Phocos announced its new Any-Grid Hybrid Inverter Series at Intersolar Europe. The first product release in this series is a 48 VDC input, 5 kW, 230 VAC output sine wave inverter with built-in 80A MPPT PV charge controller. The Any-Grid Hybrid Inverter Series is designed for flexible energy access to support a broad range of conditions including on-grid, edge-of-grid and off-grid applications. This new product offers the reliability of a true sine wave inverter with the efficiency of an 80 A MPPT solar charge controller to manage multiple energy sources, offering customers a cost-effective, all-in-one solution. It will be available for United States distribution.

Phocos designed the Any-Grid Hybrid Inverter Series based on customer feedback to create a scalable and robust product line appropriate for homes, businesses and industry globally regardless of their unique energy access challenges. This product offers a real solution for edge-of-grid applications where access to power may be unreliable, in transition, or subject to change in the future. The Any-Grid Hybrid Inverter solution provides options for multiple energy sources such as grid power, generators, and solar power systems to be used together seamlessly. This flexibility helps end users maximize the optimum mix of energy resources available today and provides long-term value by having the ability to adapt to both their changing energy needs and their access to resources over time.

“We’ve made our name developing intelligent solutions for increasing reliable energy access for the end user. That comes from decades of practical experience in off-grid where we understand the real-world conditions in which our products operate,” says James Polcyn, Phocos CEO. “Our Any-Grid Hybrid Inverter Series continues this tradition to truly address the growing need for practical, reliable, and cost-effective solutions for edge-of-grid applications. We’re excited to have the opportunity to lend our world-class power electronics expertise to this market,” he adds.

The Any-Grid Hybrid Inverter provides flexibility in selecting charging sources with easily programmable charge profiles via an intuitive LCD user interface with remote mount option. It is compatible with all commercially available lead-acid and LiFePO4 (lithium iron phosphate) batteries and features a built-in data logger that can be accessed on site or via PhocosLink App to monitor the device remotely on a smartphone or tablet. If the grid or generator fails, the Any-Grid Hybrid Inverter can immediately switch to off-grid mode, effectively acting as a UPS so the load is securely powered at all times. In battery-free mode, the Any-Grid Hybrid Inverter can function as a solar-enabled UPS by directly powering loads from the solar array. For customers who initially install the Any-Grid Hybrid Inverter in an off-grid application but experience grid extension in the future, the transition to grid-interactive operability is seamless and requires no hardware replacement. The integrated high-efficiency MPPT PV charge controller with a high-voltage PV input limit allows for very cost-effective solar installations by enabling the use of higher voltage PV modules readily available in the marketplace. For systems that start small and grow over time, up to nine Any-Grid Hybrid Inverters can be connected in parallel or 3-phase for up to 45 kW of synchronized AC power.

Kelsey is managing editor of Solar Power World and host of the Contractor's Corner podcast.

Is Phocos a transformer based inverter

Hope tis finds you well. My question relates to Alex’s can the Phocos 5kw hybrid inverter function without a battery , eg purely to subsidise the electric costs.

Hi Jason, I reached out to Phocos to get an answer to your question. I will let you know if I hear back. Thank you for reading!

Phocos Technical Team’s Response: Yes. There is no particular setting to make (though we recommend menu 01 to be set to “SUB”), simply do not connect a battery and connect only AC input, PV and AC loads. Make sure the AC output is turned on.

Yes. It can work without Batteries

I have a bit of dilemma, reviewing inverters I finally narrowed it down to Phocos based on what is being quotes and the specs capabilities that are being advertised on this inverter ” The Any-Grid Hybrid Inverter solution provides options for multiple energy sources such as grid power, generators, and solar power systems to be used together seamlessly.” Looks like this is not the case and this any-grid inverter cannot supply electricity from PV and the difference from the grid simultaneously should the use be drawing more than is being generated by PVs. I find the inverter specs needs to be reworded as its misleading as some clients like myself would be purchasing such inverters with intention of never connecting it to batteries and just running it to minimise electricity costs during the day. I guess my search will have to continue, disappointing though

Hi Alex, I reached out to Phocos to get an answer to your question. I will let you know if I hear back. Thank you for reading!

