[RE-wrenches] Tigo and SMA AFCI - Was: AC coupled, grid-tied Sunny Island - contactor & bypass

[SunHarvest]

Just an FYI for anyone wanting to use Tigo optimizers with SMA inverters incorporating AFCI -

According to SMA the Tigo optimizers will not operate with the SMA inverters. They didn't go into detail. They just said the AFCI feature of the Sunny Boy is not compatible with Tigo. After further discussion they acknowledged that disabling the AFCI feature in the Sunny Boy would allow compatibility with the Tigo optimizer. Awesome.

After talking this over with Tigo they came to the same conclusion but neither company seemed too happy or confident in the marriage. Awesome.

Eric Stikes
SunHarvest
  ----- Original Message ----- 
Wrenches,
Here's an update on this configuration (20kW Enphase, AC coupled to  
Sunny Islands) you should know about:

Enphase will not support and warranty the use of their micro inverters  
in an AC-coupled installation with battery-based inverters. Enphase  
approved this verbally with us in design, but balked when we asked  
them to back it up in writing. Their issue/point is that AC-coupling   
violates the UL1741 listing.

Thus, we're revising the design to use Sunny Boy string inverters. Our  
customer would still like the module-level monitoring and optimization  
offered by the micro-inverters (there is some shading issue), so we're  
considering using string optimizers. We have not used string- 
optimization, yet. It looks like the leading options are Solar Magic  
and Tigo.

Any preferences, cautions, or advice with choosing and using  
optimizers would be appreciated.

Thanks,

-Kelly

Kelly Keilwitz, P.E.
Principal
Whidbey Sun & Wind
Renewable Energy Systems
NABCEP Certified PV Installer
WA Electrical Administrator
987 Wanamaker Rd.
Coupeville, WA 98239
kelly at whidbeysunwind.com
PH & FAX: 360.678.7131
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