Training and Support

Download our installation manuals:

 

Download the Q2000 Installation Manual for North America

Download the Q2000 Installation Manual for Europe

Download the Q2000 Installation Manual for India

Download the Q1200 Installation Manual for North America

Download the Q1200 Installation Manual for India

Download the SparqLinq Quick Installation Manual

 

Support for Installers and Distributors: we are currently updating our training materials for installers and distributors. Please check back often for more information or contact us for support.

Frequently Asked Questions

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Q2000 FAQs

How can I tell if the Q2000 inverter is working?
The status LED on the Q2000 will be flashing green when working correctly. If the LED is flashing Red, this indicates an AC issue so check the AC breaker. If the LED is amber, this indicates a ground fault was detected so check for faulty DC wiring then connect to the SparqLinq and go to the “Settings->Inverter Management” page and click the Clear GFDI (blue lightning bolt) icon.

What is the maximum allowed inverter load ratio (DC/AC ratio) for the Q2000?
The Q2000 can work with 72 cell modules with the maximum DC rating of 550W+.

How do I calculate the maximum PV source and output circuit voltage of an installed system (this is to do with 64- 200 (1)(b) of the CEC 2015 code)?
The Q2000 microinverter has 4 independent inputs that are transformer isolated from the AC output and have their negative DC inputs referenced to ground thru the GFDI circuit. Considering the inverter handles each module individually, the calculations are below for the 64-200 (1):

• the rated operating current and voltage; this is the module maximum power current (Imp) and module maximum power voltage (Vmp).

• the maximum photovoltaic source circuit voltage; this is equal to the PV module’s open circuit voltage (Voc).

• the rated short-circuit current; this is equal to the PV module’s short circuit current (Isc).

The Trunk cable used with the Q2000 connects the AC output of all inverters in parallel. This means the voltage on the trunk cable remains the same (240Vac) but the current from each inverter (7.5 Amps) gets added. A trunk with 3 inverters connected to it will have 2 x 7.5A = 22.5A under full power. Adding a 1.25 safety factor gives a design current of 22.5 x 1.25 = 28.125A. 

Q1200 FAQs

How can I tell if the Q1200 inverter is working?

The status LED on the Q1200 will be flashing green when working correctly. If the LED is flashing Red, this indicates an AC issue so check the AC breaker. If the LED is amber, this indicates a ground fault was detected so check for faulty DC wiring then connect to the SparqLinq and go to the “Settings->Inverter Management” page and click the Clear GFDI (blue lightning bolt) icon.

What is the maximum allowed inverter load ratio (DC/AC ratio) for the Q1200?

The data sheet suggests a maximum DC module rating of 350W, but the Q1200 is designed to work with 72 cell modules with STC ratings up to 390W or a 1.3 DC/AC ratio.

How do I calculate the maximum PV source and output circuit voltage of an installed system (this is to do with 64- 200 (1)(b) of the CEC 2015 code)?

The Q1200 microinverter has 4 independent inputs that are transformer isolated from the AC output and have their negative DC inputs referenced to ground thru the GFDI circuit. Considering the inverter handles each module individually, the calculations are below for the 64-200 (1):

• the rated operating current and voltage; this is the module maximum power current (Imp) and module maximum power voltage (Vmp).

• the maximum photovoltaic source circuit voltage; this is equal to the PV module’s open circuit voltage (Voc).

• the rated short-circuit current; this is equal to the PV module’s short circuit current (Isc).

The Trunk cable used with the Q1200 connects the AC output of all inverters in parallel. This means the voltage on the trunk cable remains the same (240Vac) but the current from each inverter (5 Amps) gets added. A trunk with 5 inverters connected to it will have 5 x 5A = 25A under full power. Adding a 1.25 safety factor gives a design current of 25 x 1.25 = 31.25A.

SparqLinq FAQs
The SparqLinq Dashboard page “DAY DETAILS” reports “No data for the selected day”.

SparqLinq missing data may occur if the time and date was not restored correctly from an internet time server when the SparqLinq was last power cycled. This causes the data to be stored under the default date set in the SparqLinq, instead of under today’s date. To check this, go to the “Settings->Installation Information” page. At the bottom of the tab, the box titled “Current Date and Time” will show something like “2018/06/30 12:55:44”. Look closely to see if it is correct. If it is wrong, edit to the correct time and date then press enter.

