SMA SUNNY MINI CENTRAL 4600A User manual

SMC46-60A-IA-IEN120471 | IME-SMC50A_60A | Version 7.1
EN
PV Inverter
SUNNY MINI CENTRAL 4600A / 5000A / 6000A
Installation Manual

SMA Solar Technology AG Table of Contents
Installation Manual SMC46-60A-IA-IEN120471 3
Table of Contents
1 Information on this Manual. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
1.1 Validity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
1.2 Target Group . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
1.3 Additional Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
1.4 Symbols Used . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
2 Safety . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
2.1 Intended Use. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
2.2 Safety Precautions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
2.3 Explanation of Symbols . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
2.3.1 Symbols on the Inverter. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
2.3.2 Symbols on the Type Label . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
3 Unpacking. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
3.1 Scope of Delivery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
3.2 Identifying the Inverter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
4 Mounting. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
4.1 Safety . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
4.2 Selecting the Mounting Location. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
4.3 Mounting the Inverter with the Wall Mounting Bracket . . . . . . 17
5 Electrical Connection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
5.1 Overview of the Connection Area . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
5.1.1 Exterior View . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
5.1.2 Interior View . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
5.2 Connection to the Power Distribution Grid (AC). . . . . . . . . . . . 23
5.2.1 Conditions for the AC Connection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
5.2.2 Connecting the Inverter to the Power Distribution Grid (AC) . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
5.2.3 Additional Grounding of the Enclosure. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27

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5.3 Setting the Display Language . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
5.4 Connecting the PV Array (DC) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
5.4.1 Conditions for the DC Connection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
5.4.2 Assembling the DC Connectors. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
5.4.3 Opening the DC Connector . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
5.4.4 Connecting the PV Array (DC) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
5.5 Connection of the SMA Power Balancer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
5.5.1 Configuration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
5.5.2 Cabling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
5.5.3 Testing the Functioning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
5.6 Communication. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
5.7 Setting the Grid and Country Parameters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
5.7.1 Setting the Installation Country . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
5.7.2 Setting Stand‑alone Grid Operation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
5.7.3 Additional Country Parameters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
6 Commissioning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
6.1 Commissioning the Inverter. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
6.2 Display Messages During the Startup Phase . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49
6.3 Self‑test in Accordance with DK 5940, Ed. 2.2
(Applies to Italy Only). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50
6.3.1 Starting the Self‑Test by Tapping. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50
6.3.2 Completion of the Self‑test. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
7 Opening and Closing. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55
7.1 Safety . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55
7.2 Opening the Inverter. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55
7.3 Closing the Inverter. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58
8 Maintenance and Cleaning. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60
8.1 Cleaning the Inverter. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60
8.2 Checking Heat Dissipation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60

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Installation Manual SMC46-60A-IA-IEN120471 5
8.2.1 Cleaning the Fans . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60
8.2.2 Checking the Fans. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62
8.2.3 Cleaning the Fan Guards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63
8.3 Checking the Electronic Solar Switch (ESS) for Wear . . . . . . . 64
9 Troubleshooting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65
9.1 Blink Codes. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65
9.2 Error Messages. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66
9.3 Red LED is Permanently Lit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70
9.3.1 Checking the PV Array for Ground Faults . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71
9.3.2 Checking the Function of the Varistors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73
10 Decommissioning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75
10.1 Disassembling the Inverter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75
10.2 Packing the Inverter. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76
10.3 Storing the Inverter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76
10.4 Disposing of the Inverter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76
11 Technical Data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77
11.1 DC/AC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77
11.1.1 Sunny Mini Central 4600A. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77
11.1.2 Sunny Mini Central 5000A. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79
11.1.3 Sunny Mini Central 6000A. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81
11.2 General Data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82
11.3 Protective Devices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82
11.4 National Standards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83
11.5 Climatic Conditions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83
11.6 Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84
11.7 Electronic Solar Switch (ESS) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84
11.8 Torque. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84
11.9 Distribution Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84

