HiQ Solar is showcasing its new ‘Liberty’ 480V 3-phase, 1,000Vdc inverter at Intersolar North America. The 8kW rated string inverter is designed into a NEMA6 enclosure and weighs 24 lbs and is targeted at the commercial rooftop and carport type markets.
Problem
Installers and project developers are requiring lower BOS costs and reduced O&M risk in commercial projects. Simplified installations, low weight and compact design of string inverters in a microinverter format could also provide long-cycle lifetimes with improved safety margins.
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Solution
The Liberty 480V 3-phase inverter handles two 4 kW single strings individually, providing separate monitoring, MPPT and arc detection for each, compared to conventional string inverters that parallel several strings together. The system is suitable for use in ungrounded systems with reduced labor costs, while greater protection from ground faults and increased personnel safety. The system is claimed to provide an ideal level of management and monitoring for commercial-sized installations, with enough granularity to see issues as they arise without being swamped in data.
Applications
Commercial rooftop and car ports, including desert and coastal installations, hostile environments with sand, heat, salt and high elevations.
Platform
The Liberty 480V 3-phase inverter is the fully-sealed, waterproof and silent and is particularly suitable for hostile environments such as desert, coastal and high altitude locations. It has peak efficiency above 98.5%, and conforms to UL1741. With a power density of 0.72 kW/kg, it has twice the power density of large string inverters.
Availability
July 2014 onwards.
