Sofar solar 3.3-12KTL-X User manual

SOFAR 3.3K~12KTL-X User manual
All rights reserved ©Shenzhen SOFARSOLAR Co ., Ltd.
0
User Manual
Solar Grid-tied Inverter
Product Model: Sofar 3.3 - 12KTL-X

SOFAR 3.3K~12KTL-X User manual
All rights reserved ©Shenzhen SOFARSOLAR Co ., Ltd.
1
Contents
1. Basic safety information ..................................................................... 8
1.1. Safety instructions .......................................................................... 8
1.2. Symbols and signs........................................................................10
2. Product characteristics ...................................................................... 12
2.1. Product identification ................................................................... 12
2.2. Function description ..................................................................... 14
2.3. Protection modules ....................................................................... 15
3. Installation 17
3.1. Installation Process.......................................................................17
3.2. Checking Before Installation ........................................................17
3.3. Tools.............................................................................................19
3.4. Determining the Installation Position ...........................................21
3.5. Installing the SOFAR 3.3K~12KTL-X ........................................ 22
4. Electrical Connections ......................................................................24
4.1. Electrical connection .................................................................... 24
4.2. Grounding Connection (PE) .........................................................24
4.3. Connecting AC Output Power Cables .......................................... 26
4.4. Connecting Communications Cables............................................ 28
4.5. Connecting DC Input Power Cables.............................................33
4.6. DRMs Functions...........................................................................38
4.6.1. DRMs port ............................................................................... 39
4.6.2. Enabling DRMs........................................................................39
4.7. Safety check .................................................................................40
5.
Commissioning of inverter ...............................................................42
5.1. Safety inspection before commissioning......................................42
5.2. Start Inverter.................................................................................42
5.3. Shutdown Inverter ........................................................................43
6. Operation interface ........................................................................... 44
6.1. Operation and Display Panel........................................................ 44
6.2. Standard Interface......................................................................... 45
6.3. Main Interface ..............................................................................47
7. Trouble shooting and maintenance ................................................... 66

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7.1. Earth Fault / GFCI ........................................................................66
7.2. Trouble shooting...........................................................................66
7.3. Maintenance .................................................................................74
8. Decommissioning .............................................................................75
8.1. Decommissioning steps ................................................................75
8.2. Package.........................................................................................75
8.3. Storage..........................................................................................75
8.4. Disposal........................................................................................ 75
9. Technical data 76
9.1. Input parameter (DC) ................................................................... 76
9.2. Output parameter (AC)................................................................. 77
9.3. Efficiency, Safety and Protection ................................................. 78
9.4. General Data................................................................................. 79
10. Quality Assurance............................................................................. 80
10.1. Standard warranty period .............................................................80

SOFAR 3.3K~12KTL-X User manual
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Figures and Tables
Figure 2-1Interface figure ..........................................................................12
Figure 2-2 Inverter front & side dimensions ..............................................13
Figure 2-3 Overview of the grid configurations.........................................14
Figure 3-1 Installation flowchart ................................................................ 17
Figure 3-2 Wall clearances for single inverter ........................................... 22
Figure 3-3 Wall clearances for multiple inverters ...................................... 22
Figure 3-4 Wall mount procedure ..............................................................23
Figure 4-1 Cable connection flowchart ......................................................24
Figure 4-2 Grounding connection instruction (1).......................................24
Figure 4-3 Grounding connection instruction (2)....................................... 25
Figure 4-4 Inverter ground terminal placement.......................................... 26
Figure 4-5AC output cable assembly .........................................................28
Figure 4-6 Cable connection schematic diagram........................................28
Figure 4-7 WIFI/RS485 location................................................................ 29
Figure 4-8 Waterproof RJ45 connector assembly ......................................29
Figure 4-9 RS485 wiring pinout(1) ............................................................ 30
Figure 4-10 RS485 Connecting communications cable(2)......................... 30
Figure 4-11 RS485 Connecting communications cable(3)......................... 30
Figure 4-12 Single inverter communications .............................................31
Figure 4-13 Multiple inverter communications.......................................... 32
Figure 4-14 Connect multiple Wifi to wireless router................................33
Figure 4-15 DRM port................................................................................ 33
Figure 4-16 Positive MC4 connector .........................................................35
Figure 4-17 Negative MC4 connector........................................................ 36
Figure 4-18 Stripping length of DC cable ..................................................37
Figure 4-19 Assemble the crimped MC4 ...................................................37
Figure 4-20 Connecting DC input power cable..........................................38
Figure 4-21 Removing a DC input connector ............................................38
Figure 4-22 DRMs port location ................................................................39
Figure 4-23 DRMs wiring scheme .............................................................40

