Since his system is 11 years old, maybe they only had string inverters back then and microinverters or SolarEdge type optimizers weren't around at that time?
Or maybe the tree grew big enough over the 11 years to start causing a shade problem?
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The tool doesn't have knowledge of shading and assumes no shading issue in its production estimate, I think.
I tried the 24 Kyocera 167 with your azimuth and pitch on the 3KTL (but my location since I don't know yours) and it worked out just fine for me. Use 1 string of 12 for inputA and 1 string of 12 for inputB. It's not ideal because the inverter is a little under size (80% < 83% efficiency), so it's only conditionally compatible with 99.2% energy usability factor. If you bump it to the 3.8KTL or 4KTL, it would be better. But it's not severely under size, just slightly. The 99.2% energy usability factor is still not too bad.
I would ask the shop to see how much more to go for a 3.8KTL or 4KTL and decide whether you want to pay a little more for a bigger size inverter or not. If it's too much more money, ask the shop if the 3KTL is good enough in your case. After all, like you said, your panels are already 11 years old and you have some shading.
A reputable shop wouldn't just blindly install a new inverter for you without taking the 5-10 minutes to verify that the inverter is adequate for your configuration. It's reasonable to ask them to double check your selection for you and not charge you more than the 4 hours quoted already, because I will almost guarantee you that they'll just do the exact same thing you did -> go on the Sunny Design website and input your configuration to verify that your inverter of choice is acceptable for use. After all, they'll have to provide warranty for that inverter to you. If they blindly install the wrong size inverter, they're not going to be able to get the warranty honored by the manufacturer and they're still on the hook to honor the warranty to you because they're ultimately responsible for the inverter operating correctly as designed.
Is your current configuration already in 2 separate strings of 12?Leave a comment:
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Sunny Boy Design Site
I went to the sunny boy design site and started a project. Now I'm confused. When I enter my panels (Kyocera 167G, 24 of them), the system rates at 4kw. I don't know the azimuth, etc of the panel placement. When I review the original proposal, I'm sure they calculated some reduction in optimal power generation because of roof pitch, azimuth, the large tree that blocks the panels at times, etc. I am inferring then that the 3.5kw Sharp inverter they chose/installed was based on that reduction.
On the sunny boy design site, based on eyeball roof pitch of 32 degrees and southward facing (0 azimuth), the program says that the SMA 3000TL is too small. But they are not taking into account the specifics (ie the tree) that would reduce output, nor are they taking into account the panels are 11 years old.
So my question is what to do next. I hesitate to be the one to pick out the inverter for fear I'll pick the wrong one. I have an estimate from a local shot for the SMA 3000TL at around $1450 plus 4 hours to remove the dead inverter and put in the new one. But I did not ask them to do some calculations to pick the proper capacity inverter. Should I? And if so, is it reasonable to ask that they include that in the 4 hours?Leave a comment:
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I agree with you, though the second inverter was brand new. I'm sure Sharp will say I don't get a reset on the warranty clock, but it's worth a try. It is pretty poor design/quality that two new units would not even make it out of their respective warranty period.
I'll go with a TL model. I have a couple of emails out to local solar maintenance shops and I'm asking them to run some numbers based on my system and see which sunny boy inverter is the right one.
Updates as we go along.Leave a comment:
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you bought a inverter with a 5 year warranty, and got 4 out of it. After 1 more year, you have no more warranty left. (if they replaced it for free). Same way battery and tire warranties work.
Getting a reset on the warranty period is a freebie, if they offer it.
Looking for new inverters, TL (transformer less) inverters weigh a lot less then their wattage equivalent.Leave a comment:
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Yeah, SMA has a website for their solar design tools called Sunny Design. You should go on there and input your panels and configurations, and select the 3K Sunny Boy to see if it will do the job adequately for you or not. Sometimes based on your pitch and orientation, you may not always get near name plate production output anyway. The active power ratio (PV Peak Power/AC Active Power) sometimes can be around 80% and it may still be OK, as long as your energy usability factor is near 100%, then you won't have too much clipping.
As to why the 4000 is less expensive than the 3800, you should probably pay attention to whether it's the new TL (Transformer-Less) or the old kind using conventional transformer. Maybe the difference between the 2 types can mean a price difference regardless of the size rating. I would recommend you go with the new TL design for a smaller, lighter and cooler (less heat) inverter.
I think SMA also has extended warranty options in case you want to get a 15 or 20 year warranty instead of 10.Leave a comment:
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You might want to consider a smaller 3kW Sunny Boy instead. It should be cheaper and still easily able to handle a 9 y.o. 3.3 kW system which will have likely lost some of its power capacity anyway. Generally, it's OK to undersize a quality inverter like the SMA by 10%. The Sunny Boy TL models also offer a feature to provide some power during daylight when the grid is down.Leave a comment:
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Replace inverter? Need advice
I have a 9 year old 3.3kw system on my roof installed by Borrego. The panels are 48 cell kyocera panels.
The inverter is a Sharp Sunvista JH-3500. It's a 3.5kw inverter.
The first inverter died right before the 5 year warranty expired. Sharp replaced it through the company Borrego had sold their residential service (I believe it was GroSolar). Now the second one has died a little over 4 years later.
The problem is that Sharp has no record of this second inverter and the solar company that replaced it can't find their paperwork either. Mea culpa that I did not get any paperwork when it was replaced.
I will call Sharp to press them directly about repairing/replacing this inverter for free. If they agree to do that, then that's the obvious choice.
If they refuse, then I have two options:
1) pay for Sharp to repair it
2) switch inverters, and go with a sunny boy inverter with a 10 year warranty
If I switch to a sunny boy inverter, I'm looking at their new ones (the 3800 and the 4000). I'm not sure why the 4000 is less expensive than the 3800. Am I correct that I simply need to get an inverter that exceeds the kw that my panels generate? I would go this route through one of the local solar shops that repair/install solar.
I am totally disappointed that my inverter has died again. When I went through the math to decide about solar, I did not calculate equipment failure. I can't change to micro-inverters because my panels are 48 cell. So I have to have a single grid-tie inverter, and I'm leaning towards the sunny boy just for peace of mind.
-Elio
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