Phocos Technical Team’s Response: The Any-Grid PSW-H is actually capable of mixing AC input power with PV power simultaneously and the wording says nothing to the contrary. We are uncertain what makes you think the PSW-H “cannot supply electricity from PV and the difference from the grid simultaneously”? This is not correct so please let us explain, as it is inherently capable of this. Yes, you can use this unit without ever connecting batteries. In fact, under some circumstances, you can even use it with only PV and AC loads (no AC source and no batteries) as described on our website in this blog post – https://www.phocos.com/product-news/unique-use-case-for-any-grid-psw-h-increase-utility-grid-independence/. For a faster response, if you have any further technical questions, please fill out a technical request form located in the footer of http://www.phocos.com. We are happy to support you.

I saw that the phonos has galvanically isolated common positive and negative comnection options inside the inverter. Will this work with a positive side bonded grounded solar panels? Such as the legacy sunpower panels?

Hi Richard, I reached out to Phocos to get an answer to your question. I will let you know if I hear back. Thank you for reading!

Phocos Technical Team’s Response: Thank you for your question. To be clear, the wording in the datasheet is “Galvanic isolation of battery allows positive or negative ground”. There is no mention of the PV array being isolated from the AC output or AC input, which it is not. So the battery positive or negative terminal can be grounded. But it is not permitted to ground either the PV+ or PV- wires, as PV is not isolated from the AC side. We have an attachment we will share with Kelsey Misbrener, showing the topology overview for more clarity, the only galvanic isolation being the “Isolated Bi Directional DC Buck / Boost Converter”. We hope ther is a way to get this to you.

Hello Trevor In reference to your comment on 03 Jan 2020, Shouldn’t the link Port u indicated be vice-versa?

I.e the battery to battery cable from Master Battery should be on Link Port 0 “empty” (master) to Link Port 0 (slave).

Secondly the dip switches….if Master is on 1000, slave should be on 0000 as per Phocos-Pylon manual? Please comment

I have connected one pylon tech 48V 2.4kw battery to my 5KVA Phocos inverter but it keeps on flashing error 61

Thank you for your question. The Phocos Technical team will be able to offer support quickly. If you can fill out the tech support form (https://www.phocos.com/contact/) they will help you get this taken care so you can have no further frustration. As another option, this week we have just updated the battery interfacing instructions for this brand. You can find it here, under ‘battery interfacing’ https://www.phocos.com/product/psw-h-3-kw-5-kw/

Please advise me on how to connect two or more inverters in parallel to achieve more kva in a string connection. Do i need to parallel the output of both or more inverters

Thank you for your queston. Please see the manual for further support. Go to https://www.phocos.com/product/psw-h-3-kw-5-kw/ to get to the product landing page. Then scroll down to just above the first video to see a manual section. We have English and 5 other languages available for our customers. Also if it helps, you can watch part 1 or part 2 of the 3 part webinar series for more support with priorities and wiring. https://www.phocos.com/psw-h-any-grid-videos/

Have just installed a 5kva Phocis Inverter with 8 x jJA 325w solar panels in series. Batteries ate 2 U2000 48v Pylon Tech 2,4 kW in Parallel. Please confirm cabling from/to batteries and inverter as well as confirm com cable between the batteries are necessary. Have a fault warning (flashing) of 61 which I am unable to identify from manual. Can you advise. Many thanks D Riley

You batteries are not linked to each other and to the inverter. You need to connect the Pylontech batteries RS cable on Link Port 0 on one battery and Link Port 1 on battery two. Once you do that, on battery one on ADD select 1000that will make battery one the master battery. On battery two on ADD select 0100 Making battery two a slave. Connect the Communication cable to RS485 port on the battery to the your Phocos comm port. Restart the whole system and your problem should be solved. Ensure your battery terminals are connected negative to negative and positive to positive diagonally before switching on

Hi Kelsey please would you let me know how much your 5kw phocos solar inverters are and how much would it cost to ship to Zambia in Africa

Please reach out to Phocos directly for that info.

Thank you Willem for your request. Phocos does not sell direct, but we have this landing page to help customers find a resource to purchase our products from. Please go to this website page, select your region and you will get access to a request form, a Phocos rep’s contact, and sometimes distribution options depending on your country. Thank you again for your interest. https://www.phocos.com/where-to-buy/

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