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12 Accessories . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85
13 Contact . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86

SMA Solar Technology AG Information on this Manual
Installation Manual SMC46-60A-IA-IEN120471 7
1 Information on this Manual
1.1 Validity
This installation manual describes the assembly, installation, commissioning, maintenance and
troubleshooting of the following SMA inverters:
• Sunny Mini Central 4600A (SMC 4600A, SMC 4600A-11)
• Sunny Mini Central 5000A (SMC 5000A, SMC 5000A-11, SMC 5000A-IT)
• Sunny Mini Central 6000A (SMC 6000A, SMC 6000A-11, SMC 6000A-IT)
Keep this manual in a convenient place for future reference.
1.2 Target Group
This manual is for electrically qualified persons. The tasks described in this manual may be performed
by electrically qualified persons only.
1.3 Additional Information
You will find further information on special topics such as designing a miniature circuit‑breaker or the
description of the operating parameters in the download area at www.SMA.de/en.
Refer to the user manual provided for detailed information on operating the inverter.

Information on this Manual SMA Solar Technology AG
8 SMC46-60A-IA-IEN120471 Installation Manual
1.4 Symbols Used
The following types of safety precautions and general information are used in this manual:
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 situation that can result in property damage if not avoided.
Information
Information provides tips that are valuable for the optimal installation and operation of
your product.
☑ This symbol indicates the result of an action.

SMA Solar Technology AG Safety
Installation Manual SMC46-60A-IA-IEN120471 9
2 Safety
2.1 Intended Use
The Sunny Mini Central is a PV inverter which converts the direct current of the PV array to alternating
current and feeds it into the power distribution grid.
Operating Principle of a PV Plant with Sunny Mini Central
The Sunny Mini Central may only be operated with PV arrays (PV modules and cabling) of protection
class II. Do not connect any energy sources other than PV modules to the Sunny Mini Central.
When designing the PV plant, ensure that the values comply with the permitted operating range of all
components at all times. The free design program "Sunny Design" (www.SMA.de/en/SunnyDesign)
will assist you. The manufacturer of the PV modules must have approved the modules for use with this
Sunny Mini Central. You must also ensure that all measures recommended by the module
manufacturer for long-term maintenance of the module properties are taken (see also Technical
Information "Module Technology" in the download area of www.SMA.de/en).
For safety reasons, it is forbidden to modify the product or install component parts that are not
explicitly recommended or distributed by SMA Solar Technology AG.

Safety SMA Solar Technology AG
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2.2 Safety Precautions
DANGER!
Danger to life due to high voltages in the inverter.
• All work on the inverter may only be carried out by an electrically qualified person.
CAUTION!
Risk of burns due to hot enclosure parts.
• Do not touch the enclosure during operation.
• Only touch the enclosure lid during operation.
NOTICE!
Dust and water intrusion can damage the inverter.
Once the Electronic Solar Switch has been pulled out, the inverter only provides degree of
protection IP21. The inverter is then no longer protected against water and dust intrusion.
In order to also maintain degree of protection IP65 during temporary decommissioning,
proceed as follows:
• Unlock and disconnect all DC connectors.
• Open all DC connectors and remove the cables.
• Close all DC inputs with the corresponding DC connectors and the supplied sealing
plugs.
• Firmly connect the Electronic Solar Switch again.
PV array grounding
Comply with the local regulations for grounding the PV modules and the PV array. In order
to maintain the best possible protection for both the PV plant and human life,
SMA Solar Technology AG recommends connecting together the PV array frame and other
electrically conductive surfaces and grounding them.

