Technical Information

PV Inverters
Use of PV Inverters in Off-Grid and Battery-Backup Systems in North and South America

Content
Both in off-grid systems and in the event of grid failures in battery-backup systems, grid fluctuations in the stand-alone grid
are possible. This may cause severe deviations in nominal voltage and nominal frequency. Despite such fluctuations, all
of the components in these systems must function without problems.
This technical information will inform you about the following topics:
• Which PV inverters you can use in off-grid systems and battery-backup systems
• Which parameters you need to set in the PV inverter
• What type of communication you need to install in battery-backup systems
• Which values the parameters of PV inverters will take in stand-alone mode
• How the output power of the PV inverter can be limited by the Frequency-Shift Power Control (FSPC) function of the
Sunny Island

SB-OffGrid-TI-US-en-19 | Version 1.9 AMERICAN ENGLISH

1  Usable PV inverters (Modified: July 2017) SMA Solar Technology America LLC

1 Usable PV inverters (Modified: July 2017)

PV Inverters Off-grid system battery-backup Available?
system
Sunny Boy (SB)
SB 700U ✓ ✖ No
SB 3000US ✓ ✓ No
SB 3800-US-10 ✓ ✓ No
SB 4000US ✓ ✓ No
SB 5000US ✓ ✓ No
SB 6000US ✓ ✓ No
SB 7000US ✓ ✓ No
SB 8000US ✓ ✓ No
SB 2000HFUS-30 ✖ ✖ No
SB 2500HFUS-30 ✖ ✖ No
SB 3000HFUS-30 ✖ ✖ No
SB 3000TL-US-22 ✖1 ✓ No
1
SB 3800TL-US-22 ✖ ✓ No
SB 4000TL-US-22 ✖1 ✓ No
SB 5000TL-US-22 ✖1 ✓ No
SB 6000TL-US-22 ✖1 ✓ No
1
SB 7000TL-US-22 ✖ ✓ No
SB 7700TL-US-22 ✖1 ✓ No
SB3.0-1SP-US-40 ✓ ✖ Yes
SB3.8-1SP-US-40 ✓ ✖ Yes
SB5.0-1-SP-US-40 ✓ ✖ Yes
SB6.0-1-SP-US-40 ✓ ✖ Yes
SB7.0-1SP-US-40 ✓ ✖ Yes
SB7.7-1-SP-US-40 ✓ ✖ Yes
SB 5000TLUS-12 ✓ ✓ No
SB 6000TLUS-12 ✓ ✓ No
SB 7000TLUS-12 ✓ ✓ No
SB 8000TLUS-12 ✓ ✓ No
SB 9000TLUS-12 ✓ ✓ No
SB 10000TLUS-12 ✓ ✓ No
SB 11000TLUS-12 ✓ ✓ No
1) Since 2016, no longer supported.

✓ Compatible ✖ Not compatible

2 SB-OffGrid-TI-US-en-19 Technical Information

SMA Solar Technology America LLC 2  Configuration of PV Inverters in Off-Grid Systems

PV Inverters Off-grid system battery-backup Available?

system
Sunny Tripower (STP)
STP 12000TL-US-10 ✖ ✖ Yes
STP 15000TL-US-10 ✖ ✖ Yes
STP 20000TL-US-10 ✖ ✖ Yes
STP 24000TL-US-10 ✖ ✖ Yes
STP 30000TL-US-10 ✖ ✖ Yes

✓ Compatible ✖ Not compatible

System failures due to excessive power output of AC sources in the stand-alone grid
If the power of the AC sources (e.g. PV inverters) in off-grid systems or battery-backup systems is too high, it may
cause system failures.
• Design the total nominal AC power of the PV inverters to be no more than twice as high as the nominal AC
power of the Sunny Island.
• If wind power inverters feed into the stand-alone grid, design the total nominal power of the AC sources in the
stand-alone grid to be no larger than the nominal AC power of the Sunny Island.
• Allow at least 100 Ah of battery capacity per 1000 W of nominal AC power from the AC sources in the
stand-alone grid.

2 Configuration of PV Inverters in Off-Grid Systems

The country data set must be set to stand-alone mode in off-grid systems.
You can order PV inverters configured for stand-alone mode or you can configure existing PV inverters for stand-alone
mode (see Section 4 "Communication Products for Configuring PV Inverters", page 5). During the first ten operating hours
you can adjust the country data set for many PV inverters by means of rotary switches (see the manual of the PV inverter).

Setting the Country Data Set via RS485

The following table shows how the country data set must be set during configuration of the PV inverter via RS485.
The parameter name and the configurable value depend on the PV inverter and the communication product in use.
Parameter name Value
Default Off-Grid
or or
CntrySet depending on power frequency, OFF-Grid50 for 50 Hz power frequency or
Off-Grid60 for 60 Hz power frequency

Technical Information SB-OffGrid-TI-US-en-19 3

3  Configuration of PV Inverters in Battery-Backup Systems SMA Solar Technology America LLC

Setting the Country Data set via Speedwire

The following table shows how the country data set must be set during configuration of the PV inverters via Speedwire.
The country data set value depends on the PV inverter being used.
Parameter name Value
Set country standard Either Island mode
or
depending on power frequency, Island mode 50 for 50 Hz power frequency or
Island mode 60 for 60 Hz power frequency

3 Configuration of PV Inverters in Battery-Backup Systems

In a battery-backup system, the Sunny Island is connected to the utility grid and communicates with the PV inverters via
RS485. This is why the Sunny Island and each PV inverter must be equipped with an RS485 Piggy-Back or an RS485
data module. In a cluster, only the master of the Sunny Island inverters may be equipped with an RS485 Piggy-Back. In
a battery-backup system, all PV inverters must be configured for backup operation (see Section 4 "Communication
Products for Configuring PV Inverters", page 5).

