SMA Sunny Boy New 2023 Release - Should I Care?

[Kuma]

Planning roof install and spec'd a SB 5.0 in the NEM 2 Application. Current Sunny Boy 5.0 Inverter is discontinued and not readily available. And the new 2023 SBoy is not available yet. Should I try and source the current SBoy 5.0 given I have no interest in battery backup. Are their new features that may be of interest? WifI included or easier to manage or ?

I read the marketing cut sheet about the 2023 SBoy but most of that is tech marketing speak thats beyond me... Accept for the claim it will be easier to install.

As always, help appreciated.

 

[Hedges]

Have any links on "discontinued"? I was not aware.
How about "new" 2023 sunny boy? (Or do you just mean the hybrid?)

I know they have Sunny Boy Smart Energy hybrid coming, don't know how available it will be.

See if utility will let you install any other SB you can find, say 7.0, and configure it for maximum 5.0 kW output.

If price was close to the same, installing the hybrid batteryless would make sense. You'd have emergency batteryless backup available, and option to add batteries later.

 

[Kuma]

Have any links on "discontinued"? I was not aware.
How about "new" 2023 sunny boy? (Or do you just mean the hybrid?)

I know they have Sunny Boy Smart Energy hybrid coming, don't know how available it will be.

See if utility will let you install any other SB you can find, say 7.0, and configure it for maximum 5.0 kW output.

If price was close to the same, installing the hybrid batteryless would make sense. You'd have emergency batteryless backup available, and option to add batteries later.

Spoke with a seller and she said SB 5.0 are difficult to source and a search confirmed this. "out of stock, "unavailable"...

She also said the Hybrid is coming out in Q4 now, maybe as late as November, later than previously announced and I would have to wait. Given that, I may have wrongfully assumed their will only be a hybrid available but she did not say that the current model will also be available in the future.


PGE NEM 2 is clear on installing a different inverter than spec'd on the application:

"What does like-for-like equipment replacements mean?
• For inverters: Certified, same nameplate or smaller, same fault current or smaller"


Are you saying that more of the current model inverters will be available in the future and two Inverters will be offered - Hybrid and current models? I may call SMA to clarify this.

 

[Hedges]

I highly doubt SMA will stop offering string inverters. Probably supply has just dried up with recent demand. Retailers may have an expected arrival date.

I see 7.7kW Sunny Boy at Stella Volta, AltEStore and on eBay, no 5.0 kW. Maybe a matter of how many of each built/shipped/sold.

For Europe they have Sunny Boy, Sunny TriPower (3-phase), Sunny Boy Storage, Sunny TriPower Storage, Sunny Island (low-frequency transformer type battery inverter.)

Unfortunate if PG&E doesn't let us set reduced current limit - wish they would grant permission, despite what they wrote. I'm considering Smart Energy 7.7 as substitute for Sunny Boy 7.7, but would rather use the 10.4 (more power to downstream loads) and limit export.

https://pgesupport.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/14794766368781-NEM2-sunset-Contractor-FAQs

There was a section on the application asking if we planned to limit export, and how. So maybe they would accept a substitute what was higher nameplate but export limited. Would not even require external CT, just a setting (which I think is available, I've seen it in earlier Sunny Boy.)

 

[Kuma]

I highly doubt SMA will stop offering string inverters. Probably supply has just dried up with recent demand. Retailers may have an expected arrival date.

I see 7.7kW Sunny Boy at Stella Volta, AltEStore and on eBay, no 5.0 kW. Maybe a matter of how many of each built/shipped/sold.

For Europe they have Sunny Boy, Sunny TriPower (3-phase), Sunny Boy Storage, Sunny TriPower Storage, Sunny Island (low-frequency transformer type battery inverter.)

Unfortunate if PG&E doesn't let us set reduced current limit - wish they would grant permission, despite what they wrote. I'm considering Smart Energy 7.7 as substitute for Sunny Boy 7.7, but would rather use the 10.4 (more power to downstream loads) and limit export.

https://pgesupport.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/14794766368781-NEM2-sunset-Contractor-FAQs

There was a section on the application asking if we planned to limit export, and how. So maybe they would accept a substitute what was higher nameplate but export limited. Would not even require external CT, just a setting (which I think is available, I've seen it in earlier Sunny Boy.)

Their is a used 5kw but its a 3 hour drive to SF Bay Area - ugh!! A good 8+ hours round trip with a lunch and meeting with seller. Said he would accept $800 and that it was used for only four months, was not registered for warranty, only commissioned by installer. It was purchased in Nov 2022. He is selling due to upgrading his solar system. Have not spoken with him yet, only texts, so not exactly sure what that means.

