SMA Grid Guard

[calgeorge]

I am in the process of doing a solar installation.

The system consists of two ground-mounted arrays. The North array has 10 Heliene 460 watt panels. The south array has 11. Each array will be connected to an SMA Sunny Boy 5.0-US-41 inverter. The input for these units allows for 3 strings of up to 10amp modules. The Heliene 450 watt modules are 10.8 amps so I will make each array a single string and connect them to the SMA as string A with a parallel jumper to string B to avoid the out-of-spec amperage. As far as I can tell, SMA seems to suggest that work-around.

There are a few more pieces to this project so before I connect this to the grid or my home electrical system, I want to do a lot of testing. The problem is that the SMA manual says that I need to enter an SMA Grid Guard number within 10 hours of first firing it up. It is my understanding that Grid Guard is SMAs way to comply with the electric company interconnect tariff Rule 21.

I don't want my Sunny Boy inverters to turn into unusable potatoes. So, can anyone tell me the full story on SMA Grid Guard?

[foo1bar]

Are you in the US?
If so, did you buy it from a US retailer/supplier?
If those are both true, I don't think you need a Grid Guard code unless your grid is outside of what SMA thinks is "normal" (ex. voltage is a little higher than most people or a little lower than "normal")

I think you're not going to be able to do much with the system until it's connected to your home electrical system and the grid.
It's a grid-tie inverter.
So IMO you might as well get everything all connected, double check all your connections, then turn it on.

[PVAndy]

Are you in the US?
If so, did you buy it from a US retailer/supplier?
If those are both true, I don't think you need a Grid Guard code unless your grid is outside of what SMA thinks is "normal" (ex. voltage is a little higher than most people or a little lower than "normal")

I think you're not going to be able to do much with the system until it's connected to your home electrical system and the grid.
It's a grid-tie inverter.
So IMO you might as well get everything all connected, double check all your connections, then turn it on.

A Grid Guard code is a personal code that you need to request from SMA in Germany. If is used to alter inverter parameters such as voltage & frequency trip points. When used it marks the inverter with the code. You are only supposed to modify these parameters with utility approval. It has not been required to just turn on any SMA inverters that I have set up. On the newer SMA inverters you can directly connect to them with a web browser or with a SMA Data Manager (typically not used on residential systems). I just read the installation manual and it says something about being able to operated for 10 hours before needing the GridGuard code. I don't know what the inverter does if you don't enter it. Hopefully is just stays operating with UL1741-SA settings.

Andy

[calgeorge]

Thanks foo1bar, Andy.
I'm in California and bought this system from a US dealer. So, it looks like I'm good to go.
As far as testing, I want to play around with it for a while. I have two Schneider Conext XW PRO 6848 Inverter/Chargers that will be behind the SMAs. I will be receiving AC from the grid and a propane generator. The batteries will be under the south array. The wiring will be a little involved because the generator is behind the barn, the POCO power comes into the front of the barn and solar array site is about 100 feet from the barn. I will be experimenting to find the best locations for each piece of equipment.

[foo1bar]

Thanks foo1bar, Andy.
I'm in California and bought this system from a US dealer. So, it looks like I'm good to go.
As far as testing, I want to play around with it for a while. I have two Schneider Conext XW PRO 6848 Inverter/Chargers that will be behind the SMAs. I will be receiving AC from the grid and a propane generator. The batteries will be under the south array. The wiring will be a little involved because the generator is behind the barn, the POCO power comes into the front of the barn and solar array site is about 100 feet from the barn. I will be experimenting to find the best locations for each piece of equipment.

OK.... SO I guess you're going for a really unusual setup where you can have solar production providing power while running off a generator, but also supports grid-tied.

This sounds like it'll be an interesting project. I'll be interested to see your wiring diagram, and how much this winds up costing for everything (I'm guessing quite a bit)