SOFAR 3.3K~12KTL-X User manual
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Table 3-1 Component list ...........................................................................19
Table 3-2 Tools required for installation....................................................21
Table 4-1 AC breaker and RCD specifications .......................................... 26
Table 4-2 Max recommended AC cable length.......................................... 27
Table 4-3 Recommended DC input cable specifications............................ 35
Table 4-4 DRMs port description............................................................... 39
Table 6-1 Country code setting .................................................................. 50
Table 7-1 Event list/ Error table .................................................................74

SOFAR 3.3K~12KTL-X User manual
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Notice
Thank you on your purchase of a SofarSolar inverter. This manual contains
important safety and operational information that assist you in using this
product. Please observe all applicable safety regulations that have been
mandated by your local electrical supplier.
Save these instructions!
This manual should be considered a piece of safety equipment and therefore
must accompany the device, even when it is transferred to another user or
site.
Copyright Declaration
The copyright of this manual belongs to Shenzhen SOFARSOLAR Co. Ltd.
Any corporation or individual should not plagiarise, partially copy or fully
copy it (including software, etc),and no reproduction or distribution of it in
any form or by any means. All right reserved.
SOFARSOLAR reserves the right of final interpretation. This manual is
subject to change according to user’s or customer’s feedback. Please check
our website at http://www.sofarsolar.com for latest version.
The current Version updated at 20210813.
The current Version is V1.02-AU.
Shenzhen SOFARSOLAR Co., Ltd
Location: 401, Building 4, Antongda Industrial Park, District 68, XingDong
Community, XinAn Street, BaoAn District, Shenzhen, China.
Postcode: 518000
Company Website: www.sofarsolar.com
Email: [email protected]

SOFAR 3.3K~12KTL-X User manual
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Outline
Please read the product manual carefully before installation, operation or
maintenance. This manual contains important safety instructions and
installation instructions that must be followed during installation and
maintenance of the equipment.
Scope
This product manual describes the assembly, installation, commissioning,
and maintenance of the following inverters.
3.3KTL-X* 4.4KTL-X 5KTL-X* 5.5KTL-X
6.6KTL-X 8.8KTL-X 11KTL-X 12KTL-X
* Specific regions only
Keep this manual where it will be accessible at all times.
Target Group
This manual is for qualified person (support person, service person are
qualified mentioned in this manual).
Symbols Used
This manual provides safety operation information and uses the symbol in
order to ensure personal and property security and use the inverter efficiently
when operating the inverter. You must understand these emphasize
information to avoid the personal injury and property loss. Please read the
following symbols which used in this manual carefully.
Danger indicates a hazardous situation which, if not avoided, will
result in death or serious injury.
Danger
Warning indicates a hazardous situation which, if not avoided,
could result in death or serious injury.
Warning
Caution indicates a hazardous situation, if not avoided, could
result in minor or moderate injury.
Caution

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Attention indicates there are potential risks. If fail to prevent,
may lead to equipment cannot run normally or property damage.
Attention
Note provides tips that are valuable for the optimal operation of
the product.
Note

SOFAR 3.3K~12KTL-X User manual
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1. Basic safety information
If you have any question or problem when you read the following information,
please contact Shenzhen SOFARSOLAR Co ., Ltd .
Note
1.1. Safety instructions
Read and understand the instruction of this manual, and be familiar with
relevant safety symbols in the paragraph, then start to install and debug the
equipment.According to the national and state requirements, before connect
the grid, you must get power department permission, and perform the
operation only by qualified electrical engineer.Before installing and
maintaining the equipment, you should cut off the high voltage application
of PV array. You can also open the switch of Solar Array Combiner to cut
off the high voltage. Otherwise, serious injury may be caused.
Qualified persons
The customer must make sure the operator has the necessary skill and
training to do his/her job. Staff in charge of using and maintaining the
equipment must be skilled, aware and mature for the described tasks and
must have the reliability to correctly interpret what is described in the
manual. For safety reason only a qualified electrician, who has received
training and / or has demonstrated skills and knowledge in construction and
in operation of this unit, can install this inverter. Shenzhen SOFARSOLAR
Co., Ltd does not take any responsibility for the property destruction and
personal injury because of any incorrect use.
Assembly situation requirements
Please install and start inverter according to the following sections. Put the
inverter in appropriate bearing capacity objects(such as wall and components
and so on), to ensure that inverter vertical placed. Choose suitable place for
installing electrical equipment. And assure enough fire exit space,
convenience for maintenance. Maintain proper ventilation, and ensure that
have the enough air cooling cycle.