Tempting for sure. Could possibly still write it off 30% tax credit in a creative way. If it were closer I'd be at the sellers house this morning.

From what I read, it is not possible to do a self test when it is not installed? And need a wifi connection of some sort. Just the OTJ learning curve to do some sort of basic test(s) and get it on the internet, provide power to it, would require an extra hour or two to the drive.

 

[Hedges]

Seems like you ought to get it. Consider it a mini-vacation, maybe stay the night and see the area.
One trip to San Diego (8 hours each way, bought transformer and cable tugger) in my Civic, I spent the night sleeping in a rest stop for free.

Another trip, I took my pickup to carry 20' rails, got another transformer, and was reimbursed for mileage by my employer (volunteered for a project down there.)



Ask if he can connect it to his PV array and grid for a demonstration.
Ask what user and installer passwords were set. But you can get "Personal Unlocking Key" from SMA.

I recently bought an SB 7.0 -41 model. It was sold "as-is for parts" and cost me $300, but came up working.

 

[Kuma]

Seems like you ought to get it. Consider it a mini-vacation, maybe stay the night and see the area.
One trip to San Diego (8 hours each way, bought transformer and cable tugger) in my Civic, I spent the night sleeping in a rest stop for free.

Another trip, I took my pickup to carry 20' rails, got another transformer, and was reimbursed for mileage by my employer (volunteered for a project down there.)

View attachment 154624 View attachment 154625

Ask if he can connect it to his PV array and grid for a demonstration.
Ask what user and installer passwords were set. But you can get "Personal Unlocking Key" from SMA.

I recently bought an SB 7.0 -41 model. It was sold "as-is for parts" and cost me $300, but came up working.

I called SMA, SMA HQ is 20 mins from where I live, and they said the current Sunny Boy Inverters are discontinued and the new Hybrid model will replace them. The Hybrid was supposed to be available at this time but is delayed with no firm availability date. Possibly July or later. MSRP is not available either.

Regarding the used 5.0 inverter, the seller will send me the Connection Unit serial number and SMA will verify any tech calls or registration history on the inverter.

 

[Hedges]

The "Carfax" of inverters?

I think it hardly matters whether registered or not, so long as it works you get your permission to operate and save a grand. But might affect warrant, not sure if that is transferrable.

I figured Sunny Boy Storage was just a reprogrammed Sunny Boy. If this it to replace SB, then it could be as inexpensive as I hoped. Would likely drive L1 and L2 each relative to N, for split phase. That saves adding a transformer.

Here's the European model, 6kW for 2500 GBP

I'll look into installing the one SB I picked up and one hybrid. Or maybe I'll use two SB (I have plenty of SI), and put hybrid in the other people's systems I'm doing.

If you're not in a hurry, the hybrid would let you add battery in the future. It is very nice to have power when grid is down.

 

[Kuma]

The "Carfax" of inverters?

I think it hardly matters whether registered or not, so long as it works you get your permission to operate and save a grand. But might affect warrant, not sure if that is transferrable.

I figured Sunny Boy Storage was just a reprogrammed Sunny Boy. If this it to replace SB, then it could be as inexpensive as I hoped. Would likely drive L1 and L2 each relative to N, for split phase. That saves adding a transformer.

Here's the European model, 6kW for 2500 GBP

I'll look into installing the one SB I picked up and one hybrid. Or maybe I'll use two SB (I have plenty of SI), and put hybrid in the other people's systems I'm doing.

If you're not in a hurry, the hybrid would let you add battery in the future. It is very nice to have power when grid is down.

Can not test it prior to purchase. Without testing and given my lack of experience, I need the comfort level of a warranty as $800 means something to me. Also, if I buy it he is driving to South Lake Tahoe next month and will meet me near my house))

I have zero interest in batteries. Far too expensive for the roi and power outages are not a big deal. I lived here for 20+ years and only one year with all the fires was power out for a few days. Typically outages last only a 2-6 hours. And its not a weekly or monthly occurrence. When needed I have a 2000w inverter generator that works great for the necessities. Fridge, mwave, tv, LED lights, computer, charge cell phones... And a wood stove for heat if power outage occurs for a long duration in the winter. I bought the inv gen a few years back when I replaced the 200 amp service panel which took 2 1/2 days. The inv gen paid for itself many times as I saved $4-$5,000 upgrading the SP myself.


Update: Inverter was not registered, aka "Carfax" hahaha, per SMA. So, plan is to register once commissioned on my property and warranty should start on that date.