Goodwe GW3600 Solar PV Inverter

[FB.]

Would I want one as part of a solar installation?

:dunce2:

 

[SibertSolar]

Hmm...spec's don't look too bad on paper although the input current limit (DC) is a little low and I'm not entirely sure they are G83 approved (although they do list G59). Chinese manufactured, transformerless, dual tracker but don't appear to be have the facility to cap the 18A max AC ouput at 16A (3.68kW@230VAC)

All in all, look ok on paper but then so do a lot of other Chinese manufactured inverters..

 

[FB.]

The story behind it is that I've been interested in having a second 3-4kWp array for a while, so the need to be capped at 16A wouldn't be such an issue.

A solar installer that I spoke to apparently communicated informally with the DNO (the DNO's are not currently so grumpy with solar installers as the workload has dropped off!) who implied that I would be almost certain to be granted an additional 3-4kW, taking my total capacity up into the 7-8kW range.
The installer has proposed a 3.4kW system built around this inverter.

The Goodwe GW3600 inverter was suggested. I'm sceptical but open minded. The most that I've managed to find out so far, is that they appear to be among the better Chinese offerings, but is it more a case of the inverter being the "least worst" of the Chinese-made?

 

[SolarCity]

To be honest, I don't buy into the idea that Chinese made inverters or modules are any worse than anything else. I think the idea is a little outdated to say the least. People used to say (and some still do) that Japanese stuff is rubbish - I wish the British could make stuff like they do.

 

[JulianC]

Chinese products are like any other - some are great and some are absolute rubbish. The problem we face is working out which is which.....

 

[SibertSolar]

Completely agree with above comments - there's good and bad wherever you look, it's up to us to do our due dilligence and check these things out. I've worked with Asian manufacturing in the PC/IT/consumer electronics/automotive/medical/renewables sectors for many years and there's no way you can just cast a blanket statement over their quality, capability or reliability. The thing to do is investigate their investment in accreditation, facilities, workforce etc and their history, affiliations/partnerships etc. Same as you would with any previously "unknown" provider.

With global trade, ODM/OEM/subcontractor partnerships the way they are nowadays, it's often impossible to find a product or solution that doesn't have some aspect of Asian manufacturing involved in the supply-chain.....

 

[access_renew]

Guys, we have one of these inverters on test at the moment - just gone onto a system with Sanyo 240's so I'll let you know the results in a few weeks.

 

[ticmac]

About to buy a Goodwe inverter here in Australia. How did your tests go.

 

[Symons]

Hey, if you want to buy solar inverters from chinese brands, see these brands, these are the 'top' ones, Goodwe, Samil Power, Growatt, Hosola, Eversolar. I work in this industry in China, and if you guys have any interest, there are many stories behind them can help you to make the right decisions.

Just take Goodwe as an example, they sell similar products as others do, but a higher price.
Samil Power's key engineering groups has left for Hosola, make Hosola a new good choice.
part of Eversolar's share was purchased by SMA for chinese market development.
Growatt, its Boss spent all day having funs not on its business, has widely spread among our industry
A lot others,

 

[t4sltd]

Having seen one in the flesh and read its poorly prepared manual I am sceptical; doesn't look / feel like a good quality piece of kit but it might be - hard to tell (we only instal SMA, Fronius or Stecca).
I tracked down a G83 certificate so it does exist, again it didn't look particularly professional.

 

[PV pro in Oz]

GoodWe passed our performance and destructive testing regime at our inverter design and test lab (Australia) and we are a manufacturer of grid and off-grid inverters. Mostly manufacturing off-grid, and a couple of good (basic) grid units. Climate here is very unforgiving in terms of heat and humidity, but cold weather testing (below -10 C) was not done to my knowledge. Several Asian units failed and a couple of Europeans too. Dozens of brands tested regularly.

Dan.

 

[SibertSolar]

Interesting feedback, thanks Dan. Any chance you can share more info on the test parameters/results specific to each brand/model?

 

[PV pro in Oz]

Interesting feedback, thanks Dan. Any chance you can share more info on the test parameters/results specific to each brand/model?

Hi Sibert,

Possibly, I'm a bit new here and under some sort of apprenticeship until the sixth forum post.

I'm a PV system designer in Australia (former UK installer) and I had access to only the 'yes or no' from our head honcho inverter engineer. Having said that, when I last visited our test lab there was a yes pile and a no pile. I'm due to be there later this month, I will try to grab a photo of the pile of winners and losers. I'm not saying every 'yes' makes the grade, only that our guy ruled out the 'no' group.

If memory serves, one of the underling engineers (up from me in the food chain) was talking about the components, particularly capacitors and DC relays and the conformal coating and fault monitoring. I do know that they use a custom PV simulator DC supply with some interesting components that are supposed to emulate grid variation around frequency / harmonics / voltage... but nothing gets approved without significant testing on a real array on the lab roof (choice of string size and config and 72 / 60 cells etc.).

Dan.

 

[SibertSolar]

Many thanks Dan, intriguing stuff. Electrolytic capacitors are a common weak area and I can see why shoddy concoat process would be a problem too, in extremes of heat/humidity cycles. Will look forward to further feedback if/when available.

Curious - what's the opinion in Oz on the Enasolar inverters?

Andy

 

[PV pro in Oz]

1.30 am here Andy, bedtime. I will put out some feelers tomorrow on the Enasolar and post back here if I can learn anything worth sharing. Not used them myself (yet).

Dan.