How do I connect to the SparqLinq Wi-Fi AP (Access Point) after connecting it the customers Wi-Fi?

One option is have them connect to their router and look under the active devices to see the IP address the router assigned the SparqLinq. If you need to disconnect the SparqLinq from the customers Wi-Fi, use a paperclip to push the reset button on the side of the SparqLinq. This will reset the Wi-Fi mode in the SparqLinq so it will open an AP (Access Point) with these credentials: SSID: SparqLinq PWD: “SparqLinq 80211” On a Wi-Fi enabled laptop or phone, connect to this Wi-Fi AP and go to the dashboard by typing in the address http://192.168.111.1/

My SparqLinq is joined to most Quad 1200’s but some are distant and not connecting. What can I do?

Plug the SparqLinq into an extension cord and move it to different locations (possibly outside or up on the roof) and try joining to the inverter using the “Settings-Inverter Management” tab. It is important that the Quad 1200 be first joined to the SparqLinq before it can start connecting to other inverters in a mesh network. Put the SparqLinq in a Non-metallic weatherproof box on the roof to get it closer to the inverters. It may be necessary to use a second SparqLinq to connect the additional inverters. If the inverters have been joined to the first SparqLinq you will need to go to its “Settings-Inverter Management” tab and click on the “X” in the Release column before the Quad 1200’s can be joined to a new SparqLinq. Two or more SparqLinqs can be monitored on the SparqVu website but there is no function to allow pairing the sites together.

SparqVu FAQs
There is no data displayed on the SparqVu Dashboard page.

Try connecting to the SparqLinq Dashboard page and see if data is being logged. If so, power cycle the SparqLinq and then review the SparqVu site after about 10 mins. If there was several days of backlogged data, it may take a while for the data to be updated.

How do I register my project on the SparqVu site?

On the SparqLinq dashboard, click on the menu icon (three horizontal bars) in the top left corner of the dashboard page then select the SparqVu Token option. Enter the full email address that was used to create the SparqVu account and click “Generate Access Token” and copy the Project ID and Token values. Login to your SparqVu account and click the add a new site button, paste the project ID copied from the SparqLinq into the project ID field on SparqVu. Click the Go to Security Check button. Enter the Token copied from the SparqLinq and click Check Access Token. The SparqLinq should now be added to this SparqVu account.

How do I register for an account on the SparqVu.com website?

Go to SparqVu.com and click on the Register tab. Under “Register for A New Account” enter your email address and a password twice then click Register. Go to your email account and click the activate link.

Design Your System

Follow these steps for designing your SPARQ energy solution system.

Step 1 – Understand your requirements
Determine your average annual energy consumption by summing the last 12 months of kWh energy usage from your utility bills. Use your annual energy information to help select your system size.

Step 2 – Size the system
Get an idea of the solar potential of your location by going to the free PV Watts site: PV Watts Calculator. Enter your address or zip code, select the solar resource data and click on ‘Go To System Info’.
Set DC System Size to 1. If mounting the system on your roof, enter the Tilt (slope) and Azimuth (angle rotated from north). Click on ‘Go to Results’. Divide the annual energy from step 1 by the PV Watts result to get the system size in kW needed to offset all of your electricity usage.

Example:
• Annual energy = 5,600kWh
• PV Watts results = 1,512kWh
• System size = 5600/1512 = 3.703kW

Step 3 – Create a bill of material and contact us
Each Q1200 (Quad) will produce up to 1.2kW of power. Divide the system size calculated in Step 2 by 1.2 to determine the number of Quad microinverters needed to offset the annual energy consumption.

Example:
• System size = 3.703kW
• Number of Q1200 = 3.703/1.2=3.08
Round this to 3. Each Quad will be connected to 4 PV modules. Size the PV modules for peak output between 300 and 350W per 60 cell module.
Each Quad will need a trunk cable branch connector, and the trunk cable will need an end terminator cap. A SparqLinq gateway interface allows the system to be monitored. An AC disconnect tool and a DC disconnect tool are recommended for maintenance.

Total parts list:
• Quad
• Trunk cable branch connectors
• End terminator cap
• SparqLinq gateway
• AC and DC disconnect tool

Find out what solutions are right for you.
1-855-947-7277
info@sparqsys.com
We provide products globally.

SPARQ
Innovation Park
945 Princess Street, Box 212
Kingston, Ontario
K7L 0E9

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