SMA Solar Technology AG Safety
Installation Manual SMC46-60A-IA-IEN120471 11
2.3 Explanation of Symbols
This section gives an explanation of all the symbols found on the inverter and on the type label.
2.3.1 Symbols on the Inverter
* This function is valid from firmware version 2.15
** QR-Code is a registered trademark of DENSO WAVE INCORPORATED.
Symbol Explanation
Operation display. Indicates the operating state of the inverter.
Ground fault or varistor defective. Read section 9.3"Red LED is
Permanently Lit" (page70).
Error or fault. Read section 9"Troubleshooting" (page65).
You can operate the display by tapping the enclosure lid:
• Tapping once: the backlight switches on or the display scrolls to the
next display message.
• Tapping twice in quick succession*: The inverter shows the display
messages from the startup phase again (see section 6.2"Display
Messages During the Startup Phase" (page49)).
DC load disconnection unit Electronic Solar Switch (ESS)
• When the Electronic Solar Switch is plugged in, the DC electric
circuit is closed.
• To interrupt the DC electric circuit and safely disconnect the
inverter when under load, you must first remove the Electronic Solar
Switch and then all DC connectors .
QR‑Code®** for SMA bonus program
You will find information on the SMA bonus program at
www.SMA‑Bonus.com.

Safety SMA Solar Technology AG
12 SMC46-60A-IA-IEN120471 Installation Manual
2.3.2 Symbols on the Type Label
Symbol Explanation
Beware of hazardous voltage.
The inverter operates at high voltages. All work on the inverter may only be
carried out by an electrically qualified person.
Beware of hot surface.
The inverter can become hot during operation. Avoid contact during
operation.
Observe all documentation that accompanies the inverter.
The inverter must not be disposed of together with the household waste. For
more information on disposal, see section 10.4"Disposing of the Inverter"
(page76).
CE mark.
The inverter complies with the requirements of the applicable
EC guidelines.
The inverter has a transformer.
Direct current (DC)
Alternating current (AC)
Degree of protection IP65.
The inverter is protected against dust intrusion and water jets from any
angle.
RAL quality mark for solar products.
The inverter complies with the requirements of the German Institute for
Quality Assurance and Labeling.

SMA Solar Technology AG Unpacking
Installation Manual SMC46-60A-IA-IEN120471 13
3 Unpacking
3.1 Scope of Delivery
Check the delivery for completeness and any visible external damage. Contact your specialty retailer
if anything is damaged or missing.
Object Quantity Description
A1 Sunny Mini Central
B1Fan guards (right/left)
C1 Wall mounting bracket
D1 DC load disconnection unit Electronic Solar Switch (ESS)
E8DC connectors (4 x positive, 4 x negative)
F8 Sealing plugs for the DC connectors
G1 Cable gland for AC connection
H1 Counter nut for cable gland at AC connection
I1 Clamping bracket for additional grounding
K2Conical spring washers:
1 x for enclosure lid screws (replacement), 1 x for ground terminal
L2 Cheese‑head screws (M6x16):
1 x for enclosure lid (replacement), 1 x for ground terminal
M2 Jumpers (1 x for fan test, 1 x for the SMA Power Balancer wiring)
N2 Cheese‑head screws (M6x8) for securing the inverter to the wall mounting
bracket
O1 Silicone tube for insulating the SMA Power Balancer connection cable
P1 Installation Manual
Q1User Manual

Unpacking SMA Solar Technology AG
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3.2 Identifying the Inverter
You can identify the inverter using the type label. The type label is on the right‑hand side of the
enclosure.
The serial number (Serial No.) and the type (Type/Model) of the inverter, as well as device‑specific
characteristics are specified on the type label.
R1 Set of documents with explanations and certificates
S1 Supplementary sheet with inverter default settings
Object Quantity Description