SOFAR 3.3K~12KTL-X User manual
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Transport requirements
If you find packing problems that may cause the damage of the inverter, or
find any visible damage, please immediately notice the responsible
transportation company. You can ask solar equipment installation contractor
or Shenzhen SOFARSOLAR Co.Ltd for help if necessary. Transport of the
equipment, especially by road, must be carried out with by suitable ways and
means for protecting the components (in particular, the electronic
components) from violent shocks, humidity, vibration, etc.
Electric connection
Please comply with all the current electrical regulations about accident
prevention in dealing with the current inverter.

Before the electrical connection, make sure to use opaque material
to cover the PV modules or to disconnect PV array DC switch.
Exposure to the sun, PV array will produce a dangerous voltage!
When the photovoltaic array is exposed to light, it supplies a DC
voltage to the PCE.
Danger
All installation accomplished only by professional electrical
engineer!
must be trained;
Completely read the manual operation and understand relevant
matters.
Electrical installation and maintenance shall be conducted by
qualified electrician and shall comply with national wiring rules.
Warning
Only get permission by the local power department and complete all
electrical connection by professional electrical engineer then connect
inverter into grid!
Attention
The equipment is composed of two cases. It’s forbidden to remove
the tamper evident label, and open the upper case. Otherwise
SOFARSOLAR will not provide service and maintenance.!
Note
Operation
Touching the power grid or the terminal of equipment may lead to
die of electric shock or fire!
Don’t touch the terminal or conductor which connect to the power
circuit;
Pay attention to
anything about grid connection and security
document.
Danger

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Some internal components will be very hot when inverter is working.
Please wear protective gloves!
Attention
Maintenance and repair

Disconnected with the PV components array and electricity grid
before any repair work;
After turn off AC breaker and DC switch for 5 minutes later, the
maintenance or repair of the inverter can be carried out!
Danger
Inverter should work again after removing any faults. If you need
any repair work, please contact with the local authorized service
center;

Can’t open the internal components of inverter without
authorized. Shenzhen SOFARSOLAR Co., Ltd. does not take any
responsibility for the losses from that.
Attention
1.2. Symbols and signs
Safety symbols
Electromagnetic radiation from inverter may be harmful to health!
Please do not continue to stay away from the inverter in less than 20
cm when inverter is working.
Danger
Caution of burn injuries due to hot enclosure parts!
During working only can touch the display and key parts of inverter.
Caution
PV array should be connected to the ground in accordance with
requirements of local power department!
To protect system and the personnel security, we suggest that PV array
of border and inverter should be reliable grounding .
Attention
Ensure input DC voltage < Max.DC voltage .Over voltage may cause
permanent damage to inverter or other losses, which will not be
included in warranty!
Warning
Signs on the inverter
There are some symbols which are related to security on the inverter. Please
read and understand the content of the symbols, and then start the installation.
There is residual voltage in the inverter! Before open the equipment,
operator should wait for five minutes to ensure the capacitance discharge
completely.

SOFAR 3.3K~12KTL-X User manual
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Be careful of high voltage.
Be careful of high temperature.
Conformity with European.
Point of connection for grounding.
This indicates the allowed temperature range.
This indicates the degree of protection of the equipment according to IEC
standard 70-1 (EN 60529 June 1997).
Positive pole and negative pole of the input voltage (DC).
RCM (Regulatory Compliance Mark)
The product complics with the requirements of the applicable
Australian standards

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2. Product characteristics
2.1. Product identification
The Sofar inverters are grid-tied inverters which convert DC current
generated by PV modules into AC current and feed it into the public grid.
Figure 2-1Interface figure
① ② ③ ④ ⑤ ⑥ ⑦ ⑧
1 DC switch 2-3 PV input terminals (DCV C) 4 (DCV A)
5-6 RS485 (DCV A) 7 Breather valve 8 AC Output (DCV C)

SOFAR 3.3K~12KTL-X User manual
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Figure 2-2 Inverter front & side dimensions
Intended grid types
SOFAR 3.3K~12KTL-X inverters are compatible with TN-S, TN-C, TN-C-
S, TT IT grid configurations. For the TT type of electricity grid,the voltage
between neutral and earth should be less than 30V.

