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I have a 2018 SMA 7.7 -40 inverter with Tigo TS4-R-O optimizers. In 2020, I decided to get a spare inverter (2020 SMA 7.7 -41 due to model year changes) and two spare optimizers.
Being an SMA string inverter owner, I check the SMA website for new products every month or so. I noticed today that 2023 SMA -41 inverters support only three Sunspec rapid shutdown devices made by SMA and APSystems. "Use of non-Sunspec Certified or non-SMA approved devices may invalidate warranty. e.g TIGO".
What is going on? TIGO was approved for use with SMA inverters when I had my system installed in 2018.
From what I can piece together, TIGO sued SMA america for patent infringement in 2022.
February 2023: "The Company (TIGO) has prevailed in a previous patent infringement litigation and presently has an open lawsuit which includes six patent infringement claims against SMA Solar Technology America LLC. Tigo has also licensed its patented technology to other solar equipment manufacturers (APSystems)." Is SMA America mad at TIGO?
This may be extreme, but I have a spare inverter of similar vintage to my current inverter, spare Tigo optimizers, a copy of my inverters current firmware and turn off my inverter's auto firmware update "feature".
A bad scenario I am trying to prevent is when my SMA inverter dies in ~2030 and a new SMA inverter REQUIRES Sunspec rapid shutdown devices and DOES NOT WORK with TIGO devices. Also, I can replace my inverter with a like version without pulling a permit according to my county AHJ. Anyway, food for thought.
Being an SMA string inverter owner, I check the SMA website for new products every month or so. I noticed today that 2023 SMA -41 inverters support only three Sunspec rapid shutdown devices made by SMA and APSystems. "Use of non-Sunspec Certified or non-SMA approved devices may invalidate warranty. e.g TIGO".
What is going on? TIGO was approved for use with SMA inverters when I had my system installed in 2018.
From what I can piece together, TIGO sued SMA america for patent infringement in 2022.
February 2023: "The Company (TIGO) has prevailed in a previous patent infringement litigation and presently has an open lawsuit which includes six patent infringement claims against SMA Solar Technology America LLC. Tigo has also licensed its patented technology to other solar equipment manufacturers (APSystems)." Is SMA America mad at TIGO?
This may be extreme, but I have a spare inverter of similar vintage to my current inverter, spare Tigo optimizers, a copy of my inverters current firmware and turn off my inverter's auto firmware update "feature".
A bad scenario I am trying to prevent is when my SMA inverter dies in ~2030 and a new SMA inverter REQUIRES Sunspec rapid shutdown devices and DOES NOT WORK with TIGO devices. Also, I can replace my inverter with a like version without pulling a permit according to my county AHJ. Anyway, food for thought.