Setting Backup Operation via RS485

The following table shows how backup operation must be set during configuration of the PV inverter via RS485.
The parameter name and the configurable value depend on the PV inverter and the communication product in use.
Parameter name Value
Backup Mode On all
or or
Op.BckOpMod OnAllPhs

In battery-backup systems you operate the PV inverters with the locally typical country data set for grid-connected PV
systems as per UL1741. If the parameter is set to On all or OnAllPhs, the system meets the requirements as per UL1741.

PV inverters without backup operation

For PV inverters without backup operation, the country data set must be set to the locally typical value for grid-tie
PV systems as per UL1741. The PV inverter is then configured for operation on the utility grid. In the event of a utility
grid failure, the Sunny Island is unable to derate the PV inverters by means of Frequency-Shift Power Control (FSPC).
If there is an excessive supply of energy, the PV inverters will switch off.

4 SB-OffGrid-TI-US-en-19 Technical Information

SMA Solar Technology America LLC 4  Communication Products for Configuring PV Inverters

4 Communication Products for Configuring PV Inverters

SMA Grid Guard code required to change grid-relevant parameters
To change grid-relevant parameters in the PV inverter after ten operating hours, you will need the SMA Grid Guard
code.
• Select a communication product corresponding to the type of communication and the PV inverter used.
• Apply for an SMA Grid Guard code to change grid-relevant parameters (for an application for the SMA Grid
Guard code, see the certificate "Application for SMA Grid Guard Code" at www.SMA-Solar.com).

PV Inverters with RS485

You can configure PV inverters with RS485 using the following communication products:
• Sunny WebBox
• Sunny Boy Control
• Computer with Sunny Data/Sunny Data Control software
For PV inverters without RS485 Piggy-Back or RS485 data module, you will also need a service cable for data
transmission (USB Service Interface, SMA order number: USBPBS).

PV Inverters with Speedwire

You can configure PV inverters with Speedwire using the following communication products:
• Sunny Explorer
• SMA Cluster Controller

Technical Information SB-OffGrid-TI-US-en-19 5

5  Parameter Values in Stand-Alone Mode SMA Solar Technology America LLC

5 Parameter Values in Stand-Alone Mode

The OFF Grid setting for the Default parameter affects the following parameters of the PV inverter that communicates
via RS485.
Parameters Unit Value
Test current mA Off (MSD=0)
Vac.Min V ‒50% VAC Nom*
Vac.Max V +20% VAC Nom*
Fac-delta‒ Hz -4.5
Lower range in which the Sunny Boy is active relative to (starting from base frequency f0)
f0
Fac-max+ Hz +4.5
Upper range, where the Sunny Boy is active, based on f0 (starting from base frequency f0)

dFac-Max Hz 5
Max. rate of change
Fac-start delta Hz 1
Frequency increase in relation to f0, at which point the (starting from base frequency f0)
power adjustment via frequency begins
Fac-Limit delta Hz 2
Frequency increase based on f0, where the power (starting from base frequency f0)
control via frequency ends. The power of the Sunny Boy
at this point is 0 W.
* VAC Nom = 208 V/240 V/277 V

6 SB-OffGrid-TI-US-en-19 Technical Information

SMA Solar Technology America LLC 6  Frequency Shift Power Control (FSPC)

6 Frequency Shift Power Control (FSPC)

If PV inverters are connected on the AC side in off-grid operation or back-up operation, the Sunny Island must be able to
limit their output power. This situation can occur, for example, when the battery of the Sunny Island is fully charged and
the PV power available from the PV array exceeds the power required by the connected loads.
To prevent the excess energy from overcharging the battery, the Sunny Island recognizes this situation and changes the
frequency at the AC output. This frequency change is monitored by the PV inverter. As soon as the power frequency
increases beyond the value specified by Fac-Start delta, the PV inverter limits its power accordingly.

Figure 1: Operating principle of FSPC

The terms used have the following meanings:
• fAC refers to the base frequency of the stand-alone grid (here 60 Hz).
• fAC Delta- and fAC Delta+ are the maximum ranges relative to fAC in which the PV inverter is active.
• fAC Start Delta is the frequency increase relative to fAC at which frequency-based power control begins.
• fAC Limit Delta is the frequency increase relative to fAC at which frequency-based power control ends. The power
of the PV inverter at this point is 0 W.
If the limits fAC Delta- or fAC Delta+ are exceeded, the PV inverters disconnect from the utility grid.
When an external energy source, (e.g. a diesel generator) is operating in the stand-alone grid, this external energy source
determines the frequency and the PV inverters set to off-grid operation react to certain frequency changes brought about
by the external energy source.
When diesel generators are used as external energy sources, the output voltage frequency under load is 60 Hz. For this
reason, in most cases the PV inverters will deliver their entire power to the stand-alone grid, even when the diesel
generator is in operation.
If the current battery voltage is greater than the battery voltage setpoint and the stand-alone grid is also to be
synchronized with an external energy source, the Sunny Island temporarily increases the frequency and the PV inverters
disconnect via frequency shutdown (overfrequency). Afterwards, the Sunny Island synchronizes with the external energy
source.

Technical Information SB-OffGrid-TI-US-en-19 7