Sun Power SunPower User manual

YOUR
SUNPOWER®
SOLAR SYSTEM
GUIDE

WELCOME TO SUNPOWER
Congratulations on purchasing a new SunPower®solar system.
With over 100,000 solar systems powering homes worldwide, more homeowners are
choosing SunPower. Whenever the sun is shining, you will know you are doing your part to
improve the environment.
Please do not hesitate to contact your SunPower retailer with questions about your system.
We are excited to welcome you to the SunPower family as you are making a change that
benefits you and the environment for decades to come.

TABLE OF CONTENTS
01 Getting Started
03 How Your System Works
04Your Solar Panels
05Your Inverter
08SunPower Monitoring System
09Electrical Utilities
10General Safety Precautions
11Frequently Asked Questions

01

GETTING STARTED
Your SunPower®Solar system is a new
and important element of your home. The
system integrates seamlessly with your
home’s electrical system to provide clean
and renewable solar power.
You can expect many benefits from your
system, including:
· Savings On Your Electricity Bill:
Your home will consume the energy
that comes from your solar system to
reduce the energy you take from the
utility grid.
· Worry-free Operation:
With no moving parts, your SunPower
system is durable and virtually
maintenance free.
· Clean Power Generation:
Your SunPower system produces clean,
emission-free solar electricity that
helps to reduce air pollution.
01
YOUR SUNPOWER SOLAR SYSTEM GUIDE

02
1 2 3 4

HOW YOUR SUNPOWER®SOLAR
SYSTEM WORKS
1. SUNPOWER®SOLAR PANELS
From sunrise to sunset, the SunPower solar system is converting sunlight into electricity.
The system turns on automatically in the morning and turns off automatically at night.
Solar cells within the panels produce Direct Current (DC) electricity that flows to
an inverter.
2. THE INVERTER
The inverter converts the DC electricity being produced by your panels into Alternating
Current (AC), which is required for household use. The converted solar electricity is
delivered directly to your home’smain electrical service panel.
3. YOUR ELECTRIC METER
The electric meter measures the net electricity usage, accounting for the difference
between your home consumption and your SunPower system’s energy production. The
meter will show the electricity that your SunPower system sends to the grid, otherwise
known as solar export.
Depending on your electricity retailer,you may receive a credit on your power bill from
any solar export measured by your electricity meter.
4. THE MONITORING SYSTEM
The Monitoring System provides you with detailed visibility on the amount of energy your
system is producing, in addition to historical data. You can monitor your solar energy
information online by the FREE software provided by the solar inverter manufacturer.
© 2012 SunPower Corporation. All Rights Reserved. SUNPOWER and the SUNPOWER Logo are registered trademarks
of SunPower Corporation in the U.S. and other countries. iPhone, iPod, iPad and iTunes are registered trademarks of
Apple Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries. Android is a registered trademark of Google, Inc, registered in the
U.S. and other countries. All other respective trademarks remain a respectable licensed product of it’s original creator.
03
YOUR SUNPOWER SOLAR SYSTEM GUIDE

04
YOUR SUNPOWER SOLAR SYSTEM GUIDE
HOW SUNPOWER®SOLAR PANELS WORK
CONVERTING SUNLIGHT INTO ELECTRICITY
SunPower solar panel’s unique design are designed and built for higher efficiency,
allowing them to convert the maximum amount of available sunlight into electricity. Though
they are effectively maintenance free, SunPower recommends you take certain precautions
to keep the system operating at its optimal level.
SHADING
· SunPower panels should be shade free: trees, plants, or other obstructions – including
rooftop antennas or satellite dishes, should be removed if possible.
· If necessary, safely trim any vegetation that might shade the panels during
daylight hours.
GENERAL SAFETY PRECAUTIONS AND CLEANING
· Our solar panels do not generally require cleaning to meet your system’sannual energy
expectations. Seasonal rains are usually enough to adequately clear any soil or dust that
might accumulate. When your SunPower Partner designed your system, they took into
account the typical soil accumulation for your area.
· If excessive soiling occurrs, or if you would like to try improving annual system output
beyond what is typically expected, you can clean your panels by spraying them from the
ground with a standard garden hose. Only spray the panels early in the morning or late
in the evening when the sun is very low on the horizon or not directly visible at all. Avoid
spraying the panels when the sun is at its peak and allow the panels to cool before
spraying them. Spraying cold water on a hot panel could result in panel damage,
voiding the product warranty. Tomaximize the energy improvement from cleaning, try
performing it during the summer months and in between natural rainfall cycles.
Alternatively you could get professional solar panel cleaners to address the soiling issue
- contact your SunPower partener to advice.
· Do not use abrasive cleaners or anything that could scratch the surface of the panels.
Many SunPower Partners offer professional panel cleaning services, talk to your
SunPower Partner to see if this is a service they offer.
·It’s not necessary to go onto your roof for panel cleaning or inspection and we strongly
recommend you not do so. If you choose to go on your roof, please take all safety
precautions and do not touch or disturb the panels or wiring. It is important to remember that
only a SunPower Authorized Partner should repair or touch system components. Please
remind anyone going on your roof that they should not disturb the panels or wiring.
· Do not use mirrors or any other objects to concentrate sunlight on panels. Doing so will
void your warranty.

HOW YOUR INVERTER WORKS
The SunPower®solar system produces Direct Current (DC) electricity power that flows
from the roof panels to an inverter. The inverter converts the DC power into Alternating
Current (AC). Please consult your inverter instruction manual for information on the
display and other features.
STARTING UP THE INVERTER
During normal operation, the unit will remain turned on. It is not necessary to turn the unit
on and off each day.
To verify that your inverter is on, look at the front panel. During daylight hours, the green
LED on the LCD screen should be lit. If the LED light is Red or Yellow, please contact your
SunPower installer. If no LED light is on during daytime, please follow the steps below.
(Please note that it is normal for the LEDs to be off during night time)
1. Turn the PV Array DC Isolator into the ON position. If the inverter is already on,
cycle the switch OFF to ON.
2. Ensure that the solar AC Main Switch Inverter Supply in your service panel (fuse box)
is firmly engaged in the “ON” position. If the breaker is not fully engaged proceed
to re-set it. If the breaker is in the “OFF position” move it to the “ON” position.
Note: Your inverter will take approximately 1 to 2 minutes to connect to the grid.
After this period of time you will see a solid green LED as long as there is sunlight
hitting the panels.
SHUTTING DOWN THE INVERTER **see installer provided shutdown procedure**
If you need to turn off your solar system simply follow the above "Starting up the
inverter" in reverse. In other words, do step 2 followed by step 1.
05
YOUR SUNPOWER SOLAR SYSTEM GUIDE

06
YOUR SUNPOWER SOLAR SYSTEM GUIDE
FRONT PANEL INVERTER DISPLAY
Depending on the type of inverter that’s been installed, you will be able to access basic
information by pressing the appropriate button, or by opening the screen near the inverter’s
lid. Some inverter units will automatically scroll through this information every 5 seconds
READING THE INVERTER DISPLAY
· Depending on the size of the system installed, you may have one or more inverters. During
daylight hours, the inverter displays system production data.
The inverter has an LCD display and three LED lights indicating the inverter status.
The screen continuously scrolls through operating data during daylight hours, displaying
readings that indicate its current energy production.
Message #1: “E-Today”– total energy produced on this day measured in kilowatt
hours (kWh).
Message #2: Actual instantaneous AC power output and DC input voltage.
Message #3: System total energy production and total hours of operation since installation.
E-today 3.86kwh
Mode MMP
Pac 3200W
Upv 380V
E-total 724.4kwh
h-total 512h