inverters may only be operated with PV generators (modules and cabling) with protective
insulation. Do not connect any sources of energy other than PV modules to the inverter.
Do not use the inverter for purposes other than those described here. Alternative uses, modifications
to the inverter or the installation of components not expressly recommended or sold by the
manufacturer void the warranty claims and operating permission. If you have questions regarding the
proper usage of the inverters, contact the SMA Serviceline.
Principle of the string inverter
The string inverter is used to connect a number of series-connected PV modules (strings) to the public
supply grid. This way, even a large PV generator can be constructed from a large number of
individual strings, each having its own string inverter. The energy is then combined on the AC side.
Principle of a PV plant with a Sunny Boy
Position Description
APV modules
B Sunny Boy Combiner Box
C Sunny Boy with SMA DC Disconnect
D AC load circuit breaker
ELoad
F Energy meter
GUtility grid

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2.2 Safety precautions
DANGER
During operation, high voltages are present in the Sunny Boy.
Death or serious injury due to electric shock.
The following work on the inverter must be carried out by qualified personnel only.
• Electrical installation
• Repairs
• Modifications
Even when no external voltage is applied, high voltages can still be present in the device.
These high voltages can result in death or serious injury.
WARNING
The Sunny Boy becomes hot during operation.
Risk of burn.
• Do not touch the enclosure during operation.
• Only touch the lid during operation.
NOTICE
Overvoltages in the inverter.
Destruction of the inverter will result.
• Contact your installer whenever the inverter reports an error.

Safety SMA America, LLC
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2.3 Identifying the Sunny Boy
You can identify the Sunny Boy by the type label. It is on the right side of the enclosure.
The type label shows:
• The serial number (Serial No.).
• The type of product (Type/Model).
• Device-specific characteristics.
Position Description
AType label
B General warning label

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3 Operating modes
The different operating modes are indicated by 3 light-emitting diodes (LEDs) on the inverter lid, and
also via the integrated display (see section 4 "Information on the display" (page21)). To allow the
device to signal its operating mode via the 3 integrated LEDs, the inverter must be connected to the
DC side of the system. The level of solar irradiation must be high enough to supply the inverter with
sufficient DC voltage.
The following diagram shows the 3 LEDs, as exemplified by the Sunny Boy 10000TLUS.
A detailed description of the possible LED signals and blink codes is given in the following section.
LED Meaning
Green The green LED indicates normal operation of the inverter.
Red The red LED indicates an earth fault.
Yellow The yellow LED indicates that there is a fault of some kind, either inside the inverter
or somewhere in the PV system. The inverter will not operate until the fault has been
corrected. The different error codes and possible causes are addressed later in this
section and in chapter 6 "Measurement channels and messages" (page26).
LED Display
If you do not have any means of plant communication, it is advisable, particularly during
the first year of operation, to keep a close eye on this display at different times of day and
under varying solar irradiation conditions. This will enable you to recognize errors at an
early stage.

Operating modes SMA America, LLC
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3.1 LED operation indicators
3.1.1 All LEDs are off
Overnight shutdown
The inverter is in standby mode because the input voltage
is too low for operation.
If this operating mode occurs during a sunny day with
good irradiation, have the PV voltage checked by your
installer.
3.1.2 All LEDs are on
Initialization
The inverter is initializing. The power from the array is
sufficient to initialize control power, but not yet powerful
enough to begin normal operation. Data transmission is
not possible during initialization.
Occasionally, during inclement weather or low
irradiation, the LEDs may all turn on at once and then go
off again. This indicates that the inverter is trying to
initialize but the power available from the array is not
sufficient for normal operation. This is not a malfunction.
If no LED, or only the green LED is on or blinking, the inverter is operating normally. If all 3 LEDs are
lit up simultaneously, this is also an indication of normal operation ("initialization"). All other signals
are a sign of faulty operation.
3.1.3 The green LED is blinking rapidly
Starting
The inverter has sufficient PV power to calibrate its
internal systems, but not enough to begin normal
operation. Typically, the calibration lasts less than 10 sec.
and then the inverter resumes normal operation. PV
voltage must remain > PV Start Voltage setting for the
period of the P-Start parameter setting. The inverter will
also show this status if it has been manually set to STOP
mode.

SMA America, LLC Operating modes
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3.1.4 The green LED is blinking slowly
Waiting, Grid Monitoring
The inverter has determined that there is enough voltage
from the array to operate and is checking the condition of
the grid prior to connecting to it.
If the inverter fails to connect to the utility grid 3 times in
a row, it will wait 10 min. before the next attempt.
In case of a grid failure, the Sunny Boy waits 5 min.
before it tries to reconnect to the grid.
3.1.5 The green LED is continuously on
Feeding operation
The inverter is feeding the utility grid in either “MPP” or
“Constant Voltage” mode.
“MPP” Mode: The Sunny Boy adjusts the voltage and
current from the PV array to obtain the greatest PV output
power.
“Constant Voltage” Mode: The voltage from the PV array
has been set to a fixed value. This value is set by using the
Sunny Boy Control or the Sunny Data software (the parameter name is “V-Const”). This mode is
typically used for fuel cell or micro-hydro applications.
3.1.6 The green LED goes out briefly
Derating
The Sunny Boy is designed to operate at full rated power
up to 113°F (45°C) ambient temperature. The inverter
will continue to operate beyond 113°C (45°C) and
will derate as required to maintain a safe internal
component temperature. Unnecessary derating can be
caused by blocked fan intakes. For this reason the fan
intakes must be inspected in regular intervals and
cleaned if necessary.

