Equipotential Bonding; Overvoltage Category; Ac Cable Requirements; Network Cable Requirements - SMA Sunny Tripower X 12 Operating Manual

6 Electrical Connection
6.1.5

Equipotential Bonding

If components are used in the PV system that require equipotential bonding (e.g., mounting racks,
module frames), these must be connected to a central equipotential panel provided for this
purpose.
Observe the installation guidelines and regulations applicable in your country. The enclosure of the
inverter is not suitable as equipotential bonding. Incorrect implementation of equipotential bonding
can lead to an inverter defect that is not covered under warranty.
6.1.6

Overvoltage category

The product can be used in grids of overvoltage category III or lower in accordance with
IEC 60664-1. That means that the product can be permanently connected to the grid-connection
point of a building. In case of installations with long outdoor cabling routes, additional measures to
reduce overvoltage category IV to overvoltage category III are required (see the Technical
Information "Overvoltage Protection" at www.SMA-Solar.com).
6.1.7

AC cable requirements

☐ Conductor type: copper wire
☐ The conductors must be solid or fine-stranded. When using fine-stranded wire, bootlace
ferrules can be used.
☐ Outer diameter: 14 mm to 25 mm
☐ Conductor cross-section grounding conductor: 6 mm² to 16 mm² (The minimum conductor
cross-section of 6 mm² is only permitted if additional grounding is connected. If no additional
grounding is connected, the minimum conductor cross-section is 10 mm².)
☐ Conductor cross-section of line conductor and neutral conductor: 6 mm² to 16 mm²
☐ Insulation stripping length: 18 mm to 20 mm
☐ Sheath stripping length: 120 mm to 150 mm
☐ The cable must be dimensioned in accordance with the local and national directives for the
dimensioning of cables. The requirements for the minimum wire size derive from these
directives. Examples of factors influencing cable dimensioning are: nominal AC current, type of
cable, routing method, cable bundling, ambient temperature and maximum desired line losses
(for calculation of line losses, see the design software "Sunny Design" from software
version 2.0 at www.SMA-Solar.com).
6.1.8

Network cable requirements

The cable length and quality affect the quality of the signal. Observe the following cable
requirements:
☐ Cable type: 100BaseTx
☐ Cable category: minimum CAT5e
☐ Plug type: RJ45 of Cat5, Cat5e or higher
☐ Shielding: SF/UTP, S/UTP, SF/FTP or S/FTP
☐ Number of insulated conductor pairs and insulated conductor cross-section: at least 2 x 2 x
0.22 mm²
38 STPxx-50-BE-en-11
SMA Solar Technology AG
Operating manual