SOFAR 3.3K~12KTL-X User manual
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Figure 2-3 Overview of the grid configurations
2.2. Function description
Function module
A. Data transmission
The inverter may be monitored remotely through an advanced
communications system based on an RS485 serial interface, or remotely via
the WIFI.
B. Energy management unit
B.1 Remote switching on/off
This control can be used to switch the inverter on/off through an external
(remote) control.
B.2 Feeding reactive power into the grid
The inverter is able to produce reactive power and can therefore feed it into
the grid through the setting of the phase shift factor. Feed-in management
can be controlled directly by the grid company through a dedicated RS485
serial interface.
B.3 Limiting the active power fed into the grid
If this function is enable, inverter can limit the amount of active power fed
into grid with required value(expressed as a percentage).

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B.4 Self power reduction when grid over frequency
When the grid frequency is over limited value, inverter will reduce output
power which do good to the grid stability.
B.5 Power reduction due to environmental conditions, input output voltage
The power reduction value and the inverter temperature at which it occurs
depend on the ambient temperature and on many operating para-meters.
Example: input voltage, grid voltage and power available from the
photovoltaic field. The inverter can therefore reduce the power during certain
periods of the day and according to the value of these parameters.
C.Software update
SD card is used for updating the firmware.
2.3. Protection modules
A. Anti-islanding
In the event of a local grid outage by the electricity company, or when the
equipment is switched off for maintenance operations, the inverter must be
physically disconnected safely, to ensure protection of people working on
the grid, all in accordance with the relevant national standards and laws. To
prevent possible islanding, the inverter is equipped with an automatic
protective disconnection system called “Anti-Islanding”.
B. RCMU
SOFAR inverters are equipped with a redundancy on the reading of the
ground leakage current sensitive to all components of both direct and
alternating current. Measurement of the ground leakage current is carried out
at the same time and independently by 2 different processors: it is sufficient
for one of the two to detect an anomaly to trip the protection, with consequent
separation from the grid and stopping of the conversion process.
C. Grid monitoring
Continuous monitoring of the grid voltage to ensure the voltage and
frequency values stay within operating limits.
D. Inverter internal device protection

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The inverter has all kinds of internal protection to protect the device inside
when grid or input DC side have abnormal situation.
E. Ground fault protection
This inverter must be used with panels connected with “floating”
connections, that is, with positive and negative terminals without ground
connections. An advanced ground fault protection circuit continuously
monitors the ground connection and disconnects the inverter when a ground
fault is detected . The ground fault condition is indicated by a red LED on
the front panel.

SOFAR 3.3K~12KTL-X User manual
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3. Installation
This topic describes how to install this product, please read carefully before
install.
Do NOT install the product on flammable material.
Do NOT store this product in potentially explosive
atmospheres.
Dangers
The enclosure and heat sink will get hot during operation,
please do not mount the product at an easy to reach location.
Caution
Consider the weight of this product when doing transport
and moving.
Choose an appropriate mounting position and surface.
At least two persons for installation.
Attention
3.1. Installation Process
Figure 3-1 Installation flowchart
3.2. Checking Before Installation
Checking Outer Packing Materials
Before unpacking, please check the condition of the outer package materials
if any damaged found, such as holes, cracks, please not unpack the product,
contact your distributor immediately. Recommend installing the product
within 24 hours after unpacking the package.

SOFAR 3.3K~12KTL-X User manual
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Checking Contents
After unpacking, please check according to following table, to see whether
all the parts were included in the packing, please contact your distributor
immediately if anything missing or damage.
No. Pictures Quantity Description
1 1PCS SOFAR 3.3K~12KTL-X
2 1PCS Rear panel
3 2PCS DC+ input terminal
4 2PCS DC- input terminal
5 2PCS Metal terminals secured to DC+
input power cables
6 2PCS Metal terminals secured to DC-
input power cables
7 3PCS M6 Hexagon screws
8 6PCS M8*80 Expansion bolts used to
secure the rear panel to the wall
9 1PCS AC Output connector
10 1PCS 6pin terminal blocks

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3.3. Tools
Tool
Model
Function
Hammer drill
With a drill bit of
Φ8.0
Used to drill holes on the wall
R 45 crimping tool
N/A
Used to prepare RJ45 connectors for
Communications cables
Adjustable wrench
With an open end of
larger than or greater
than 32 mm
Used to tighten expansion bolts
Flat-head screwdriver
M4

Used to tighten or loosen screws when
installing AC power cables.

Used to remove AC connectors from
the SOFAR 3.3K~12KTL
-X.
Note: The torque
screwdriver and flat-
head screwdriver are alternative.
Socket wrench
M5
Used to
tighten ground bolt
Rubber mallet
N/A
Used to hammer expansion bolts into
holes
Removal tool
N/A
Used to remove DC connectors from the
11 1PCS Manual
12 1PCS The warranty card
13
1PCS Certificate
Table 3-1 Component list