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3.2 LED fault indicators
3.2.1 Red and Yellow LEDs are on
The inverter has detected a ground fault in the PV system
and has disconnected from the grid. The ground fault
must be located and fixed before the inverter will resume
normal operation. Refer to the installation guide for
information on solving PV array ground faults (the inverter
will not restart automatically).
3.2.2 The Red LED is continously on
Ground fault
The red LED on the Sunny Boy is permanently on. With
this blink code it is irrelevant whether the green or yellow
LEDs are on or blinking. When the red LED lights up
continuously, the inverter has detected a ground fault.
Contact your installer to have the error corrected.
Instructions on correction errors can be found in the
inverter installation guide.

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3.2.3 The yellow LED blinks twice
Grid failure
The yellow LED is on for 5 sec., out for 3 sec. and then blinks twice. The code is repeated 3 times. This
code sequence will repeat as long as there is a grid fault condition.
This code can be caused by any of the following conditions:
• Low Grid Voltage (<Vac Min)
• High Grid Voltage (>Vac Max)
• Low Grid Frequency (< fac Min)
• High Grid Frequency (>fac Max)
• Rapid change in grid frequency or voltage
Check the condition of the grid at the AC terminal blocks within the Sunny Boy. Also inspect the AC
disconnect between the Sunny Boy and the grid.
WARNING
During operation, high voltages are present in the Sunny Boy.
Death or serious injury due to electric shock.
• The grid connection to the Sunny Boy must be checked by qualified personnel.

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3.2.4 The yellow LED blinks 4 times
The yellow LED is on for 5 sec., remains off for 3 sec. and then blinks 4 times. The code is repeated
3 times. If the condition remains the code will continue to be sent.
The inverter has detected a DC input voltage that is too high for safe operation.
3.2.5 The yellow LED blinks 5 times
Device fault
The yellow LED is on for 5 sec., remains off for 3 sec. and then blinks 5 times. The code is repeated
3 times. If the condition remains the code will continue to be sent.
The inverter has encountered an internal fault that prohibits normal operation and will most likely
require servicing.
Contact SMA for assistance.
NOTICE
Destruction of the inverter caused by high DC input voltage.
• Contact your installer, who will immediately disconnect the PV generator from the
inverter and check the DC voltage, as described in the inverter installation guide.
• Always test the DC voltage at the DC disconnect switch before energizing the Sunny
Boy.

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3.2.6 The yellow LED blinks 6 times
Discharge current too high
The yellow fault LED lights up for 5 sec. when the fault occurs, and then starts emitting the following
blink code. 3 sec. off and then 6 brief consecutive blinks. This code is emitted 3 times in succession.
If this fault is still present, the fault signal starts over again.
The discharge current from the inverter and the PV generator is too high. The Sunny Boy interrupts grid
feeding immediately after exceeding a threshold value and switches back onto the grid automatically
after testing. If necessary, testing will be repeated several times.
Discharge current is dependent on the capacity of the PV generator relative to ground and also
depends on the type of modules and manner of installation as well as the weather conditions.
Therefore, it is quite normal for this value to vary over time.
However, if the inverter frequently displays this fault, please notify the installer who installed your PV
system and clarify the reasons for the high level of discharge current.
This fault message can also be triggered by a PE connection which is not connected to the inverter.
Discharge current
The fault "Discharge current too high" can only occur in transformerless inverters.
Transformerless inverters can be identified by their device designation. The "TL" in the name
stands for transformerless, e.g. Sunny Boy 10000TL‑US.
Correction of error by installer
Contact your installer to deal with the fault or get in touch with the SMA Serviceline.

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3.2.7 The yellow LED blinks 7 times
Drastic change in differential current
The yellow fault LED lights up for 5 sec. when the fault occurs, and then starts emitting the following
blink code. 3 sec. off and then 7 brief consecutive blinks. This code is emitted 3 times in succession.
If this fault is still present, the fault signal starts over again.
The Sunny Boy has detected a drastic change in differential current and immediately stopped feeding
into the grid. The integrated all-pole-sensitive residual current monitoring unit monitors the differential
current relative to ground from the inverter supply connection right through to the PV generator. This
additional personal protection system reacts to a drastic change in differential current of
IDN > 30 mA and disconnects the Sunny Boy from the grid within 0.2 sec.
Differential current
The fault "Drastic change in differential current" can only occur in transformerless inverters.
Transformerless inverters can be identified by their device designation. The "TL" in the name
stands for transformerless, e.g. Sunny Boy 10000TL‑US.