The German tech magazine Computer Bild has checked in the test laboratory whether the promised standards for inverters are actually adhered to. Result: The MIC 600TL-X inverter from Growatt poses potential risks. Growatt then subjected ten MIC 600TL-X inverters, which were taken at random from the warehouse, to a test by the testing company SGS.
The inverters were tested with the country setting Germany specifically for compliance with two aspects: Switch-off time according to VDE-AR-N 4105:2018-11 and overvoltage during switch-off according to IEEE1547.1-2020.
Inverters met all requirements
Result: all tested inverters fulfilled the requirements of VDE-AR-N 4105:2018-11. Accordingly, during the test, SGS clarified: the switch-off time is the time in which the AC disconnector switches off in order to switch off the internal relay of the inverter. This value was stated by SGS in the report.
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In this case, the relay of all tested inverters switches off within ten milliseconds. However, with some firmware versions, a longer time can elapse between the circuit breaker switching off and the voltage dropping to zero volts. This can be avoided with a firmware upgrade, according to Growatt.
Latest firmware recommended
To ensure that all inverters function optimally, the manufacturer recommends installing the latest firmware on the unit. Upgrades can be carried out via online monitoring or locally via a USB stick. The online upgrades are carried out automatically when the inverter is connected to the Internet. Alternatively, the latest firmware is available for download. (nhp/mfo)
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