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Installation Manual SMC46-60A-IA-IEN120471 15
4 Mounting
4.1 Safety
4.2 Selecting the Mounting Location
Consider the following requirements when selecting the mounting location:
• The mounting method and location must be suitable for the inverter's weight and dimensions
(see section 11"Technical Data" (page77)).
• Mount on a solid surface.
• The mounting location must at all times be clear and safely accessible without the use of
additional aids such as scaffolding or lifting platforms. Non‑fulfillment of these criteria may
restrict servicing.
DANGER!
Danger to life due to fire or explosion.
Despite careful construction, electrical devices can cause fires.
• Do not mount the inverter on flammable construction materials.
• Do not mount the inverter in areas where highly flammable materials are stored.
• Do not mount the inverter in a potentially explosive atmosphere.
CAUTION!
Risk of burns due to hot enclosure parts.
• Mount the inverter in such a way that it cannot be touched inadvertently.
CAUTION!
Risk of injury due to the heavy weight of the inverter.
• Take the inverter's weight of approx. 63 kg into account for mounting.

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• Mount vertically or tilted backwards by max. 45°.
• The connection area must point downward.
• Never mount the device with a forward tilt.
• Never install the device with a sideways tilt.
• Do not mount horizontally.
• Mount at eye level to allow operating states to be read at all times.
• The ambient temperature should be below 40°C to ensure optimum operation.
• Do not expose the inverter to direct solar irradiation as this can cause excessive heating and
thus power reduction.
• In living areas, do not mount the unit on plasterboard walls or similar to avoid audible vibrations.
When in use, the inverter emits noises which may be perceived as a nuisance in a living area.
• Observe the minimum clearances to walls, other
inverters, or objects as shown in the diagram in
order to ensure sufficient heat dissipation and
sufficient space for removing the
Electronic Solar Switch.
Multiple inverters installed in areas with high ambient temperatures
There must be sufficient clearance between the individual inverters to ensure that the
cooling air of the adjacent inverter is not taken in.
If necessary, increase the clearance spaces and make sure there is enough fresh‑air supply
to ensure sufficient cooling of the inverters.
500 mm
300 mm 300 mm
50 mm
300 mm

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Installation Manual SMC46-60A-IA-IEN120471 17
4.3 Mounting the Inverter with the Wall Mounting Bracket
1. Mark the position of the drill holes using the wall mounting bracket and drill the holes.
Use at least 2 of the 6 holes, with 1 hole on the right and 1 on the left.

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2. Secure the wall mounting bracket to the wall using
appropriate screws and washers.
3. Hang the inverter onto the wall mounting bracket
using the opening for this purpose in the rear of the
enclosure.
CAUTION!
Risk of injury due to the heavy weight of the inverter.
The inverter weighs approx. 63 kg.
• Attach the wall mounting bracket with the corresponding mounting material
(depending on the surface).
• Use the side handles (above and below)
or a steel rod (maximum diameter of
30 mm) for transport and mounting.
The rod must be pushed through the
enclosure openings.

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Installation Manual SMC46-60A-IA-IEN120471 19
4. Screw the inverter onto the wall mounting bracket
on both sides using the screws (M6x8) provided.
Only tighten the screws hand‑tight.
5. Check to ensure that the inverter is securely in
place.
6. Close the recessed grips with the fan guards
provided. To help you identify the sides, the fan
guards are marked "rechts/right" and "links/left" on
the inside.
The fan guards prevent dirt and insects from
entering the device and, if necessary, can be
reordered from SMA Solar Technology AG
(see section 13"Contact" (page86)).
Optional anti‑theft protection
To protect the inverter against theft, the back
panel can be secured to the wall at the bottom
using 2 safety screws.
The other 2 holes are spares.

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5 Electrical Connection
5.1 Overview of the Connection Area
5.1.1 Exterior View
The following figure shows the assignment of the individual connection areas on the bottom of the
inverter.
NOTICE!
Electrostatic discharges can damage the inverter.
Internal component parts of the inverter can be irreparably damaged by static electric
discharge.
• Ground yourself before touching a component part.
Object Description
ADC connectors for connecting the PV strings
BJack for connecting the Electronic Solar Switch (ESS) DC load disconnection unit
CCable glands for optional communication via RS485 (PG16)
DCable gland for connection to the power distribution grid (AC) (12 mm ... 25 mm)
ECable glands for SMA Power Balancer